Girls Regional Rankings - 10/6/2022

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It wasn’t just because the meet directors for the Desert Twilight Festival allowed teams to run eight athletes in the sweepstakes races if they desired, but Niwot High from Colorado certainly took advantage of the option to demonstrate the most depth in a single race by any girls team nationally so far this season with its performance Sept. 30 at Coyote Run Golf Course at Leisure World in Mesa, Ariz.

Niwot secured its third sweepstakes title in four years at Desert Twilight, achieving the feat at yet another venue after prevailing last year at The Links Golf Course in San Tan Valley and in 2019 at the Grande World Sports Complex in Casa Grande.

The Cougars had eight athletes in the top 20, all running under 18:30 on the 5-kilometer layout, producing a 42-92 victory against Air Academy, as Colorado programs swept the top three spots in the sweepstakes race, with Valor Christian taking third with 127 points.

Niwot had its five scorers in the top 15, led by Stanford commit Madison Shults finishing fourth in 17:36.7 and Mia Prok securing sixth in 17:39.9, with Bella Nelson earning 11th in 18:00.5 and freshmen Anna Prok (18:04.4) and Addison Ritzenhein (18:10.5) finishing 14th and 15th.

Olivia Alessandrini was right behind in 16th in 18:10.6, Lex Bullen placed 18th in 18:21.1 and Cayden Justice took 19th in 18:25.3 for Niwot, which is motivated to capture another Colorado 4A crown Oct. 29 at Norris-Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs.

Prospect High from Illinois picked up a big victory Oct. 1 at the Nike XC Town Twilight Presented by the Garrett Companies at the LaVern Gibson course in Terre Haute, Ind., placing five scorers in the top 20 to prevail with 34 points.

Hailey Erickson was fifth on the 5-kilometer course in 17:41.1, Veronica Znajda captured sixth in 17:42.6, Meg Peterson earned eighth in 17:50.9 and Lily Ginsberg took 10th in 17:54.0, with Cameron Kalaway placing 18th in 18:18.5 for Prospect, which has prevailed in one of three head-to-head meetings this season with Illinois 3A rival York.

Jesuit High from Oregon traveled to Washington to compete Oct. 1 at the Twilight XC Invitational at Cedarcrest Golf Course in Marysville and produced a 57-80 triumph against Central Kitsap.

Maura O’Scannlain led Jesuit with a third-place finish on the 5-kilometer layout by clocking 18:05.3 and Liliana Hudnut earned eighth in 18:36.9, with the Crusaders producing five scorers in the top 20.

Despite enduring a 67-75 setback against Texas rival Lucas Lovejoy in the “El Caliente” girls race at the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival in Arkansas, Southlake Carroll remained the leader in the South Region as a result of junior standout Alexandra Walsh not competing.

Lucas Lovejoy had five scorers in the top 25 on the 5-kilometer course, led by sisters Sara Morefield (17:50.1) and Amy Morefield (18:01.0) placing 10th and 13th overall.

The difference of having Walsh in the lineup would have created at least a 30-point swing for Southlake Carroll, which had senior Ava Bushaw take third in 17:30.2.

Flower Mound of Texas dominated at the Nike South Invitational at Bear Branch Park, with Nicole Humphries placing third in 17:09.6, Samantha Humphries finishing fourth in 17:11.1 and Alexandra Fox securing sixth in 17:44.6 to achieve a 43-116 victory against Klein.

Union Catholic of New Jersey swept the top three spots in its varsity race at the Shore Coaches Invitational at Holmdel Park, with Peyton Hollis covering the 5-kilometer layout in 18:33.0, Kaleigh Gunsiorowski clocking 18:46.0 and Courtney Kaiser taking third in 18:51.0.

Marietta High triumphed at the Alexander/ASICS Invitational in its home state of Georgia, holding off Bolles School from Florida by a 73-93 margin in Fairburn.

Maddie Jones covered the 5-kilometer course in 18:17.55 to finish ninth for Marietta, which had five scorers in the top 30.

Bethlehem Central celebrated the biggest victory of the week in New York, prevailing by a 48-66 margin against CIcero-North Syracuse, which had just held off Fayetteville-Manlius with a six-point win Sept. 24 at the Baldwinsville Invitational.

Bethlehem Central had five scorers in the top 15, led by Rylee Davis covering the 3-mile course in 17:41.5 to take fourth and Charlotte O’Meara running 17:54.5 to grab sixth.

Kate Putman, a North Carolina State commit, triumphed in 16:46.2, with Gabby Putman finishing fifth in 17:50.3 and Penn State-bound Hannah Boyle securing seventh in 18:03.1 for Cicero-North Syracuse, which had five scorers in the top 40.

Wayzata followed its one-point victory Sept. 23 at the Roy Griak Invitational with an impressive 27-78 win against Minnetonka at the St. Michael-Albertville Invitational, placing five scorers in the top 11.

Abbey Nechanicky, a Colorado commit, became the fourth Minnesota prep female athlete in history to produce a sub-17 performance on any 5-kilometer course, including just the second on home soil, by clocking 16:47.4 to lead Wayzata.

CALIFORNIA

1. Buchanan

2. JSerra

3. Los Altos

4. Newbury Park

5. Campolindo

HEARTLAND

1. Wayzata MN

2. Olathe West KS

3. Minnetonka MN

4. St. Paul Highland Park MN

5. Dubuque Hempstead IA

MIDWEST

1. York IL

2. Prospect IL

3. Hilliard Davidson OH

4. Noblesville IN

5. Columbus North IN

NEW YORK

1. Saratoga Springs

2. Fayetteville-Manlius

3. Bethlehem Central

4. Cicero-North Syracuse

5. Shaker

NORTHEAST

1. North Allegheny PA

2. Union Catholic NJ

3. Haddonfield Memorial NJ

4. Champlain Valley Union VT

5. State College Area PA

NORTHWEST

1. Jesuit OR

2. Summit OR

3. Lincoln OR

4. South Eugene OR

5. Boise Senior ID

SOUTH

1. Southlake Carroll TX

2. Flower Mound TX

3. Lucas Lovejoy TX

4. Klein TX

5. Prosper TX

SOUTHEAST

1. Cuthbertson NC

2. Morgantown WV

3. Marietta GA

4. Brentwood TN

5. Cardinal Gibbons NC

SOUTHWEST

1. Niwot CO

2. Cherry Creek CO

3. Air Academy CO

4. Valor Christian CO

5. Arapahoe CO