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National High School Girls Team Rankings - 12/8 FinalPublished by
Saratoga Springs of New York Stands Tall Once More Against Elite National Field in Oregon, Remaining Country's Best Program By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor The rest of the country was able to move closer to Saratoga Springs High from New York this season than the chase pack was three years ago, just not close enough to dethrone the Blue Streaks from being the top-ranked girls cross country team in the nation. Saratoga Springs prevailed by an 82-point margin at the 2019 Nike Cross Nationals, and despite not participating in an elite national cross country event again until returning Dec. 3 to Glendoveer Golf Course in Oregon, the Blue Streaks still managed to maintain their status as the top program in the country. But the return of NXN veterans Emily Bush, McKinley Wheeler, Sheridan Wheeler and Anya Belisle, along with the presence of junior Alycia Hart, helped Saratoga Springs place five scorers in the top 60 overall and achieve a 23-second spread to prevail against Niwot High from Colorado by an 81-109 margin. It was the third national championship for Saratoga Springs since the event began as Nike Team Nationals in 2004. The Blue Streaks also have nine more seasons of being recognized as the top-ranked team in the country by Harrier Magazine. Saratoga Springs is expected to return five athletes from its championship lineup next year, with juniors Belisle, Bush and Hart being supported by eighth-graders Heidi Berglund and Natalie Wilding. Many of the top eight programs to conclude the season are also primed for strong performances next year, with Niwot expected to return four athletes, including freshman All-American Addison Ritzenhein, who placed 18th overall. In addition to replacing seniors Lex Bullen and Madison Shults, Niwot must also overcome the transfer of sophomore Bella Nelson, who is moving with her family to Oklahoma during the new year. Buchanan appears primed to extend its California Division 1 dominance with five returning competitors, including sophomores Elle Lomeli and Sierra Cornett, as well as freshmen Kynzlee Buckley and Tayler Torosian. Lone Peak, the Utah 6A champion, is one of two lineups that didn’t make the podium in Oregon that doesn’t graduate any competitors, along with Colorado 5A winner Air Academy. Andie Aagard, who earned All-America honors by finishing 12th in her first season competing in cross country, has the opportunity to contend for a national title next year for Lone Peak. Bethany Michalak, who took third for Air Academy at Glendoveer Golf Course, will also be one of the leading national championship contenders next season. Mount Prospect of Illinois returns its top three competitors next year in Meg Peterson, Veronica Znajda and Lily Ginsberg, but will need to replace the loss of three seniors to remain ahead of rival York High, led by returning competitors Michaela Quinn, Maggie Quinn and Katherine Klimek. No team in the country returns a more impressive top three next season than Flower Mound from Texas, with All-Americans Samantha Humphries and Nicole Humphries, as well as sophomore Alexandra Fox all placing in the top 32 in Oregon. Cuthbertson had to endure senior Lillian Nasta not completing the NXN race as a result of a nagging quadriceps injury that also kept her sidelined earlier in the season, but Stella Kermes, Charlotte Bell and Justine Preisano are expected to return for the North Carolina 4A champions. Wayzata faces the challenge of replacing one of the deepest senior classes in program history, highlighted by All-American Abbey Nechanicky, but freshman Maddie Gullickson is ready to step forward and lead the Trojans in pursuit of another top-10 national performance next year. Campolindo and Los Altos from California, Lucas Lovejoy of Texas, North Allegheny from Pennsylvania and Olathe West of Kansas all performed well in their NXN debuts, with Bethlehem Central from New York returning for the first time since the inaugural Nike Team Nationals event in 2004. Los Altos competed in Oregon without senior Lauren Soobrian, who persevered through shin splints to help the team win its first California Division 2 state title Nov. 26 at Woodward Park in Fresno. Campolindo received a huge boost from senior Ellie Buckley, who was the second-fastest competitor from California in the NXN field in 26th place, trailing only fellow North Coast Section Division 3 standout and All-American Hanne Thomsen of Santa Rosa Montgomery in 16th overall. Despite not competing at NXN, Mountain Vista and Cherry Creek from Colorado both place in the top 20 overall, after taking the first two spots Dec. 3 in the gold race at the Garmin RunningLane Championships at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Ala. Mountain Vista must replace three seniors in order to keep pace with Air Academy in the deepest classification in the country in Colorado 5A, but sophomore Peyton Adams showcased strong potential this season. Cherry Creek is expected to lose four seniors to graduation, but freshman Emily Cohen demonstrated throughout the fall that she is ready to become the next elite competitor for the Bruins. Oaks Christian, behind the strength of RunningLane gold race individual champion Payton Godsey, was one point ahead of Marmonte League rival Newbury Park in the overall merge of all five divisions at the California state meet, despite competing in separate races. Newbury Park was the runner-up behind Los Altos in Division 2 and Oaks Christian placed second behind JSerra in Division 4.
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