Conference Tuesday - The Biggest Day Of XC Of The Year

Location: Gale Woods Farm, Minnetrista

Weather: Low 50's, sunny

BOYS:

Virtual Meet Projections: Hutchinson (18), Delano (62), Waconia (74)

Top Individuals: Mitchell Grand (Hutchinson, 16:24), Ben Becker (Hutchinson, 16:40), Jacob Lipke (Hutchinson, 16:57), Jack Jaeger (16:59), Jack Balsiger (Delano, 17:01)

The Skinny: The Hutchinson boys are predicted to win their Conference championships pretty handily, thanks to their top four finishers. Though Gale Woods may be a little more difficult than some of the faster courses they've run on, Hutchinson will still have a shot at placing four runners under 17 minutes. In addition, Jack Balsiger, the only non-Hutchinson runner with season best that puts him in the top five, will fight to chase the Hutchinson team and run under 17 minutes. The virtual meet projects Hutchinson to win with a staggering 18 points, with Delano and Waconia 40-plus points back. Although Delano has a decent lead over Waconia in the virtual meet projections, Waconia may actually have the edge, as they've kept their runners off some of the faster courses where Hutchinson and Delano recorded their quickest times. It would take a lot for Waconia to actually win this race, but the score might be closer than it looks just based on paper.

GIRLS

Virtual Meet Projections: Waconia (40), New Prague (54), Orono (72)

Top Individuals: Isabelle Schmitz (Hutchinson, 18:52), Kaleesa Houston (Waconia, 19:05), Riviera Wock (Orono, 19:23), Grace Jostock (Delano, 19:44)

The Skinny: Hutchinson seventh grader Isabelle Schmitz comes undefeated through seven races into her Conference meet, with the fastest time in the field and the only one under 19 minutes. However, her blazing PR was run at the notoriously quick Litchfield Invite, so if her impressive rookie victory streak is going to end anywhere, it may be here. Waconia senior Kaleesa Houston has run just over 19 minutes this season, and will be looking to run under that mark here on a Gale Woods Farm course that has finally dried out from last week's rain, en route to defending her individual Conference title from 2017. Houston has yet to win a race this season, and Conference seems like her best opportunity to do it. Schmitz and Houston will duke it out again at Sections later in the season, too. Other runners to watch will be Orono's Riviera Wock, whose 19:23 season PR was also run at Litchfield, where she came out on top over Delano's Grace Jostock. Waconia is projected to take the team title.

(written by Maddy Lawler)