West Central Conference Championships
Location: BOLD High School (Olivia, MN)
Forecast: Sunny; high of 72; race time temps in upper 60s
BOYS
Top Teams: Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (62), Benson (70), Melrose Area (74), Montevideo (75)
Top Individuals: Jonathan Tostenson (Benson, 17:21), Joshua Tasta (Montevideo, 17:30), Noah Stewart (Morris, 17:31), Preston Poepping (Melrose; 17:40), Nathan Frank (BOLD; 17:41)
The Skinny: Jonathan Tostenson of Benson enters the race as the favorite. He has impressively placed in the top ten of every one of his eight races this year. Joshua Tasta of Montevideo will battle it out with a charging Noah Stewart (Morris) and Preston Poepping (Melrose) for the remaining podium spots. Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta are projected to be the winners here, margin between first and fourth according to ur virtual meet is about as slim as it can get (Benson, Melrose, and Montevideo are all within five points of each other on our virtual meet).
GIRLS
Top Teams: Sauk Centre (32), Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (59), Melrose Area (69)
Top Individuals: Kate O'Brien (Sauk Centre; 20:46), Meredith Carrington (Morris; 21:35), Laura Funk (Melrose; 21:36), Alexandra Christen (Sauk Centre; 21:50)
The Skinny: Kate O'Brien of Sauk Centre enters the race with the fastest PR this season by some distance and will likely take the win based on that. Running without her sister Maddie (who has been injured most of the season), Meredith Carrington of MACA has not been running nearly as well as her career-best time of 19:55 would indicate, but she is actually ahead of her 2016 pace so far this year, so she could make a strong challenge for the win. So could Laura Funk of Melrose, who has been consistently dropping time the ast three years and owns five top-ten finishes this season. Without the All-State 800 runner Maddie Carrington for MACA, Sauk Center should have this competition decently well in hand, but MACA is still in good position as runners up ahead of Melrose.