PREVIEW
Spartan Challenge (Cancelled)
Location: Crow Creek Park, Bettendorf, IA
Weather: Expected to thunderstorm all night and clear out by 10:00 am, mid-70's
BOYS
Virtual Meet Projections: Edina (45), Pleasant Valley (71), Johnston (109)
Top Individuals: Kolby Greiner (Iowa City West, 15:23), Willem Gokemeijer (Edina, 15:35), Max Manley (Edina, 15:42), Connor Zydek (Wheaton North, 15:49), Parker Huhn (Pleasant Valley, 15:58)
The Skinny: US#23 Edina is the only Minnesota team competing at the Spartan Challenge, and they could very likely be the team to take the title for the seventh year in a row. Their biggest challenges will be in the form of Pleasant Valley and Johnston, and remarkably in all five of those six victories for Edina, either one of those two schools has been the runner-up. As usual, Edina's depth is the thing that sets them apart from the rest of the field - through three runners, both Pleasent Valley and Johnston are pretty even with Edina in terms of point potential, but both of them fall off a bit after that. The key to Pleasent Valley or Johnson being able to mount a challenge will depend on their #4 and #5 runners. But as the virtual meet has all seven of Edina's best returning runners in the top 21, Edina can remain confident in their status as the favorite. Defending meet champion Kolby Greiner is back to attempt to defend his title, but the runner whom he beat for the title last year (Max Manley) is coming off a far superior track season and is hoping to make some national waves this season as an individual.
GIRLS
Virtual Meet Projections: Edina (29), Naperville North (59), Johnston (86)
Top Individuals: Paige Horner (Johnston, 17:51), Alex Morris (Naperville North, 17:59), Maria Rickman (Edina, 18:14), Brooklyn Mckee (Johnston, 18:15), Macy Iyer (Edina, 18:22)
The Skinny: Trust us, the final outcome will not resemble the thirty-point differential of the virtual meet, mainly due to the Illinois State Meet distance being three miles rather than 5k (which severely limits Naperville North's opportunities to put up times that can directly compare to Edina or Johnston). Of course, the general consensus is that US#10 Edina, US#4 Naperville North, and Johnston are indeed the three top teams, just as they were last year when Naperville North took the title by 13 points over Edina (before their injury spree). In reality, Johnson probably won't mount a big challenge to their two ranked opponents as their depth drops off after their top two, while Edina and Naperville North are both far deeper. However, the early season matchup between two top-ten teams in the nation will answer a lot of questions about just how to view these teams as national contenders. On the individual side, Paige Horner owns the fastest time and, as the defending state champion in Iowa, is easily the top Iowa runner in the field, but may not run (she didn't run in Johnston's season opener). If she doesn't run, then the 12th-place finisher at NXN from last year in Alex Morris of Naperville North might not face a lot of competition for the win. Of course, it is possible that one of Edina's many stars (such as All State runners Maria Rickman, Morgan Richeter, or Sadie Schreiner) breaks out and runs with her the whole race in an attempt to fill the void left by the graduated Emily Kompelien.
(written by Mark Rice)