Over A Dozen Meets Make Up Massive Day Of Racing

2018 Minnesota XC Meet Previews
Milesplit MN Staff

PREVIEW

Foley Falcon Invitational

Location: Stone Creek Golf Course, Foley

Weather: Mostly cloudy, mid 50s

BOYS

Virtual Meet Projection: Mora (54), Saint Cloud Cathedral (108),

Top Individuals: Cooper Lennox (Mora, 16:16), Nathan Williams (Mora, 16:50), Evan Lee (Lester Prairie, 16:51), Jake Andres (Pierz, 16:54), Tommy Ryan (Pine City, 16:55)

The Skinny: The top team in the field is the tenth ranked team in Class A from Mora. They should be able to win by a large margin as they have done many times this season. Their top three runners or Cooper Lennox, Nathan Williams, and Kaden Smart have been running very well this season. The key point to watch throughout the season will be if their fourth and fifth runners close the gap and improve their team score. That will be necessary for them to climb the rankings. Cooper Lennox is definitely the star individual in this field with the current ranking of sixth. Most recently, he had a fourth place finish at the Milaca Mega Meet. Evan Lee of Lester Prairie just ran a massive personal best at the Milaca Mega Meet where he finished sixth. Jake Andres is another individual that has had some solid early season success where he has not been all that far off of Lennox in the races where they have matched up. It would be surprising if Lennox was beat but Andres, Williams, and Lee will make it a great race for second.

GIRLS

Virtual Meet Projection: Mora (62), Albany (70), Zimmerman (79)

Top Individuals: Cheresa Bouley (Zimmerman, 19:09), Lexi Duscher (Princeton, 19:20), Kristine Kalthoff (Albany, 19:35), Alaina Steele (Pine City, 19:53), Grace Rieland (Albany, 20:15)

The Skinny: Looking at the projections, it looks like it will be a close team race between Mora, Albany, and Zimmerman. Mora is currently ranked eleventh in Class A but Zimmerman (Class AA school) beat them earlier this season at the Pierz Pioneer Stampede by 34 points. Zimmerman has a top four that are very tightly packed but their fifth runner needs to close the gap to ensure the win. They are lead by Cheresa Bouley who has had a great start to her season with three wins and a personal best.  Lexi Duscher has beaten Bouley twice this season so today's race will be another good matchup for the two. Up there with them should be Alaina Steele who has also seen great improvements this season and has been in the mix between Bouley and Duscher. This race will be one to watch with a close race for both the individual and team wins.

                                                                                                                                      (Written by Emma Benner)


TODAY'S MEETS