Location: North Branch Golf Course
Weather: 56 degrees, mostly cloudy
BOYS
Virtual Meet Projection: Big Lake (44), North Branch (54), Rush City (57)
Top Individuals: Kade Layton (Big Lake, 16:59), Nathan Clausing (Big Lake, 17:19), Joseph Nihart (North Branch, 17:23), Matthew Stuber (North Branch, 17:28)
The Skinny: Without a doubt, the runner to watch at this North Branch invitational will be 8th-grader Kade Layton from Big Lake, who is the only runner to have run under 17 minutes in the field. As we are now getting to October, and the point of the season where people begin to drop off time, it will be very interesting to see what Layton can run, and whether he can take down a field full of high schoolers to take his first individual win this season. If he's going to win a race, this seems like the one he could take; his best time tops the field by a solid twenty seconds. Layton and Clausing's potential one-two finish will also help their Big Lake team, which is projected to get squeeze out a win over North Branch and Rush City.
GIRLS
Virtual Meet Projection: Chisago Lakes (22), Big Lake (48)
Top Individuals: Cora Hudella (North Branch, 21:04), Maya Aadland (Chisago Lakes, 21:36), Christina Brunnett (Chisago Lakes, 21:43)
The Skinny: Not to be missed in the palooza of races on Tuesday is the North Branch Viking Invitational. In the team race, Chisago Lakes holds a fairly strong lead over Big Lake in the virtual meet, as they own four of the top five fastest runners in the meet this season. North Branch freshman Cora Hudella holds a slight advantage over the plethorda of Chisago Lakes girls behind her. Hudella got off to a slow start this season, but has built herself back into a great position the past few races, even taking tenth in the Milaca Mega Meet Freshman girls race, and could be in line for her first XC win.
(written by Maddy Lawler)