Conference Tuesday - The Biggest Day Of XC Of The Year

PREVIEW

Weather: Partly Cloudy, 46 degrees

BOYS

Virtual Meet Projection: Buffalo (33), Rogers (61), Saint Michael-Albertville (67)

Top Individuals: Isaac Basten (Buffalo, 15:41), Carter Knaus (STMA, 16:19), Ethan Anderson (Rogers, 16:29), Nick Oak (Buffalo, 16:29), Alexander Heidorn (Rogers, 16:37), Brett Hanson (Buffalo, 16:39), Thomas Glad (Rogers, 16:46), Jonah Breuer (STMA, 16:49)

The Skinny: With Buffalo sitting in the top ten in the Class AA polls the entire season, they come into today's Mississippi 8 Conference Championships as the strong favorites to defend their title and complete the three-peat in the team championship, just as star senior Isaac Basten is hoping to compete an individual three-peat. The team that will be most likley to prevent that from happening is the team who was the runner up to Buffalo both of the past two years, STMA. Last year, they finished just two points shy of taking the win, but this year, they appear to have a bit more work to do to cut the gap down - while Buffalo has five of the top thirteen fastest runners this season, STMA's fifth runner is just 30th. They aren't even a sure thing to finish second either, as Rogers actually betters their score in the virtual meet (though that score is influenced by some quick times at the Big Lake Invitational - using season average times rather than season-bests, STMA betters Rogers by 42 points). On the individual side, Isaac Basten's biggest challenge will be in the form of Carter Knaus, who has been having an excellent season that has included three individual wins.

GIRLS

Top Individuals: Ali Weimer (STMA, 18:27), Katie Sigerud (STMA, 18:58), Mia Salas (STMA, 19:11), Jessica Immer (STMA, 19:14), Lexi Duscher (Princeton, 19:20), Elise Yeager (Monticello, 19:22), Annalise Davis (STMA, 19:28), Anna Belair (STMA, 19:36)

The Skinny: Last year, STMA scored just 19 points while sweeping the top four places. This year, they could one-up themselves as they are projected to score 17 points even in spite of the questionable status of defending conference champion Annalise Davis. A perfect score is even in the realm of possibility, as STMA's entire scoring seven is in the top nine fastest runners this season. The only runners who have a good chance to break up potential perfection are Princeton's Lexi Duscher and Monticello's Elise Yeager and Gabriella Witschen. Those three runners are the only ones not from STMA to have broken the 20-minute barrier this year. But as far as an individual conference champion goes, the conversation probably starts and ends with Ali Weimer, whose average 5K has been 18:38 this season.

(written by Mark Rice)