Conference Tuesday - The Biggest Day Of XC Of The Year

Location: Watertown-Mayer High School, Watertown

Weather: Low 50's, mostly sunny

BOYS

Virtual Meet Projection: Annandale (37), Glencoe-Silver Lake (94), Mound-Westonka (97)

Top Individuals: Nels Trandahl (Rockford, 16:42), Payton Lund (Annandale, 17:03), Alec Van Gelder (Mound Westonka, 17:06), Will Elskamp (Watertwon-Mayer, 17:16), Connor Hallaway (GSL, 17:25)

The Skinny: Annandale appears to own a comfortable lead over the rest of the conference today. They've got without a doubt the deepest team in the field, as well as one of the top individuals in the form of Payton Lund. That said, Glencoe Silver Lake and Mound Westonka have book looked a lot stronger recently, and could provide a solid challenge for Annandale if a few things break their way (though Annandale's superior depth will be if hard for them to truly challenge them). However, it is Rockford who provides the meet's premier runner in the form of Nels Trandahl, a winner of two races this year and a top-two finisher in four. However, Trandahl's most recent race was actually a bit of a disappointing run, just taking ninth at the Mora Last Chance meet and finishing behind Annandale's Lund. Westonka's Alec Van Gelder can't be counted out either, as he's the meet's top returning finisher thanks to his third-place finish last year.

GIRLS

Virtual Meet Projection: Annandale (47), Rockford (67), Glencoe-Silver Lake (86)

Top Individuals: Emma Fashant (Annandale, 19:24), Laura Sunnorborg (Mound Westonka, 19:41), Keily Wheeler (Annandale, 20:30), Ava Cusciotta (Rockford, 20:30), Malayh Metcalf (GSL, 20:30)

The Skinny: It hasn't been quite the season Annandale would have hoped for a year after taking third at the State Championships, but they've looked a lot stronger recently and are projected to take the win once again at the Wright County West Championships. At the Mora Last Chance meet last week, they beat today's projected runner-up from Rockford by 31 points, and most of their runners ran either season bests or career bests at Litchfield the week before. A win here would help provide great momentum heading into one of the state's toughest sections. Emma Fashant once again heads up the field as one of just two runners to break the 20-minute barrier in the field, and will an All-State pedigree. That said, she'll face a tough challenge from Westonka's 8th grader Laura Sunnorborg, who just last week won a race on this very course with a time of 19:58.

(written by Mark Rice)