Morris Invitational
Location: Pomme de Terre Golf Course, Morris
Weather: Mid 60's, rain/thunderstorms
BOYS
Virtual Meet Projections: West Central Area (29), Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd (47), Melrose Area High School (127), Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (144)
Individuals to Watch: Jacob Bright (WCA, 16:02), Noah Stewart (MACA, 16:25), Mikey Kvaal (LQPV/DB, 16:33), Jack Van Kempen (WCA, 16:36), Ezekiel Sather (LQPV/DB, 16:39), Carter Grove (Osakis, 16:57)
The Skinny: Two of the top teams in Class AA will make their season debuts in Morris, with West Central Area and Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd both finishing in the top four last season at State. As such, the team competition will come down to a battle between those two teams, and there shouldn't be any other team close. WCA's five best returning runners are all in the top 12 of the virtual meet, and LQPV/DB has four in the top 10, with a further four in the next 18. The raw numbers favor WCA, but early-season competitions like this could go either way. There's also no shortage of top individual talent with All State runners Jacob Bright, Noah Stewart, and Mikey Kvaal, and several others that have finished on the cusp of being All State like Jack Van Kempen and Zeke Sather.
GIRLS
Virtual Meet Projections: Rocori High School (25), West Central Area (61.5), Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (122)
Individuals to Watch: Merideth Theis (Rocori, 19:15), Laina Viere (Rocori, 19:23), Lexi Bright (WCA, 19:29), Teagen Nelson (WCA, 19:45), Maddie Carrington (MACA, 19:49), Katelyn Motter (Rocori, 19:54)
The Skinny: The youthful Rocori squad was a surprise Sate-qualifying team in Class AA last year, and they return all seven runners, most of whom backed up their XC season with outstanding track campaigns. As such, as long as they come into the season in solid shape, they should have no trouble taking the win at Morris with 8 of the 17 top returning runners in the meet. Projected to take second based on the virtual meet is Class A-state qualifier West Central Area, and they should have a healthy gap on the rest of the field unless an early-season surprise team emerges. Individually, the race is wide open between any one of Rocori's impressive young runners, WCA's top runner Lexi Bright, or MACA's All-State senior Maddie Carrington (who is coming off her best track season where went 2:16 and 5:10 in the 800m and 1600m).