Northwest Suburban Conference Championships
Boys
Virtual Meet Results: Andover (68), Centennial (82), Maple Grove (104), Anoka (105), Champlin Park (152.5), Blaine (159), Spring Lake Park (159)
Top Individuals: Noah Breker (15:39.70), Gabriel Birkmeier (15:48.70), Alex Omodt (16:06.80), Cameron Heppner (16:14.10), Cade Sanvik (16:21.20), Jonathan Pattie (16:27.40), River Santiago (16:29.24)
The Skinny: It should be a close race between Andover and Centennial as our projected meet results have them separated by only 14 points. If Centennial can collectively improve their times just a little bit, they have a small split of around a minute that would help them greatly to make up those 14 points. It might be tough to overcome Andover though who has Birkmeier and Heppner almost locked into the top five.
Noah Breker and Gabriel Birkmeier will go head-to-head for the third time this season at the Northwest Suburban Conference Championships. They most recently went head-to-head at the Milaca Mega Meet boys D1 race, where Breker was able to fend off Birkmeier for the win by 9 seconds in a great race. At the Hopkins Bauman/Rovn Invitational, it was Birkmeier who fended off Breker by 4 seconds to finish in 3rd behind the boys from Minneapolis Southwest.
This should be a close race between Breker and Birkmeier, but don't count out the reigning conference champ in Andover's Cameron Heppner. Breker has all the momentum with two straight wins, but it should be a very competitive race.
Girls
Virtual Meet Results: Champlin Park (70), Maple Grove (76), Andover (109), Centennial (129), Osseo (146), Elk River (172.5), Anoka (185)
Top Individuals: Kaelyn Nelson (18:43.50), Abby Hibbs (18:47.30), Jordan Ode (19:28.60), Caitlyn Osanai (19:30.16), Alexa Davis (19:34.20), Vayda Foy (19:35.30)
The Skinny: In what should be one of the best team races in Minnesota this week, the Champlin Park girls will face off against the Maple Grove girls in a race that is projected to be separated by just 6 points. The two teams met most recently at the STMA Invite where Maple Grove handily beat a Champlin Park girls team that was missing Hibbs. If Hibbs runs, it should be a very close race, without Hibbs, the Maple Grove girls will most likely win handily.
A lot of season has surpassed since Kaelyn Nelson and Abby Hibbs last faced off against each other. They went head-to-head against each other in their first meet of the season at the Anoka Early Bird Invite. At that meet, Nelson was able to edge out Hibbs by 14 seconds for the win.
Since then, both girls have lowered the bars for themselves by setting new PRs of 18:43 (Nelson), and 18:47 (Hibbs), respectively. The edge might go to Nelson who most recently won the STMA Invite with her new PR, but it still should be a great race between two of the best underclassmen in the state.