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Heartland Region Girls Early Season Rankings 2024Published by
Wayzata's Lineup Even Stronger As It Seeks Eighth NXN Berth; Saint Paul Highland Park Could Make It A Minnesota Sweep By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor Girls NXR Heartland Preview When the dust settled at Yankton Trails on a beautiful morning last November, Wayzata's powerhouse program was on top once again. The Spartans won the region and flew off to be part of Nike Cross Nationals for the seventh time. It wasn't a great result in Portland, 21st place, but Wayzata returns its top six from last year's team and has added a pair of front-runners and juniors Maddie Gullickson and Lila Golomb, who were both 4:55 1,600-meter runners last spring. Gullickson and Golomb had better times in the spring than Jazleen Malherek-Osorio, who was a bright spot for the team at NXN with a 40th place finish. Barring injury, Wayzata seems poised to defend its regional title and make a better showing at nationals. The battle for the second spot is a bit more wide open, with Saint Paul Highland Park, the Minnesota AA champion, brining nearly its entire team back plus adding a significant transfer, Claire Vukovics. Olathe West of Kansas graduated key pieces of the team that made two straight NXNs. Iowa has a couple of contenders in Johnston and Pleasant Valley, who should battle it out for supremacy in Class 4A. Johnston was third at NXR Heartland last year. The Heartland region has never qualified an at-large team to NXN, so it's top-two or bust for teams with a goal of making it to nationals. Individual regional champion Norah Hushagen of Forest Lake MN is back for another run at the Heartland title, and so is Katelyn Rupe from Salina Central, who finished just 0.3 seconds behind for second place. Libby Castelli of O'Gorman SD, the South Dakota state champion, is also back as an individual qualifier after placing fourth at Heartland last year. Other returners from last year's top 10 include sophomore Peyton VanDeest of Spearfish SD, who was eighth, and sophomore Evie Malec of Minnetonka MN, who was ninth. Hopkins MN senior Sydney Drevlow is another one to watch. She won the state title in the 800 and was 16th at the regional last year. Idaho state champion Ruby Ihmels, a sophomore, has transferred to Century High in Bismarck, N.D. 1. Wayzata MN. Junior Jazleen Malherek-Osorio led last year's Wayzata team to a 20-point victory over Olathe West of Kansas at the NXR Heartland. With the top six due back, Wayzata has the pieces to get back to the top of the podium in Minnesota as well as Yankton Trails in Sioux Falls, S.D. Senior Alyson Kleyman, junior Miley Clark, sophomore Aubrey Smith, junior Chloe Kissel and senior Julia Link all get another crack at it. Juniors Maddie Gullickson and Lila Golomb led the team at the St. Olaf Invitational and Malherek-Osorio didn't run. 2. Saint Paul Highland Park MN. The addition of transfer Claire Vukovics from Lakeville South has raised the stakes for the Scots, who were already welcoming back 10 of the program's top 11 from last year when the team placed ninth at NXR Heartland. Vukovics was 18th in the state meet last year and was the team's No. 1 in the first meet of the new season. Senior Grace Lewis-Mosher can run up front with Vukovics and behind them senior Samantha Palm, sophomore Zoe Moore and senior Hannah Koch lead the pack. 3. Johnston IA. The reigning Iowa Class 4A champions graduated top individual Olivia Verde, the state runner-up, who is at Iowa State now. The Dragoons placed third at NXR Heartland last year and bring back four of their five scorers. Still a young group, sophomores Grace Beasley, Ele Wharton and Payton Crabb, and junior Alyx Woodley, lead the charge for this year's team and should be in the hunt for another state title. But it's very close with Pleasant Valley on paper. Six of the seven fastest runners on last year's team are eligible to return. 4. Pleasant Valley IA. Last year at the Iowa state meet Pleasant Valley finished fourth with five scorers who were spread by 20 seconds. The Spartans bring back all five from a team that was only 24 points behind first place Johnston. Senior Grace Boleyn, juniors Brynn Edgin and Jaylee Duncan and sophomores Vivian McCombs and Maddie Millage should be even better this fall and could challenge for the 4A state title in Iowa before moving on to take a shot at an NXN berth. We know they can run in a pack, but how much faster is it moving? 5. Minnetonka MN. Sophomore Evie Malec anchored Minnetonka to a sprint medley relay championship at Nike Outdoor Nationals in June. She has 2:10/4:48 speed and was ninth at last year's NXR Heartland regional. She could be a special talent in the Heartland for years to come. She is part of a potent 1-2 punch for Minnetonka with senior Avery Marasco-Johnson. Behind them, senior Olivia Muehlstedt, sophomore Chloe Steinkraus and senior Meredith Gilles provide support. If those three can close the gap, Minnetonka's prospects get ever brighter. If they don't, Prior Lake and Forest Lake are two teams waiting in the wings who could jump up into the rankings quickly. WATCHLIST |
