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Southwest Region Girls Early Season Rankings 2024Published by
Colorado's Mountaintop Moment Continues With Three Powerhouse Teams Front And Center To Begin 2024 Season By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor Girls NXR Southwest Preview Coloradoans crowded the podium at the end of last year's Nike Cross Nationals and the forecast for 2024 is more of the same. Mountain Vista, Air Academy and Niwot come into the new cross country season as the top teams in the Southwest, and yes, likely the entire country. Mountain Vista, which competed as "Denver" at NXN last year and took third, looks to leap-frog its in-state rivals with all seven coming back this season. In addition, senior Keeghan Edwards will get to join the team after sitting out in 2023 after transferring from Valor Christian. Edwards ran 10:13 in the 2-mile last spring. Air Academy, which graduated NXN runner-up Bethany Michalak, returns the other six from its championship team. And Niwot of Boulder brings back the individual champion, Addy Ritzenhein, and two others from the second-place team. Fourth at NXN for the third time in a row was Utah's Lone Peak, which returns five. The depth in the states of Colorado and Utah, of course, doesn't end there. The competition for space on the state meet podiums comes first and it's going to be fierce. "The depth of competition at the state championships will help prepare Colorado (teams) for the national stage," Niwot coach Kelly Christensen said. The states of Colorado and Utah dominate the early season list, but Highland of Arizona is also on the radar and could make some noise in its home state at NXR Southwest. Individual regional champion Gianna Rahmer is now officially a high schooler, beginning her freshman year at Eldorado in New Mexico. Runners from the Southwest took five of the top 10 spots at NXN last year. Ritzenhein, Rahmer (sixth) and Ella Hagen of Summit CO (10th) are back this fall. 1. Mountain Vista CO. The Golden Eagles of Mountain Vista actually finished fifth in the Colorado Class 5A state final before regrouping and running to third place at both NXR Southwest and NXN. The seven who ran in Portland all return and have every reason to set their sights higher. Seniors Peyton Adams, Juliet Frum, Riley Combe, Zoe Brandt and Gabi Boeckman and juniors Claire Guiberson and Carly Christians are all back. Then, add likely No. 1 Keegan Edwards to the mix, and transfer Brenna Jorde from IMG Academy. It is the deepest, most stacked lineup in the country and perhaps one of the best teams in the past decade. 2. Air Academy CO. The reigning NXN champions return enough talent to make a run at a second consecutive national title. Six of the seven who held the trophy aloft at Glendoveer Golf Course will get another shot at it. Seniors Tessa Walter and Emily Beers, juniors Jordan Banta and Lauren Myers, and sophomores Mariah Hook and Chamorra Cooper are ready for another big season. Last December at NXN they all fit in between 29th and 91st place. 3. Niwot CO. The Cougars scored just 20 points to win their sixth consecutive CHSAA Class 4A cross country title last fall before winning the NXR Southwest title and finishing a close second to Air Academy in Portland. The team graduated four but has the depth in the program to make another run at the national podium. In addition to Ritzenhein, fellow juniors Anna Prok and Avalon Beltran are back. Sophomore Elise Hagen is expected to make a big contribution after making state finals in both the 1,600 and 3,200 on the track. Another sophomore, Scarlett Parks, and senior Alena Kasanicky should help fill out the lineup. 4. Lone Peak UT. The Bybee cousins, Maya, Boston and Anna, are among the five returners from last year's NXN fourth-place team. Lone Peak has become the standard of excellence in girls cross country in Utah and this year's team should continue to carry on that tradition. The Knights scored 58 points to win the Timpanogos Invitational and offered a glimpse of what they have to offer this fall. Sophomore Maya and senior Boston Bybee led the team, junior twins Brielle and Zoe Nilsson were the team's third and fourth scorers, and sophomore Paytin Rohatinsky was the team's fifth. Senior Ava McMurtrey and newcomer Tatum Brewer rounded out the top seven. 5. Timpview UT. Even though Addy Ritzenhein won Nike Cross Nationals, and Gianna Rahmer won NXR Southwest, it is easy to identify senior Jane Hedengren of Timpview is every bit their equal, if not faster. She was last year until she got hurt midway through the season. Hedengren is one of the best ever in Utah and she leads a team with another standout in junior Lily Alder, who ran a 4:40 mile last spring. With those two running up front, Timpview will have two low sticks. Senior Ellie Esplin, junior Gwen Boulton and senior Daphne Batmale are the keys to success if they can close gap on the two up front. Timpview won the Class 5A Utah title last year before Hedengren stopped her season short. WATCHLIST More news |
