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Southeast Region
Veterans Park at Valleydale Rd, Hoover AL
November 24, 2007

Preview

Top teams are ready
to settle things on the course

By Brett Honeycutt
DyeStat Southeast Regional Editor

It’s finally here. The first NTN Southeast Regional.

With 7 of the top 9 boys’ teams, including the top 3 and 5 of the top 6, and 6 of the top 9 girls’ teams, including the top two and 5 of the top 7, there won’t be any questions about which teams deserve to go to the Nike Team Nationals. It will all be settled on the course.

Here’s a look at teams entered and what to expect at the meet.

FAVORITES

BOYS

You have to say the top two ranked SE teams are favored: Oak Ridge RC (whose runners ran for Oak Ridge, TN during the season and won the Tennessee 3A state title) and Team 703 (whose runners ran for Jefferson Sci/Tech, VA during the season and won the Virginia 3A state title).

--- Oak Ridge RC (whose runners ran for Oak Ridge, TN during the season and won the Tennessee 3A state title): Disregard the fourth-place finish at Maymont. A lot has changed since then and this team is rolling. Two weeks later, a win at Great American started the hot streak and they haven’t cooled off since.

--- Team 703 (whose runners ran for Jefferson Sci/Tech, VA during the season and won the Virginia 3A state title): Look way back in the early part of October to see where these runners began to gain confidence. In the C race of the Manhattan Invitational, they finished just behind nationally-ranked Queensbury TC (then-No. 20 nationally). From there, they won their district with a perfect score, then won the regional by 37 against previous No. 1 Oakton RC and then beat 3 of the top 8 SE Ranked teams to win the state meet by 10 points.

GIRLS

For the girls, the favorites are also the top two SE ranked teams: Mountain Brook RC (whose runners ran for Mountain Brook, AL during the season and won the Albama 6A state title) and Tatnall RC (whose runners ran for Tatnall, DE during the season and won the Delaware Division II title).

--- Mountain Brook RC (whose runners ran for Mountain Brook, AL during the season and won the Albama 6A state title): The deepest and most consistent team this season and a team Greg Echols called his best in his long tenure at the school, where he has guided the girls team to 11 state titles in 15 years including this year. A steady climb from SE No. 6 in the preseason rankings to 5, then 4 and 2 until a victory at Great American on Oct. 13 pushed them to No. 1 where they’ve been since then. Impressive about the Great American victory was that it came against 4 of the current top 8 ranked teams, No. 4 Suwanee XC Club (runners from Collins Hill, GA during the season); No. 5 Oak Ridge TC (runners from Oak Ridge, TN during the season); No. 6 Derby City AC (runners from Assumption, AL during the season) and No. 7 Episcopal RC (runners from Episcopal, FL during the season).

The most impressive victory came early in the season on Sept. 22 when these runners won in Boise, Idaho at Eagle Island State Park at the Bob Firman Invitational, by beating three regionally ranked teams, one from the Southwest and two from the Northwest: Then SW#3 Davis XC UT and then NW#3 Boise ID and then NW#2 Gig Harbor WA.

--- Tatnall RC (whose runners ran for Tatnall, DE during the season and won the Delaware Division II title): Two weeks after finishing sixth at Maymont these runners roared back on Oct. 13 with an an impressive eighth place at the Manhattan Inv. in a loaded Eastern States field, which had four nationally-ranked teams and 19 regionally-ranked teams from three regions, Tatnall RC jumped from 8th to 2nd in the SE rankings and has stayed there since then. The key to this team is two-fold: 1) Front-runner Juliet Bottorff, who will gain valuable points with a high finish, and 2) its 2-5 pack time which can be about 20 seconds. They need to be near the front, though, to make a difference which they are definitely capable of doing.

WATCH OUT FOR THESE TEAMS

BOYS:

-- Chattanooga TC (whose runners ran for Baylor, TN during the season and won the Tennessee Division II 2A state title): Has several front runners and their 4-7 runners have changed places throughout the season. A perfect race could equal not only a trip to NTN but a SE Regional title. Has experience running the course because they took advantage of running at Great American whre they finished second without having a perfect day. Watch out for them.

-- Oakton RC (whose runners ran for Oakton, VA during the season and finished fourth at the Virginia 3A state championship): It won’t be a surprise if they win. Injuries near the end of the season plagued this club, but a healthy Oakton RC team, which will toe the line on Saturday, is likely the best team in the Southeast as evidenced by its runner-up to Medina, OH at Maymont during the season after beating 5 of the top 10 ranked SE teams, including the then-ranked No.s 3-5 teams at the time. Also, a strong showing at the Manhattan Inv. behind then-national No. 1 Danbury TC, was impressive.)

-- Birmingham XC Club (whose runners ran for Hoover, AL during the season and won the Alabama 6A state title): Home team, home crowd, more knowledge of the course than most any team out there. Took advantage of running Great American and finished fourth behind Oak Ridge TC, Chattanooga TC and then No. 5 NY Kellenberg Memorial TC.

GIRLS:

--- Suwanee XC Club (whose runners ran for Collins Hill, GA during the season and won the Georgia 5A title): On a roll since Great American where the runners beat No. 5 Oak Ridge TC (runners from Oak Ridge, TN during the season); No. 6 Derby City AC (runners from Assumption, AL during the season) and No. 7 Episcopal RC (runners from Episcopal, FL during the season). One thing that makes this team scary is that it ran a solid race at Great American against Mountain Brook RC (whose runners ran for Mountain Brook, AL during the season and won the Albama 6A state title). Suwanee XC Club’s runners finished runner-up at Great American by 24 points, but it did beat three ranked teams.

--- Derby City AC (runners ran for Assumption, KY during the season and won the Kentucky 3A title): Had an early-season meet in Louisville (Valkyrie Inv.) where their runners finished second to Carmel RC from Indiana (fourth at MW Regional). That proved to be the eye-catcher for most that these runners would make an impact this season. Five weeks later they moved into the SE rankings at No. 6 and never dropped lower than No. 7 with impressive finishes at Great American (fourth) and a season-ending victory at the state championship meet.

--- Episcopal RC (runners ran for Episcopal, FL during the season and won the Florida 2A title): Have proved it can run with the top teams when won the flrunners.com meet by beating then-SE No. 3 Greenbelt XC Club (whose runners ran for Roosevelt, MD during the season). Even though Episcopal RC’s runners came back a week later to finish fifth at Great American, it got invaluable time on the SE Region course. A solid race could have this team near or at the top.

--- Greenbelt XC Club (runners ran for Roosevelt, MD during the season and finished runner-up at Maryland 4A meet): The sleeper of the entire meet, so watch out for this team. It’s runners finished second at Maymont and second at Flrunners.com meet. They don’t have much depth after their No. 5 runner, but could surprise if 1-5 runs its best race.


DON’T COUNT THESE TEAMS OUT

BOYS

Capital RC (runners ran for Broughton, NC during season and won North Carolina 4A title)

Orchard Club (runners ran for Quince Orchard, MD during the season and won the Maryland 4A title)

Western Cary XC (runners ran for Green Hope, NC during the season and finished third at North Carolina 4A meet)

GIRLS

Lady Dawgs (runners ran for Churchill, MD during the season and finished fourth at the Maryland 4A meet)

 

TOP 10 NO SHOWS

BOYS

4.Midlothian (VA) State 3A runner-up

7.Mt. View (VA) State 3A 3rd-place

10.Collins Hill (GA) State 5A champion

GIRLS

3.Midlothian (VA) State 3A champion

5.Oak Ridge (TN) State 3A champion

8.CM Wright (MD) State 4A champion

10.Cardinal Gibbons (NC) State 2A champion

 

PAST NTN QUALIFIERS

2006: Boys: Midlothian, VA; Chapel Hill, NC

2006: Girls: Midlothian, VA; Roosevelt, MD; Tatnall, DE

2005: Boys: Chapel Hill, NC; St. Xavier, KY

2005: Girls: Roosevelt, MD; Episcopal, FL

2004: Boys: Hoover, AL; Winter Park, FL

2004: Girls: Scottsboro, AL; Harford, MD (CM Wright)

 

TOP TEAMS ENTERED

BOYS

SE No. 1. Oak Ridge RC (runners ran for Oak Ridge, TN during the season and won the Tennessee 3A title)

SE No. 2. Team 703 (runners ran for Jefferson Sci/Tech, VA during the season and won the Virginia 3A title)

SE No. 3.Chattanooga TC (runners ran for Baylor, TN during the season and won the Tennessee Div II 2A title)

SE No. 5. Birmingham XC Club (runners ran for Hoover, AL during the season and won the Alabama 6A title)

SE No. 6.Orchard Club (runners ran for Quince Orchard, MD during the season and won the Maryland 4A title)

SE No. 8.Oakton RC (runners ran for Oakton, VA during the season and finished fourth at Virginia 3A championship)

SE No. 9.Brentsville RC (runners ran for Brentsville, VA during the season and won the Virginia 2A title)

Bubble teams

Snellville XC (runners ran for Brookwood, GA during the season and finished runner-up at Georgia 5A meet)

Capital RC (runners ran for Broughton, NC during the season and won North Carolina 4A title)

Western Cary XC (runners ran for Green Hope, NC during the season and finished third at North Carolina 4A meet)

Walter’s RC (runners ran for Louisville Trinity, KY during the season and finished third at Kentucky 3A meet)

Walton CC Club (runners ran for Walton, GA during the season and finished fourth at Georgia 5A meet)

GIRLS

SE No. 1.Mountain Brook RC (runners ran for Mountain Brook, AL during the season and won the Alabama 6A title)

SE No. 2. Tatnall RC (runners ran for Tatnall, DE during the season and won the Delaware Div II title)

SE No. 4.Suwanee XC Club (runners ran for Collins Hill, GA during the season and won the Georgia 5A title)

SE No. 6.Derby City AC (runners ran for Assumption, KY during the season and won the Kentucky 3A title)

SE No. 7.Episcopal RC (runners ran for Episcopal, FL during the season and won the Florida 2A title)

SE No. 9.Greenbelt XC Club (runners ran for Roosevelt, MD during the season and finished runner-up at Maryland 4A meet)

Bubble teams:

Blacksburg XC (runners ran for Blacksburg, VA during the season and won the Virginia 2A title)

Lady Dawgs (runners ran for Churchill, MD during the season and finished fourth at the Maryland 4A meet)

OTHER TEAMS ENTERED

BOYS

Jesuit RC (runners ran for Tampa Jesuit, FL during the season and finished third at the Florida 2A meet)

F.I.G. Racing Club (runners ran for Westminster, GA during the season and won Georgia 3A meet)

Smiths XC Club (runners ran for Smiths Station, AL during the season and finished third at Alabama 6A meet)

Calvert Hall College (runners ran for Calvert Hall, MD during the season and won the Maryland/DC Private Schools State title)

Panthers XC (runners ran for Huntsville, AL during the season and finished 14th at Alabama 6A meet)

Luella RC (runners ran for Luella, GA during the season and finished 18th at Georgia 5A meet)

GIRLS

Birmingham XC Club (runners ran for Hoover, AL during the season and finished runner-up at Alabama 6A meet)

Panthers XC (runners ran for Huntsville, AL during the season and finished 14th at Alabama 6A meet)

Luella RC (runners ran for Luella, GA during the season and finished 19th at Georgia 5A meet)





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