GIRLS:
Jefferson is the defending champion, more than doubling the second place finisher last year with their total score of 156 points last year.
This year, the district race appears much tighter with the Colonials a slight favorite and still capable of scoring more than 100 points while maybe needing everyone one of those points to withstand potential challenges from Langley, Marshall and W.T. Woodson.
Jefferson will look to at least equal, if not outscore all their opponents in the field events with their top events the triple jump led by sophomore Kayley Sullivan and the pole vault with senior Lynn Jepsen as the top seed.
In the running events, the Colonials have four 55 meter hurdlers capable of making the finals in juniors Ioana Cristei, Neha Raparla and Hannah Dee along with senior Yan Song as they look to put up a big number in that event.
Jefferson should also score well in the 500 dash with Kayley Sullivan as the top seed and defending district champion with Sullivan also counted on for important points in the 300 dash as well.
Langley, last year's runnerup team, will look to stay within ten points of Jefferson thru the field events in counting on senior Brittany Johnson in the shot put and junior Morgan Danner in the pole vault for most of their scoring.
The Saxons strongest suit in the running events should be with their depth in the distance races in which close to half of their total team points may come from in the 1,000; 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs and 4x800 relay led by sophomore Lauren Shaw and junior Victoria Cook.
Marshall cannot be overlooked, especially because of senior all around performer Jacqueline Hargrove. The Statesmen standout is the defending champion in the 55 meter dash and also the 300 meter dash, where she is also the meet record holder at 42.19 seconds.
Hargrove will also be counted on for points in both the long jump and triple jump, events in which she placed second in each last year and in the high jump where she is the top seed, as well as scoring in the shot put and anchoring either the 4x200 or 4x400 relay for Marshall.
Although the Statesmen may not score in a running event above the 300 meter distance, their speed should keep them in the hunt with additional points also coming from senior sprinter Shannon McVey.
Should any of the top three rated squads falter, Woodson will be waiting in the wings to possibly make it a four team race. The Cavaliers may just score in one field event with junior Sarah Martin as the top seed in the shot put but they may pile up more than half of their points in the distance races led by senior Sarrah Hadiji, the clear favorite in both the 1,600 and 1,000 runs along with sophomore Aaren Pastor, who is the top seed in the 3,200 run as well as seeded second in the 1,600 run behind Hadiji.
Madison's mainstay is senior Veronica Day, the defending district champ in both the long jump and also the triple jump, where she set the meet record last year at 37 feet, 1.5 inches. Day should also see sprint relay duty as well as looking to score in the 300 dash and the Warhawks will be looking for additional sprint points from junior Sara Diggs.
The top performer for South Lakes appears to be senior Leila Drici, who should place well in the high jump and 300 dash as well as coming in as the top seed in the 55 hurdles. The Seahawks will look to get the remaining bulk of their points in the sprints with juniors Jaleesha Coleman and Lauren Coho along with senior Kaitlyn Williams while McLean's top seeded competitor is junior Rachel Wolman in the shot put.
BOYS:
Jefferson won the team title last year with 161 points and appears capable of coming close to matching that total again this year. In the five field events, the Colonials will be working on nearing the 50 point mark with their top events being the triple jump with senior Stanley Liu and junior Alan Chein and the shot put with senior Frank Nothaft.
In the running events, Jefferson should show why they were a solid third place finish in the state cross country championships this past fall as they look capable of scoring possibly seventy points combined from the 1,000; 1,600 and 3,200 runs.
In those distance races Jefferson returns senior Taylor Bostick as the defending champ in both the 1,600 and 1,000 runs; have the top four seeds in the 3,200 run led by seniors Paul Norland and Richard Prevost and the top five seeds in the 1,600 run, led once again by Prevost and Norland.
Langley finished third on the boys side last year but looks to have appreciably closed the gap somewhat on Jefferson and should also be able to score well over 100 points.
The Saxons have in senior Jordan Calderwood, one of the Northern Region's top all around performers. Calderwood, who always seems to be able to save his top performances for the ends of seasons, comes into the meet with the region's top time in the 55 hurdles and will also look to place in the long jump, high jump and pole vault.
Langley will also look to offset some of Jefferson's distance prowess with plenty of sprint points from junior Chris Yi in the 500 dash and 300 dash; top seeded junior Michael Chisholm leading a strong contingent in the pole vault and with late blossoming senior Damon Dixon in the hurdles and jumping events.
South Lakes appears to be a solid third led by Gabe Itoka. The Seahawks senior comes into the meet as the defending champion in both the 300 dash and 55 dash and with a seasonal best of 6.49 in the 55 dash should be a strong threat for a new district record in that event.
South Lakes also returns senior Yaky Ibia as the defending titleist in the shot put and have senior Max Joslyn as the top seed in the long jump, as well as the district's quickest time in the 4x200 relay.
Woodson looks to be next in the standings with their points sprinkled about and having their top hopes in seniors Steve Honan in the 1,000 run and Dan Piccolo in the sprints along with junior Travis Mueller in the shot put.
Marshall junior Lance Cheng comes into the meet with the top performance in the triple jump while Statesmen junior Oscar Olazo Nostades should be a factor in the 1,000 run. Madison's main points should come in the sprints with senior Mark Williamson and junior Cesar Via while McLean's top performer is junior Kevin Hegel in the high jump.