#1 Rachel McArthur (Patriot) vs Kate Murphy (Lake Braddock)
Both are defending outdoor track champs and oddly enough XC champs as well. There is simply no rivalry that has ever or likely ever will reach this level. There has been ups and downs and win streaks and records but the fact still remains both of these girls know how to win when it matters and really don't like losing to the other.
This of course came to a boiling point last outdoor 6A states when Rachel out leaned Kate to take home the 3200 title in 10:19.91 to 10:19.95. This win ended a four win streak for Kate.
Kate has since rebounded and started a new streak but lets keep it 100%... Rachel is coming off of injury and we know it is going to be close at states this year.
Though Rachel was beat up during the latter stages of XC and indoors, one cannot diminish the success of Kate this whole year. She won the 6A XC title and set the state record for the Mile running 4:39 indoors.
All of that said though, their head-to-head battle is tied yet again as both athletes have won 10 of their 20 meetings. Four of those meetings have been for a state title and of course they have split those as well.
The coolest and most bizarre stat of this rivalry and basically why it is #1 in our books is because both of these athletes will enter the XC season as defending 6A state champions and undefeated since their title because of a weird outcome that led Rachel to miss this year's race. So, for the first time ever we will have a meeting of two defending state champions in their final state race.
But first we have an outdoor state meet and it is almost going to be as exciting to see the performance list and which events they are in opposed to the actual race!