The State Meet is just under a month away, it is the perfect time to start looking at the team rankings and leaderboards for each and every classification.
VHSL Group 1A State XC Championships
2017 Meet Page - 2016 Meet Results - 2015 Meet Results - 2014 Meet Results - 2013 Meet Results
2017 Schedule:
Saturday, November 11th: Girls @11:45am, Boys @12:30pm (Coaches Meeting @11:15am)
Virtual Meet Center
State Virtual Meets: Boys - Girls
Regional Virtual Meets: A Boys - A Girls - B Boys - B Girls - C Boys - C Girls - D Boys - D Girls
There is a lot of talk about Loudoun Valley, Blacksburg, and Maggie Walker all trying to win three titles in a row but few people are talking about Auburn who are attempting to make it three in a row this year on the boys' side. That goes along with potentially winning their first team title on the girls' side after being a closer runners-up two years in a row.
This year entering the final month of the season Auburn is just on another level. The girls led by Caitlin Dominy are looking better than ever before. They enter this final month as strong favorites with Mathews a strong second behind them. Fighting for that third spot will be Patrick Henry (Glade Spring), Northumberland, and Stonewall Jackson (Q).
Individually things are going to be interesting. Caitlin, who is Trevor's little sister, is attempting to repeat the family history and win an individual title en route to the school's first XC team title. Though she has run 20:03 and placed multiple times in the top group at states, she has yet to break thru that final barrier and cross the line first.
Her toughest competition will come from Rappahannock County's Rachel Weghorst who enters the post-season with a season best and 1A leading 20:13 on the season. Normally being a freshman would cause questions to some but when they come from Rappahannock County it means they will be ready to run! That being of course the school of Julia Wood who won three XC state titles in a row.
Finally Catherine Grossman of Patrick Henry has to be discussed as the top returner by state place. She was the runner-up a year ago and is looking to take the ultimate bragging rights this year. She is looking good time wise and peaked at the state meet so be ready for a very close and exciting battle this time around.
On the guys' side of things it is a lot more one sided. Auburn leads both individually and team wise in a historic way. They are looking to score one of the lowest team scores in history while being led by Nolan Harris who is the fastest 1A athlete in XC history according to our database. His season best of 15:29 ranks him as the strong favorite for this title and potentially en route to Auburn's third in a row.
Chasing Auburn are Mathews, Galileo, Galax, and George Wythe (W) for the team title but realistically it is looking like a runaway and a tough battle for second.
Individually, Colin Henry Stevens will be the toughest competitor for Harris as Stevens beat him last year at states. Stevens finished second a year ago and will definitely be ready to race this fall. Gavin Grossman is the other guy to watch here as he is running very well and was third last year also ahead of Harris.
All in all the 1A is an impressive division this year. Not only for the fact that some of these schools have as many students as two 6A teams combined but also because they have some very talented individuals and teams.