Girls' Preview
Teams to Watch
In no particular order....
Tuscarora High School: These girls are solid through all five scorers, with their #5 coming in with a season best of 20:08. The Huskies are led by Ava Hassebrock whose season bests of 17:59 is the fastest of the field. The team is fresh off of a 13th place at North Carolina's Great American Invite, and opened their season with a win a the famous Monroe Parker Invite.
West Springfield High School: Here's a team that could surprise the field today.Yet to run an invitational 5k this season, they have flown under the radar in the rankings. However, they did win the RVA Relays in a stunning come from behind race, and they placed 3rd in both New York's McQuaid Invite and Pennsylvania's Briarwood Invitational.
Loudoun Valley High School: The Viking ladies will try to match their male counterparts as they come into the meet as the favorites based on season bests. The team is coming off of a strong 6th place showing in North Carolina's Great American Invitational, and is the reining Loudoun County team champion. They boast a top 5 with season bests averaging 19:09.
Millbrook High School: Though their season's best times come from Carlisle, PA, two weeks ago, the Pioneers really came through with a win in last week's Glory Days Invitational. The Millbrook girls carry the one of the best 1-5 splits in the state with their 40-second spread.
Individuals to Watch
Ava Hassebrock, Tuscarora: Ava comes into Third Battle fresh off of her season best time at last week's Great American Invitational where she dipped under the 18-minute mark with her 17:59.6 for 10th place, narrowly missing her 17:54 PR from 2016. Ava looks to win her first invitational at Third Battle after finishing 2nd at Monroe Parker, 3rd at Great Meadow, and 2nd in the Loudoun County Championships.
Bethany Graham, John Champe HS: The junior from John Champe comes in with a perfect record this season. She has scored wins at the Pole Green XC Classic, the Loudoun County Championships, and the DCXC Invite. Graham's season best time of 18:27 at Pole Green's shows that she may be ready to challenge the 18-minute mark at Third Battle.
Elise Abbe & Ricky Fetterolf, Loudoun Valley: This duo led the Viking's in their stunning performance at Great American last week. The girls come in with season bests of 18:25 and 18:45, respectively. Fetterolf was 3rd in the Loudoun County Championships and 5th in her season opener at Pennsylvania's PTXC Invite, where Abbe was 7th.
Sophie Tedesco & Natalie Bardach, George C Marshall: Tedesco comes in with top 6 finishes at Monroe Parker, Fork Union, and the blue division at Great American where she finished second to teammate Natalie Bardach. Bardach boasts a season worst of 4th place in the Fork Union Invite, with her other invite finishes being 1st at Great American, and 3rd at Monroe Parker