3. Kellam vs Ocean Lakes vs Lake Braddock
The last time any of the current Class 6 teams from outside of NOVA won a team title was 2002. Back then is when James River won the then AAA State team title, George Bush was president, Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets was in theaters, and most of the girls in high school were not even born.
This year though could be different with the top two favorites coming from Virginia Beach. These two teams are Kellam and Ocean Lakes. If they were to win they would be the first team not from NOVA since Midlothian won in 2011. They would also be winning their school's first state XC team title.
Lake Braddock, the third favorite on paper, is the complete opposite. They are the measure of what a great program is in XC and can make the argument that they are historically the best XC program in VA... sorry Loudoun Valley boys.
Lake Braddock has won a staggering 13 state team titles with five different individual state champions as well. They have also finished either first or second five times in the last seven years so you can almost guarantee they will bring it at the state meet.
This year all of that history comes to fight it out on the Great Meadow course. Just 9.5 points separate first (Kellam) and third (Lake Braddock). Here is how close it could be based on current virtual meet information.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team 5K Average | Kellam | Ocean Lakes | Lake Braddock |
| 1-5 Split | Lake Braddock | Kellam | Ocean Lakes |
| Fastest 1st Runner | Ocean Lakes | Kellam | Lake Braddock |
| Fastest 5th Runner | Ocean Lakes | Lake Braddock | Kellam |
| Virtual Meet Rankings | Kellam | Ocean Lakes | Lake Braddock |
If you scored those out like an XC meet the scores would be Kellam 9, Ocean Lakes 9, and Lake Braddock 13. The big thing to remember though is that Lake Braddock races their regional and major invitationals on Burke Lake Park's 2.98 mile course so their PR's may actually be faster when equated to the 5K distance.
This race is going to be exciting. Not only because it will be close but also because either we will get to see a dynasty reclaimed or a new face atop the judges stand at Great Meadow.