The Blacksburg boys and girls were both recognized today in Marc Bloom's Harrier Super 25 national rankings in the first edition of the 2010 cross country season since the pre-season rankings. Ironically, both squads from Blacksburg were ranked #24 in the United States as their dominant sweeping victories two weeks ago at the competitive Knights Crossing Invitational had to have positively influenced their national recognition. After taking last weekend off from racing, the Blacksburg squad returns to competition this weekend at the Maymont X-Country Festival in Richmond.
The Blacksburg girls will be one of four Harrier US top 25 teams at Maymont with US #10 Tatnall of Delaware, US #20 Green Hope of North Carolina, and US #22 North Gwinnett of Georgia also set to race in the invitational division on Saturday. Maymont will be an excellent opportunity for the Blacksburg girls to move up in the national rankings facing three higher ranked squads. The Blacksburg boys will be pre-meet favorites to repeat as champions at Maymont as the only national ranked squad in the invitational division. Top challengers for the Blacksburg boys will be Baldwin (PA) and Green Hope (NC). Baldwin finished second to Blacksburg last year at Maymont and is one of the top ranked teams from the state of Pennsylvania, while Green Hope is currently ranked #1 in the 4A classification in the state of North Carolina. Brookwood (GA) is the only team ranked ahead of the Blacksburg boys in the national rankings from the Nike Cross Southeast Region, but will not be at Maymont this year after competing in the past.
Harrier XC Super 25 National Team Rankings by Mark Bloom (Results through September 18th)