NXN NORTHWEST: GIRLS PREVIEW

 

 

 

NXN NORTHWEST

CHAMPIONSHIPS

 BY: David "Hawaiian Five-Oh" Taylor

 

***GIRLS PREVIEW***

 

***NATIONAL HARRIER HEADLINES***

 

Hold the phone, this race is not over yet…

 

Many across the Northwest and nation have followed the amazing season of US#4 Jesuit High School out of Oregon.  The Crusaders of Portland are the defending NXN Northwest Champions who enter this year’s Boise meet as a national title contender and one of two undefeated teams in the Northwest.  They are not an unknown, they are the juggernaut, and have set the standard for over a decade taking 12 out of the last 14 Oregon State Championships.  Led by amazing US#11 Annemarie Maag, the seasoned Jesuit pack seems destined to continue their march towards the 2009 National Championship.  However, a contender has emerged out of Spokane, Washington.  The US#4 girls of Shadle Park High School have likewise produced dominating performances across multiple states and remain undefeated on their season.  They are led by two-time Washington State Champion Andrea Nelson and have steadily become America’s Cinderella team in 2009. 

 

Additionally, in every meet they have competed they have produced some of the top team performances of all-time.  When analyzing the total season this team may be the greatest ever; they broke meet records in the Greater Spokane League which were established by amazing teams from Mead and Ferris 20 years ago.  Teams widely considered the best ever from Washington.  Their one hiccup, in relation to those teams, came at state where the results were based more on strategy and less on capability due to a late hitting flu.  However, their strategy worked and they won.  In our estimation Shadle Park of 2009 produced the greatest season, as a team, than has ever come out of the state of Washington.  On 14 November, 2009 they collide head on with the greatest to potentially ever come out of Oregon.  Ironically, they are both tied at 4th in the nation in the latest Milesplit National Rankings.

 

On the individual side, look for the freshman trio of Kendra Weitz (ShadlePark), Amy-Eloise Neal (Glacier Peak) and Katie Knight (North Central) to press the pace on northwest standouts Ruby Roberts (Kingston) and Annemarie Maag (Jesuit).  Challenging as the dark horse is two-time Washington State Champion Andrea Nelson, who has the experience and toughness to win it all.

 

It is difficult to remain undefeated in any sport, however two have completed this task for the regular season.  Below are the results for these two outstanding programs.

 

US #4 JESUIT, OREGON (undefeated)

 

Jackson Jamboree-1st 25points

Bill Chapman Invitational-1st 15points

Westview-1st 16 points

Nike Pre-Nationals-1st 65 points

Sunfair Invitational-1st (combined results: 104 points)

League Tri-Meet-1st 17 points

Southridge Dual-1st 17 points

Puma Classic-1st 27 points

Aloha Duel-1st 15 points

Metro League Championship-1st 21 points

Oregon State Championships-1st 36 points (5k 19:09)

 

US#4 SHADLE PARK, WASHINGTON (undefeated)

 

Tracy Walters Invitational-1st 35 points

Highlander Invitational-1st 34 points

Mountain West Classic-1st 56 points

GSL League Meet-1st 18 points

GSL League Meet-1st 20 points

GSL Championships-1st 34 points

Regionals-1st 45 points (without Kendra Weitz)

State-1st 59 points (5k 19:11 avg)

 

PREDICTIONS

 

The Jesuit girls are the defending NXN Northwest Champions and will be the favorites to repeat. However, expect this to be a very close outcome as a slew of Washington Schools are capable of an upset, namely the Shadle Park girls who seek to remain undefeated.

 

TEAM PREDICTION


INDIVIDUAL CONTENDERS LIST

(NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

? US#4 JESUIT, OR (DEFENDING CHAMPIONS)
ANNEMARIE MAAG, JESUIT
? US#4 SHADLE PARK, WA
RUBY ROBERTS, KINGSTON
3 US#13 GLACIER PEAK, WA KENDRA WEITZ, SHADLE PARK
4 EASTLAKE, WA AMY-ELOISE NEAL, GLACIER PEAK
5 TAHOMA, WA KATIE KNIGHT, NORTH CENTRAL
  ANDREA NELSON, SHADLE PARK
  PAYTON SHUTTE, JESUIT
  EMILY NIST, BISHOP KELLY
  MEGAN FRISTOE, SUMMIT
  KATIE MORRIS, SHADLE PARK
  ADRIENNE DEMAREE, JESUIT

 

Editors Note:

Good luck B.I., A.N., S.D., K.W., K.M., C.C., M.I., and E.S.!  Believe in each other and make it happen!  Stand ready, stand committed, stand united, and claim this opportunity!