Small schools create impressive depth
Who has the best team in the state? Any guess at the answer is pure speculation based on last year’s results. But examining last year’s cross country results only tells part of the story. To truly take an educated shot at predicting the post season you must examine the progression curve of each team over the spring, and identify those coaches that have a knack for developing young athletes into immediate contributors.
The summer training cycle serves two purposes; establish base mileage and develop new athletes. More so with girls than with boys, an unknown freshman can join a strong program in the summer and become a difference maker in November. Ranking the top 10 teams in the state requires that you put a larger emphasis on who is returning, but it does not discount the possibility that the miracle freshman may walk on to your campus this summer. It’s something that every coach hopes for, but none rely on.
Good coaches realize that it is very hard to mess-up the truly gifted. They also know that depth is the product of a well run program that stresses the team aspect of cross country. This is where the value of a coach can truly be measured.
Almost every program listed below has tremendous depth, and the internal competition that takes place among the athletes fuels productivity. Athletes might not like having to fight for their spot, but the constant struggle keeps each member of the team accountable.
With a dozens of questions yet to be answered, here are the top 10 teams entering the season. We will break down each division in another series of articles as the season progresses.
1. Hamilton-Wenham - The Generals have five stars. Actually, they return 6 of the top 7 runners from their 2010 team that finished second at the Division II All State Championships. In that race they posted the third fastest team time, regardless of division, and had 6 runners under 18:30. In the spring, H-W took that team concept to the track and proceeded to rewrite the Division 4 record books in the relays.
2. Bishop Feehan – In all honesty, the top two spots this year are a complete toss-up. Hamilton-Wenham gets the early season nod due to the strength of their 4-6 runners, but don’t discount Bishop Feehan. The Shamrocks may be missing Viviana Hanley, the 2010 Division II State Champion, but the cupboard is not bare. Katie Powell scorched the Gardner course in 2010, finishing 6th in 17:20, and she will be surrounded by several green jerseys in the front third of any race. Bishop Feehan would most likely win a dual meet against Hamilton-Wenham because of their strength upfront, and they may defend their state title if their 4th and 5th runners perform well.
3. Weymouth – The bulk of their top 5 from the 2010 All-State Championship team remains intact; with the exception of Jillian Corcoran who is off to run at Dartmouth. Bridget Jaklitsch, Molly Barker, Morgan Fitzgibbon, and Julie Tevenan make-up a formidable front pack, but the question of a 5th runner still lingers. The team concept is the fundamental philosophy of Coach Miller’s program and you can bet they have already started working on developing their depth.
4. Wachusett – Six of their top seven return from 2010, and although they will miss the talents of Katie Carlson who graduated, it looks like Rebecca Skodis may be able to fill her shoes. Skodis will share time in the front pack with Colleen Sands, but the bulk of their damage in the team scoring hunt will be done by Laura Williamson, Sydney Hauver, and Liz Reynolds who all had stellar performances in the post season.
5. Weston – The Wildcats pack a big punch with Abigail Pohl, Olivia Brackett, and Charlotte Walmsley leading the way. The trio all finished in the top 25 at the Division II All-State Championships, but the difference maker may be Zoe Snow. The freshman ran 18:30 on the Gardner course, but focused on the high jump in track. Health, consistency, and the development of some additional depth will be the determining factors for this very talented team.
6. Whitman-Hanson – The Baker twins, combined with Gianna Cacciatore comprise the best sophomore trio in the state. But what makes Whitman-Hanson so dangerous is their 1-5 gap. The Panthers can consistently put together a 30-45 second gap, and although they might not get a lot of individual wins this season, they can chip away at their team point total if they maintain that gap and stay aggressive mid-race.
7. Mount Greylock – It is statistically amazing that a school with just over 600 students can put together a team of this caliber. Six of the top seven return from their 2010 campaign, and it appears that MacKenzie Hitchcock is poised to take over the lead duties for Cate Costley who graduated. Mount Greylock shares the same depth profile seen in several of the teams ranked above them, and it should come as no surprise if they pull-off upsets based on their work in the trenches.
8. Lincoln-Sudbury – The Warriors slid a few spots following the news that Megan Broecker had moved out of the state. Broeker is a fantastic talent and an impact runner, but her departure may be offset by the impressive development of Marika Crowe and Sarah Mepham during the spring. The question remains, will their impressive track performances translate to the arrhythmic running of cross country? One thing is certain, they know how to win.
9. Northampton – The Blue Devils ran a mix of three seniors and four sophomores at the 2010 Division II All-State Championships. The loss of three seniors hurts, but if this current trend continues, Northampton should be able to fill in the gaps with some young runners. This may not be the year that they contend for a top 3 finish in the state, but their time will come. Regardless of the outcome, the experience they gain now will pay dividends in subsequent years.
10. Marblehead – Experience can make all the difference, and Marblehead may have five seniors in their top seven. They lack a bonafide frontrunner, but they make up for that with a gap that is consistently under a minute. They will have to take advantage of their poise, experience, and race knowledge to hold off teams with more firepower upfront.
Bubble Teams
Chemlsford was a young team last year; lead by freshman sensation Alli Wood. You should see impressive progression from this group.
Franklin has a fantastic 1-2 punch with Lauren Hagen and Alex Giese, but they may lack depth. We may not see them make an impact until later in the season when they have had time to develop some young athletes.
Andover is always in the mix, and Maggie Mullins solidified her spot as one of the top runners in the state after her 16:58 posting at Gardner last fall. But her teammates appear to be benefiting from her training pace and they may have a team with four girls who can run under 20 minutes for 5K. Developing a fifth will be critical for this group.
Disagree with the rankings? Let the debate begin by adding a comment in the box to the right.