Will we see another title for the Cardinal Gibbons girls? The originator of the Preseason Countdown is back to take on the new webmaster's predictions, plus our newest reporter also weighs in!
As the author of the last five Preseason Countdowns, I have seven years' worth of data in a spreadsheet that I use to help me rank cross country teams in the preseason (more on that spreadsheet tomorrow!). I shared that data with my worthy successor, Jason Creasy, and he used it to create his first countdown, the one you've been following this month. I think Jason did a great job with his rankings, but everyone has their own way of looking at multiple sources of data, and there are some places where we disagree. The new NCRunners webmaster was brave enough to let me publish my own Top 25 to stand beside his countdown, and we'll just wait to see whose list turns out to be more accurate!
We also welcomed new reporter Tommy Delaunay to the staff late last spring, and he added his picks to ours. What do YOU think? Voice your opinion in the Forum! Will any of the NCRunners fans out there be brave enough to write their own version of the Preseason Countdown?
Boys Countdown Forum - Girls Countdown Forum
Boys Preseason All-Classes Team Rankings:
Coach George's Top 25 | Jason's Top 25 | Tommy's Top 25 | |
| 1 | Broughton | Broughton | Broughton |
| 2 | Green Hope | Green Hope | Green Hope |
| 3 | Cardinal Gibbons | Cardinal Gibbons | Cardinal Gibbons |
| 4 | Mount Tabor | Mount Tabor | Cary Academy |
| 5 | Apex | Cary Academy | Chapel Hill |
| 6 | Providence | Apex | Mt. Tabor |
| 7 | Cary Academy | Chapel Hill | Jordan |
| 8 | Panther Creek | Panther Creek | Apex |
| 9 | Chapel Hill | Jordan | Panther Creek |
| 10 | East Chapel Hill | Asheville | Holly Springs |
| 11 | Cary | Providence | Asheville |
| 12 | Jordan | Holly Springs | Providence |
| 13 | RJ Reynolds | East Chapel Hill | RJ Reynolds |
| 14 | Page | Marvin Ridge | East Chapel Hill |
| 15 | Holly Springs | Apex Friendship | Marvin Ridge |
| 16 | Marvin Ridge | RJ Reynolds | Cary |
| 17 | Durham Academy | Durham Academy | Page |
| 18 | Millbroook | Ardrey Kell | Apex Friendship |
| 19 | North Lincoln | Cary | North Lincoln |
| 20 | Asheville | North Lincoln | Millbrook |
| 21 | Watauga | Page | Ardrey Kell |
| 22 | Northern Nash | Millbrook | Myers Park |
| 23 | Weddington | Watauga | Northern Nash |
| 24 | Myers Park | Raleigh Charter | Raleigh Charter |
| 25 | Hoggard | Northern Guilford | Hoggard |
Girls Preseason All-Classes Team Rankings:
Coach George's Top 25 |
Jason's Top 25 |
Tommy's Top 25 |
|
| 1 | Cardinal Gibbons | Cardinal Gibbons | Cardinal Gibbons |
| 2 | Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill |
| 3 | Green Hope | Green Hope | Green Hope |
| 4 | Cuthbertson | Cuthbertson | Cuthbertson |
| 5 | Myers Park | Cary Academy | Apex |
| 6 | Providence | Apex | Cary Academy |
| 7 | Cary Academy | Broughton | Providence |
| 8 | Ardrey Kell | Mt. Tabor | Broughton |
| 9 | Leesville Road | Myers Park | Myers Park |
| 10 | Laney | Providence | Mt. Tabor |
| 11 | Apex | Providence Day | Marvin Ridge |
| 12 | Hough | Leesville Road | Providence Day |
| 13 | Wake Forest | Weddington | Leesville Road |
| 14 | Reagan | Marvin Ridge | Ardrey Kell |
| 15 | Mount Tabor | Reagan | Lake Norman Charter |
| 16 | Broughton | West Carteret | Weddington |
| 17 | Marvin Ridge | Lake Norman Charter | Reagan |
| 18 | Weddington | Ardrey Kell | South View |
| 19 | Providence Day | Hough | West Carteret |
| 20 | West Carteret | Wake Forest | Hough |
| 21 | T.C. Roberson | South View | Wake Forest |
| 22 | South View | Laney | Northwest Guilford |
| 23 | Holly Springs | Charlotte Catholic | Laney |
| 24 | New Hanover | TC Roberson | Charlotte Catholic |
| 25 | Lake Norman Charter | Northwest Guilford | Middle Creek |