Girls Relays and Team Scores
This weekend may be the last chance for us to witness the magnificence of this Parkland sprint squad, and they intend to go out with 3 relay titles. The thing is, the Cary girls have the same goal, and the two teams' strengths overlap in two relays. Parkland definitely has the edge in the 4x200, the Mustangs' signature race, with Cary three seconds back (and the only other team under 1:40). In the 4x4, however, Cary actually has the best time this season, though the margin is less than a second. Wakefield's girls could sneak into the 4x4 battle, as well. Cary hopes to run away with the 4x800, and if the Imps succeed it will leave an intense battle for second among 5 teams seeded within 5 seconds of each other. The best candidate to break out of that pack and challenge for the win is Providence, the only team in the race besides Cary to have run under 9:30. Parkland holds the top seed in the 4x100 and should win, but the Mustangs have to execute: any bobbles will open the door to any of the 5 other teams with sub-48 times.
In some ways it feels like the outcome of the team scoring is inevitable, although you never know what can happen. Parkland is the heavy favorite to repeat as team champions, with Cary strongly in the second spot in both virtual meets. Apex and Southeast Raleigh appear to be the only two teams with any chance of pulling an upset and getting onto the podium at the end of the meet.