With the season on the horizon, there has been much talk about who will be the best this season. Take a look here at the Preseason NCRunners.com team polls. This is not the coaches poll, as the coaches poll will first come out the week after the Providence Invitational and WNC.
Questions I've noticed being asked?
1) Does tradition matter. Will _______ still be good even though they lost so many?
2) Will _________ ever step up at states and run well when it counts?
3) Have you heard about the new runner for _____________?
4) I hear __________ isn't running, what do you know?
5) Do think the Mideast will still dominate in 4A? Well, here's the best NCRunners.com can do right now.
Enjoy arguing over the following top 10 polls for each classification. Once again, the first coaches poll will be out on either September 1st of 2nd.
4A Girls
1) TC Roberson – With the top girls they return and with the addition of Brooke Gordon(IL), this team could be one of the best in state history,
2) Green Hope
3) East Chapel Hill
4) Providence
5) Cary
6) Lake Norman
7) West Johnston
8) Northwest Guilfor
9) Myers Park
10) Mount Tabor
4A Boys
1) Myers Park – I’m going way out on a limb here. With their returners, last year’s top middle school runner in Charlotte, and Coach Cline . . . I’m just saying, it could be their year
2) Green Hope
3) Ardrey Kell
4) Leesville Road
5) Mooresville
6) West Johnston
7) Broughton
8) Sanderson
9) Mount Tabor
10) Northwest Guilford
3A Girls
1) Chapel Hill – Really tough call here, but going to give CH the nod over Weddington. Both teams look very even on paper so I’m with the Chapel Hill girls in order to get the 3A sweep.
2) Weddington (lost 2 of top 10 to Cuthbertson)
3) Cardinal Gibbons
4) Charlotte Catholic
5) Orange
6) Marvin Ridge (lost #2 to Cuthbertson)
7) West Carteret
8) West Henderson
9) Northwest Cabarrus
10) Union Pines
3A Boys
1) Chapel Hill – They are huge favorites here. Could possibly place 5 guys in the top 10 for probably one of the lowest scores in state meet history. Look out for a newcomer or two to join Villemain, Bunch, Colburn-Hertzberg, and others.
2) Weddington
3) Eastern Alamance
4) Nash Central
5) Charlotte Catholic
6) Marvin Ridge
7) South Rowan
8) Jay M. Robinson
9) Asheville
10) East Rowan
2A Girls
1) Topsail – On paper they look to be the favorites, but I would look out for the new Cuthbertson HS in Union County. They have runners from Weddington and Marvin Ridge. Also, Carrboro shows 4 returning runners and total about 110 between those 4. However, with Loewen and Davis working near the front for Topsail, they will be tough to beat.
2) Carrboro
3) Croatan
4) Cuthbertson
5) Owen
6) North Henderson
7) Salisbury
8) West Stokes
9) West Stanly
10) Central Davidson
2A Boys
1) Carrboro – I think this is going to be a very close race between two schools. Carrboro has to be the favorites with 5 returning guys faster than Owen’s #4. However, I feel Owen is back on the scene and wants another state title
2) Owen
3) Cedar Ridge
4) West Stokes
5) Salisbury
6) Northwood
7) Lincolnton
8) East Rutherford
9) East Lincoln
10) Topsail
1A Girls
1) Robbinsville – Even with a banged up Faith Trammell, I think this team is the one to beat. Bishop McGuinness is always tough and they will make it race you can count on that. Also, North Carolina School of Science & Math returns a solid core and who knows who they are getting from around the state.
2) Bishop McGuinness
3) NC Science & Math
4) Hendersonville
5) East Wilkes
6) Hayesville
7) Chatham Central
8) South Stanly
9) Swain County
10) Gray Stone Day
1A Boys
1) Hayesville – Looks like an easy choice for the state title, but once again, who is NC Science & Math getting in for this year’s junior class. Hayesville has a rich tradition and the top returners, so they are the favorites and look to be at the tops for this year’s state title.
2) NC Science & Math
3) Bishop McGuinness
4) Hendersonville
5) Robbinsville
6) Northside
7) Raleigh Charter
8) South Stanly
9) Lejuene
10) Chatham Central
NCSIAA 3A Girls
1) Charlotte Latin – Looking for their 3rd straight state title, with two of the top 3 top returning runners in the state and a new crop of 9th graders, this team will continue to be very good.
2) Providence Day
3) Cary Academy
4) Forsyth Country Day
5) Cannon School
6) Greensboro Day
7) North Raleigh Christian
8) Asheville School
9) Charlotte Country Day
10) Charlotte Christian
NCISAA 3A Boys
1) Durham Academy – These boys could put 5 in the top 10 and absolutely run away with the state title. It truly doesn’t look like anyone can compete with them as Coach Cullen and the Ward brothers lead yet another stacked DA team.
2) Cary Academy
3) Charlotte Country Day
4) Forsyth Country Day
5) North Raleigh Christian
6) Providence Day School
7) Charlotte Christian
8) Charlotte Latin
9) Cannon School
10) Greensboro Day
NCISAA 1A/2A Girls
1) Caldwell Academy – This is going to be a really tight race between 4 schools. Cape Fear Academy, Fayetteville Academy, Asheville Christian, and Caldwell Academy look very competitive against one another. I’m going to give Caldwell Academy the nod, believing that they can find a 5th runner faster than 25:00.
2) Fayetteville Academy
3) Asheville Christian Academy
4) Cape Fear Academy
5) Cary Christian School
6) Village Christian Academy
7) Westminister Catawba
8) Covenant Day
9) Rocky Mount Academy
10) Westchester Country Day School
NCISAA 1A/2A Boys
1) Fayetteville Academy – Easily the favorites, should win the state title. FA will be led by talented junior, Robert Maughan. Seems they always need a 5th, but they should be strong enough elsewhere to capture a state title.
2) Calvery Baptist
3) Cary Christian
4) St. Davids School
5) Asheville Christian
6) Cape Fear Academy
7) Carolina Day
8) Village Christian Academy
9) Gaston Day
10) Covenant Day School