Girls Class B - Teams
Breakdown: Things got interesting at the Sectional Meets. Shoreham-Wading River was the clear favorite in the State heading into the weekend, but things got murky at Sunken Meadow. They saw a huge bump from their 3rd and 4th runners, by 8 speed rating points, putting their 4th girl at a 125. However, they saw a reversal from their consistent number two, as she ran to fourth position on the team, with a net loss also in the 5th position. If each of their top five simply matches their best ratings of the season, Shoreham could place as high as second in the meet merge. If they repeat sectionals, there is now some danger.
That danger comes from East Aurora, who had some strengths and weaknesses of their own. As is typical, they some big improvements at Sectionals, which shot them to the top of Speed Rating merge. Their compression was key, especially at the top. However, they were without their #1, Maisy Webster. If she is added back in, that compression gets even stronger at the front, producing the only type of team that can counter Shoreham's: a pack running team. Without her, the task becomes that much harder, the team average skewing lower. Because the number of athletes in the field is lower, it aids Shoreham's fifth by being displaced less. Then again, EA won the McQuaid merge with compression, so why shouldn't it work here?
This race could be the most interesting of the day, with the most impact potential come time for NXN-NY.
Featured Interview
Speed Rating Merge
