Standings Set To Be Squared Away At Chenango - Pre-State Preview Blowout

It's a battle of the blue jersey's at the front of the race.  Haley Palotti of Livonia has been running strong in Section 5 for years, and her junior year looks to be no different.  She's one of the favorites for a Class C State Title, but expect her to be flanked here from two athletes from Suffern.  Rachel Ludwidkowski and Kamryn McIntosh have grown up on the team together, and both are finally healthy and ready to roll.  How will the team tactics factor into the first girls race of the day?

They won't be alone out there.  Last year's Class B State Team Champs, John Jay - Cross River, has a strong returner in Pippa Nuttall.  Also in the mix will be Smithtown's Gabrielle Schneider and Trumansburg's Molly MacQueen.

Three different teams here in the mix.  Suffern looked to be a clear favorite in the early season, but suffered the loss of freshman phenom Mary Hennelley to a fractured growth plate.  She'll be back in two weeks, but it leads to an open race here.  Can John Jay - Cross River close the gap, after losing only one runner from their State Title Top 7 last year?  How will Suffern respond, as their back two runners will need to step up when Hennelley returns if they want to challenge North Rockland.  And what of the quiet Elmira squad?  Strong coaching has always been present, and the race will serve as a test to see how the team does after key graduations.