2019 NY Girls XC Preview: Class A

Fayetteville-Manlius (Hornets)

Section 3

Outlook: Ever since she was a surprise (for some of us, anyway) winner at States as an 8th grader in 2015, Claire Walters has been leading her team to the top, capturing three NXN championships from 2015 to 2017. Now in her senior year along with Phoebe White, she has a final shot to collect a fourth winged Nike trophy and help the Hornets get their 12th. Rated #2 in the nation and tops in NY, FM looks well positioned behind the senior duo and Grace and Hannah Kaercher, but some back-end depth will be needed to complete the quest for the Muddy Dozen. Trivia note: Walters is also shooting to become the first Hornet to finish in the States top 10 five times, top 4 actually.

North Rockland (Red Raiders)

Section 1

Outlook: Katelyn Tuohy's senior season should be very special as she goes for a variety of course and meet and mind-crushing records on the quest for a third NXN crown. But what would be really special is if she and longtime sidekick Haleigh Morales can lead the Red Raiders back to Portland in their final XC season. There is a good amount of depth behind the top duo on this year's team, and some very promising track results indicate that North Rockland may be ready to rumble west.

Saratoga (Blue Streaks)

Section 2

Outlook: The Blue Streaks got their 15th States title in 2018, 13 years after they got their 14th. The loss of longtime all-World runner Kelsey Chmiel will be massive for this year's team since it also comes with other key losses, but Saratoga still enters the season as one of the top 5 teams with a decent shot to repeat at States if more depth can be found behind sophomore standout Ella Kurto and an extremely young group including McKinley and Sheridan Wheeler and Emily Bush. Saratoga has been a factory for new young runners for more than four decades, so it would be no shock if a young Toga team takes on a still younger look.

Shenendehowa (Plainsmen)

Section 2

Outlook: A year after a historic win in S2-A and two years after a trip to NXN, Shen fell back to 4th in Sectionals before recovering strongly for a 5th at NXR-NY in 2018. This year with the top four back and an unusual mix of mainly seniors led by the trio of Hannah Belleville and Jada and Jade Dennis and a pack of freshmen led by transfer Skyler Knott from last year's state champion Saratoga team, the Plainswomen will enter the season as the favorites in S2-A with not only good speed ratings but also the best compression factor among the top 25 Class A teams. Shen has great depth and an emerging group of young runners, and if sophomore Luccabella Hotaling can return from injuries to anywhere near the form she had while taking 17th in the McQuaid AAA, Shen will be even more formidable.

Shaker (Bison)

Section 2

Outlook: Last year behind 8th grader Kayleigh Higgins and 7th grader Leoni Griffin, Shaker reemerged as an S2-A force, jumping from 6th at Sectionals in 2017 to 3rd in 2018. Now with the top 7 back from last year and seniors Tori Mariano and Olivia Miles supporting the young top duo at the 100+ TR level, Shaker will be a dangerous contender among the five States top 10 S2-A teams. With expected development on the young back line, the Bison could be taking their first ever Sectional crown.

Liverpool (Warriors)

Section 3

Outlook: Even while missing a key runner, the Warriors came close to capturing their first Sectional championship in 16 years, as they led by 2 points after four places but lost to Fayetteville-Manlius again by a point at 43-44. Madison and Emily Neuner and Windsor Ardner are gone from the top quintet that led Liverpool to a second consecutive NXN berth, so 2019 will be a bit of a rebuilding year for a team that still has enough strength to be rated 6th in Class A in preseason. Senior Jenna Schulz returns as one of the top 5 runners in the state and junior Sydney Carlson is coming off of a 22nd at NXR-NY last year, but the Warriors will need not only some development at the back but also an infusion of young legs to get on track for a third straight visit to Portland.

Niskayuna (Silver Warriors)

Section 2

Outlook: A young Niskayuna squad surprised expectations last year with 4th and 5th place finishes in the major McQuaid AAA and Manhattan Eastern States races. Now with 7 of their top 8 back on a balanced team with nice compression, the Silver Warriors look to compete very well in a brutally tough S2-A group after locking down 2nd place for a second conseccutive year. On a young team with four sophomores in the top 7 and only one senior on the preseason roster, Niskayuna will need to keep pushing upward and packing into the sweet spots in the Sectional results behind States finalist Liyat Kebedde if the team is to take its first Sectional title in 35 years.

Cornwall (Dragons)

Section 9

Outlook: On its 20th visit to States and 18th consecutive appearance, a Cornwall team that had been projected 5th in the preseason ratings came away with its first state championship in Class B. As a reward (for its expanding student base), the Dragons were sent up to Class A, a place they haven't been since 2010 back in the 5-class era. Even with longtime stalwart Meredith Hickman gone along with Molly Cameron and Gia Flores from last year's champs, the Dragons will be favored in an S9-A battle with Warwick Valley after reigning champ Monroe-Woodbury graduated much of its team. Freshman Karrie Baloga lit things up in her newbie year with a 3rd at States, and with a strong returning cast of senior Ashley Hickman and juniors Clare Kelly and Julia Samuelson, Cornwall should be in the hunt for a 19th straight visit to States.

Arlington (Admirals)

Section 1

Outlook: The Admirals fell 19 points short at Sectionals of upsetting a North Rockland team without Katelyn Tuohy, but the top 7 are back for this year for an attempt at its first States visit in 10 years. States finalists Anna Recktenwalt and Raven Stanet return along with Kaitlyn Murtagh to form a junior trio at the top, and senior Jalyssa Smith looks to be nicely recovered from last year's XC injuries, so Arlington will be running closely enough behind the Red Raiders to be troublesome.

Bethlehem (Eagles)

Section 2

Outlook: 2018 was a year of mixed results for the Eagles as they fell back to 5th in S2-A and sent no one to States. Still, nearly everyone is back on a senior-heavy team led by seniors Gillian Roeder and Rachel Hodge and freshman Rylee Davis, a track results were promising enough to indicate that the Eagles should be competitive while battling in a very tough section.

Suffern (Mounties)

Section 1

Outlook: Entering her sixth season of high performance, Mary Hennelly has logged a lot of miles over the years, which included a trip to Foot Locker Nationals in 2018. Now leading a Suffern team with enough talent to be feisty, Hennelly will be watching to see if there is enough of a Mountie youth movement to give the team a shot at it first Sectional win since she teamed with Rachel Ludwikowski and Kate Zendell to win S1-A as a 7th grader in 2014.

Warwick Valley (Wildcats)

Section 9

Outlook: Last year's Sectional battle between Monroe-Woodbury and Warwick Valley that was expected in the preseason never really developed as the Wildcats were missing some key runners. This year it is not the Crusaders that are likely to stand in the way of Warwick Valley's first Sectional win in 7 years but a newly promoted Cornwall team that is sporting its first States title. A Wildcat junior trio of Kristen Thompson, Katherine Smith and Simone Sullivan had some promising track results, so we'll be watching to see if there is a Purple Wave of development behind them.