Photo by Autumn Hoffman
Preseason Power Rankings Daily Schedule
Thursday, August 15th - Tuesday, August 20th: Boys 1-10 (one a day)
Wednesday, August 21st: Girls 41-50
Thursday, August 22nd: Girls 31-40
Friday, August 23rd: Girls 21-30
Saturday, August 24th: Girls 11-20
Sunday, August 25th - Tuesday, September 3rd: Girls 1-10 (one a day)
Wednesday, September 4th: Boys Classification/Private School (top 15 each)
Thursday, September 5th: Girls Classification/Private School (top 15 each)
Our 2019 preseason XC power rankings continue with the top ten boys teams. These rankings are subjective and based on last year's performances (season bests, plus performances at big meets like conferences and states), track performances, program depth and reputation (how certain programs stay strong year after year).
We will rank the top 50 boys and girls teams heading into the season, then provide weekly top 25 ranking updates!
Top seven returners are based on last year's 5K or three mile season bests. Other runners to watch include those with standout track performances (relative to the rest of the team), unless those runners have run multiple track seasons without running cross country - we don't want to assume they will be running cross country in the fall. Freshmen or rookies who did not run cross country but did run track are usually included.
Use these rankings to preview your rival teams, debate your friends, and lace up those shoes and prove us wrong about your team!
6. Oakdale High School Bears (Ijamsville, MD)
Photo by John Roemer
County: Frederick (1st) Region: 2A West (2nd)
Top Seven Returners:
1. Kyle Lund (senior): 16:27 5K, 1:53 800, 4:16 1600
2. Collin Dempsey (senior): 16:28 5K, 4:26 1600, 9:40 3200
3. Joshua Milliken (senior): 17:28 5K
4. Spencer Buckwalter (junior): 17:46 5K, 5:05 1600, 11:10 3200
5. Charles Parrott (senior): 17:55 5K, 2:03 800, 4:52 1600
6. Lucas Shortridge (junior): 19:03 5K, 4:54 1600, 10:32 3200
7. Nicholas Raumann (senior): 19:14 5K, 4:53 1600, 10:41 3200
Others to Watch:
Aidan Demma (junior): 19:48 5K, 2:22 800, 5:03 1600
Justin Cherry (junior): 2:13 800, 4:54 1600
Last year the Oakdale boys finished just 14 points away from their first trip to the state podium in program history. Even better news for the Bears is that just two of their runners - and neither of their 1-2 punch from last year, Kyle Lund and Collin Dempsey - graduated from that team.
In Lund and Dempsey (who finished fifth and sixth, respectively, at the state meet last year), Oakdale has arguably the best returning duo in the state. After sweeping their conference, county and regional meets, Lund took his breakout another step further on the track, where he captured state titles in both the indoor and outdoor 800 and 1600. Dempsey was right on Lund's tail throughout the majority of the cross country season and posted personal best times of 4:26 and 9:40 in the spring.
Behind them the Bears have three runners who finished between 42nd (Joshua Milliken) and 70th (Charles Parrott) at last year's 2A state meet. Returners Lucas Shortridge and Charles Parrott's track performances indicated they could shave well over a minute off their 5K personal bests this fall.
The Oakdale boys are coming off of their second Frederick County boys title in three years and are the clear favorites to defend their title heading into the fall. They also get a rematch with Liberty at the 2A West regionals, a race that the Bears won last year in a dramatic sixth-runner tiebreaker, as well as another surefire matchup at the state meet, where the Lions have won four straight titles.
Photo by Autumn Hoffman
Preseason Power Rankings Daily Schedule