Photo by Lisa McArthur
Preseason Power Rankings Daily Schedule
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 41st-50th girls 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!
50. Northern Garrett High School Huskies (Accident, MD)
Northern Garrett's Ella Warnick has finished 19th, 20th and 20th at the 1A State championships in each of her first three years as a Husky. Another top-20 finish could help them finish in the top two at the state meet for just the second time in school history (the first was in 2016). (Photo by Craig Amoss)
Conference: AMAC (1st) Region: 1A West (2nd)
Top Seven Returners: Ella Warnick, Arrisyn Amtower, Ella Ashby, Minka Amtower, Raelyn Bowser, Nicole Savage, Bailey Keller
49. St. Mary's High School Saints (Annapolis, MD)
Lindsey Whynock is the Saints' top returner this season after clocking a 22:03 5K as a freshman last fall. St. Mary's returns six of their seven varsity runners that won the B Division title at last year's IAAM Championships. (Photo by Brandon Miles)
Conference: IAAM (4th)
Top Seven Returners: Lyndsey Whynock, Grayson McKenzie, Abby Gendell, Amanda Spence, Hope Dixon, Maeve Riley, Lauren Warfield
48. Reservoir High School (Fulton, MD)
The Reservoir girls lost their top two runners this season to graduation, but they still have a deep enough group of returning runners to compete for a top-ten spot at the 3A state meet. Among their top returners is Grace Ko, whose 21:04 three-mile time at the Frank Keyser Invitational leads returners for the Gators. (Photo by Craig Amoss)
County: Howard (7th) Region: 3A East (5th)
Top Seven Returners: Grace Ko, Carrie Lubis, Caroline Rosenberry, Anjali Paliyam, Lauren Johnson, Isabella Pham, Thandi Romney
47. North Point High School Eagles (Waldorf, MD)
The North Point girls will be looking for a ticket to the state meet as a team for the first time since 2015 this fall. With five returning runners who ran under 23:00 last season, it certainly seems like Elizabeth Allen and the Eagles could compete for a spot out of the 3A South region. (Photo by Mike Piotrowski)
Conference: SMAC (6th) Region: 3A South (5th)
Top Seven Returners: Shannon Short, Elizabeth Allen, Aliyah Malazarte, Ellie Stokes, Jordan Ball, Melissa Mason, Kaylin Misko
Others to Watch: Dena Stallings
46. Our Lady of Good Counsel High School Falcons (Olney, MD)
Lillian Begley and the Good Counsel girls return a strong group for 2019, one that includes four girls with 5K personal bests between 21:12 and 21:41. Begley is coming off a season in which she finished 12th at the MD Private School State championship, leading the Falcons to a fourth-place finish. (Photo by Lisa McArthur)
Conference: WCAC (1st in MD)
Top Seven Returners: Lillian Begley, Annie Garcia-Trung, Grace Grbach, Isabella Savro, Maeve MacIntyre, Elizabeth Garland, Katherine Merrifield
Others to Watch: Julia Flick
45. Charles H. Flowers High School Jaguars (Springdale, MD)
One of the most well-rounded runners in the state, senior Javon Watts leads the Flowers girls heading into the 2019 season. Watts brings a 20:00 5K personal best and multiple county and regional titles to the course - not to mention a 57.40 400 and 2:18 800. The Jaguars will be favorites at the PG County and 4A South regionals this season. (Photo by Harold Turk)
County: Prince George's (1st) Region: 4A South (1st)
Top Seven Returners: Javon Watts, Jaylene Okunola, Manuelene Deigh, Manuela Deigh, Karizma Solomon, Nowah Quanteh, Allanah Buller-Jarrett
44. Northwest High School Jaguars (Germantown, MD)
It will be a transition year for the Northwest program without Coach Youngblood at the helm. One thing that will remain a constant: senior Helena Lee, who has finished in the top 15 at the regional meet in all three years for the Jaguars. (Photo by Dasam Gill)
County: Montgomery (11th) Region: 4A West (8th)
Top Seven Returners: Helena Lee, Brooke Kistler, Anna Cress, Kendall Davis, Christine Ha, Ashley Osborne, Aditi Thangavelu
Others to Watch: Riya Helmbrecht, Allison Bejeck
43. Chopticon High School Braves (Morganza, MD)
The Braves will rely heavily on a group of juniors this season led by Jenna Modrzejewski (left) and Rosemary Wild. All seven runners are back from the team that placed 15th at the 3A state meet a year ago. (Photo by Craig Amoss)
Conference: SMAC (5th) Region: 3A South (4th)
Top Seven Returners: Rosemary Wild, Julia Brown, Jenna Modrzejewski, Reilly Tack, Sara Prettyman, Nadia Gagnon, Allyson Carson
Others to Watch: Blair Fowler, Mackenzie Mozzo
42. Atholton High School Raiders (Columbia, MD)
Earlier this summer we highlighted Atholton junior Aanchal Kasargod as a potential breakout candidate this fall. Kasargod finished 42nd at the 3A state meet last season, but showed even more potential in the spring when she ran 5:24 in the 1600. (Photo by Craig Amoss)
County: Howard (6th) Region: 3A East (4th)
Top Seven Returners: Sara Carlisle, Aanchal Kasargod, Isha Santosh, Kylie McNamara, Symrn Chowdhury, Stella Yerger, Chiafa Sforza
Others to Watch: Caroline Perret
41. Poolesville High School Falcons (Poolesville, MD)
With Nandini Satsangi having graduated, senior Logan Rohde steps in as the team's top returning runner. She has finished in the top 16 at the state meet in each of her three seasons at Poolesville. Coming off a third-place finish at the state meet a season ago, the Falcons will be in the middle of what should be an uber-competitive 2A West region meet this year. (Photo by Dasam Gill)
County: Montgomery (10th) Region: 2A West (6th)
Top Seven Returners: Logan Rohde, Emily Li, Mikayla Durr, Kaviya Kandaswamy, Carina Derewonko, Shirley Chen, Lillian Hsu
Others to Watch: Caroline Simons