Casa Grande, AZ | Saturday, Nov. 21 | Boys Championship Race 10:47 a.m. MT | Girls Championship Race 11:27 a.m. MT
States: CO, UT, NM, AZ, NV
Projected Team Scores
Girls Race Preview
Top individual times
Flo50 teams: No. 4 American Fork (UT), No. 5 Davis (UT), No. 18 Air Academy (CO), bubble Chandler (AZ), formerly ranked Desert Vista (AZ)
Flo50 individuals: No. 3 Katie Rainsberger (CO), No. 7 Allie Schadler (AZ), No. 16 Courtney Wayment (UT), No. 18 Lauren Gregory (CO), formerly ranked Allie Chipman (CO)
Top returning individuals: Katie Rainsberger (CO), Lauren Gregory (CO), Allie Schadler (AZ), Courtney Wayment (UT), Lexi Reed (D'Evelyn, CO), Aubrey Argyle (UT), Allie Chipman (CO), Greta Van Calcar (Palisade, CO), Kayla Young (Denver North, CO), Lauren Offerman (Mountain View, CO)
Flo50 teams: No. 4 American Fork (UT), No. 5 Davis (UT), No. 18 Air Academy (CO), bubble Chandler (AZ), formerly ranked Desert Vista (AZ)
Flo50 individuals: No. 3 Katie Rainsberger (CO), No. 7 Allie Schadler (AZ), No. 16 Courtney Wayment (UT), No. 18 Lauren Gregory (CO), formerly ranked Allie Chipman (CO)
Top returning individuals: Katie Rainsberger (CO), Lauren Gregory (CO), Allie Schadler (AZ), Courtney Wayment (UT), Lexi Reed (D'Evelyn, CO), Aubrey Argyle (UT), Allie Chipman (CO), Greta Van Calcar (Palisade, CO), Kayla Young (Denver North, CO), Lauren Offerman (Mountain View, CO)
The top three girls from the 2014 NXN Southwest Regional return here for battle, though we predict the 2015 edition as the Katie Rainsberger show. The defending champion and No. 3 ranked runner in the nation ran 17:11.1 to outkick upstart sophomore Lauren Gregory last year (17:15.4), with Allie Schadler running 17:23.8 for third.
Both Rainsberger and Gregory are undefeated this fall, but Gregory has had a few close calls - most recently at the Class 5A state meet, where she beat unranked Brie Oakley by just two seconds (18:15.7-18:17.2).
Oakley, a new soccer-turned-cross country convert, will race here as well in her first national-level meet.
Schadler has two sub-17 minute 5Ks under her belt this season, including a personal best 16:47.7 to win her Section meet. Her sole defeat was to Rainsberger at the Desert Twilight Invitational, as the Air Academy senior ran 16:23.4 for the win - a time that still stands as the nation's fastest 5K this year. Albeit, that race was on October 2. What has Schadler done since then? The junior from Rio Rico, Az. ran 17:04 to break the state meet course record by 22 seconds. That record was previously held by Dani Jones of Desert Vista, who went on to place third at NXN last year.
Another nationally ranked individual in the field is Utah state champion Courtney Wayment, who placed sixth at this meet last year. Her running is on another level this fall after transferring from Northridge High School to perennial power Davis, currently ranked No. 5 in the nation.
Davis must be considered a podium favorite alongside Utah rivals American Fork, who topped the Darts for the Class 6A state title, 41-51 points.
Can Rainsberger's No. 18 ranked Air Academy sneak in for an auto bid?
They did place runners-up to formerly ranked Desert Vista at Desert Twilight, who went on to place just third at the Arizona state meet behind Chandler and Xavier Prep, both of whom are teams to watch here. To be fair, the Kadets have raced sparingly as a full team, with sights fully focused on winning state (check) and securing a national bid. Rainsberger is a three-time NXN qualifier, but 2015 could be the first year she brings a team.
PICKS
Teams: 1. American Fork 2. Davis
Individuals: 1. Katie Rainsberger 2. Courtney Wayment 3. Allie Schadler 4. Lauren Gregory 5. Brie Oakley
Continue reading for the Boys Race Preview here