MoCoRunning

Preseason XC Poll Results: Boys

By: Kevin Milsted

2017-08-29

116 valid submissions were collected from mocorunning fans between August 10 and August 29, 2017. Repeat IP addresses were counted only once. Below are the composite results of that poll.

Fan Favorite Preseason Top Ten Boys:

1. Ryan Lockett, Poolesville 2018	820 Poll Points
2. Adam Nakasaka, B-CC 2018	774 Poll Points
3. Garrett Suhr, Richard Montgomery 2020	474 Poll Points
4. Chris Thoms, Quince Orchard 2018	360 Poll Points
5. John Riker, Wootton 2019	331 Poll Points
6. Simeon Mussie, Einstein 2018	325 Poll Points
7. Obsaa Feda, Northwood 2019	323 Poll Points
8. Aaron Bratt, Whitman 2019	318 Poll Points
9. Mark Unger, Richard Montgomery 2019	292 Poll Points
10. Chase Osborne, Northwest 2018	276 Poll Points

The defending 3A cross country state champ, Ryan Lockett, is heavily favored by Mocorunning fans to pick up his first Montgomery County XC title in 2017. The 4-time track state champ and NBON 3200m All-American from Poolesville High School has proven that he can win a race in any kind of way. B-CC's Adam Nakasaka was the overwhelming fan favorite pick for this year's county runner-up. RM's rising sophomore Garrett Suhr is expected to be the next big thing in an otherwise crowded field that features 9 out of the top 12 boys returning from last year's county championship meet.

Fan Favorite Preseason Top Ten Boys Teams:

1. Bethesda Chevy Chase - 515 Poll Points

The Barons have finished in the top five in Montgomery County for the past six years and have been runners-up for the past two years. The defending 4A West Regional champs graduated a few key seniors, but B-CC may have the depth to top all rankings in 2017.

2. Richard Montgomery - 385 Poll Points

Richard Montgomery replaces the loss of two-time county champion Rohann Asfaw with 4:20 miler Mark Unger who intends to run cross country for the first time. Health will determine the upper limits of RM's big three (Suhr, Unger, El-Masry) who have all dealt with injuries in the past year. Depth will determine if the Rockets can match or surpass the school's highest finish in county meet history (2nd in 1990).

3. Thomas S. Wootton High School - 366 Poll Points

Wootton will aim to bounce back from last year's fifth place county finish to regain its championship form of 2015. Wootton has the fastest returning #5 man from the 2016 county championship meet.

4. Northwest High School - 315 Poll Points

The defending county champs graduated four of seven runners from last year's varsity squad, but the Jags are not starting over. Northwest returns five seniors and a rising sophomore who have run under 18:00.

5. Walt Whitman High School - 269 Poll Poionts

Whitman fielded six sophomores and a junior through last year's championship season which saw the Vikings finish 9th in the county, 6th in the 4A West Region, and 12th at the 4A state championship.

6. Poolesville High School - 220 Poll Points

In addition to the anticipated low score of All-American Ryan Lockett, eight non-seniors from Poolesville gained varsity experience at the 2016 county championship meet. Poolesville's highest all-time finish at the county championship meet was last year's 8th place finish.

7. Winston Churchill High School - 207 Poll Points

Churchill strung together three consecutive top-3 finishes at the Montgomery County Championship Meet from 2014 to 2016. Five graduated seniors leave behind talented sophomores and juniors to lead this year's team.

8. Northwood High School - 196 Poll Points

Northwood's average finish at the county championship in the last ten years is 17th, but look to the track. Something new was brewing this spring with five non-seniors under 4:50 in the 1600m, something only Wootton and Northwood can boast. 2017 will demonstrate how that translates to 3.1 miles.

9. Albert Einstein High School - 193 Poll Points

Einstein returns nine out of ten runners who raced in the varsity race at last year's county championship meet. Yet, Mocorunning's fans have predicted a mighty tumble from last year's 4th place county finish to 9th place in this poll.

10. Quince Orchard High School - 179 Poll Points

Quince Orchard returns its top three from last year's team which finished tenth at the county championship meet. Non-seniors from QO showed impressive improvement in the 3200m this spring.

Editor's Boost: Paint Branch High School
Mocorunning's voters caught on to Northwood's rapid improvement this spring, but fans are missing the memo on Paint Branch's potential as a cross-country unit. Paint Branch returns six of seven from a team that finished seventh at last year's county championship meet. Paint Branch was one of just two teams (Wootton and Paint Branch) to put five non-senior boys under 17:50 at last year's county championship meet.

Just For Fun:
Winning Time: 15:37.08 Avg Response
Winning Score: 75.3 Avg Response

Article Comments - Add A Comment
Name		Comment

Ryun 2017-08-29 22:04:54		Einstein also got a sub-10:00 transfer this summer. They may win the whole thing...

a runner 2017-08-29 23:05:25		yo where's sherwood at. 7 on moco virtual meet.

a runner 2017-08-29 23:12:57		And PB is 3.

Bruh 2017-08-29 23:49:11		The day Einstein wins the whole thing is the day the W schools get lost and missed the meet all at once

D 2017-08-30 11:43:38		Einstein has been on the rise for a few seasons now, has improved each year, and still the county hasn't noticed

Digery D 2017-08-30 15:03:30		Word is BCC has a 16:00 transfer, goes by scroob

Baku 2017-08-30 17:10:54		Don't sleep on northwest jags they are about to do something ridiculous this year Chase Osborne for top 5 ;)

The Milkman 2017-08-30 18:45:54		Word is in the barbershop scroob is a man of elan and zest on the course. Only time will tell if these phrophesies ring true

The Big O 2017-08-30 18:54:12		Oh yes, I know of this scroob. He is a spry as a buck, humble as a heifer, lean and sure and mean and quick. Oh but he is still a nascent runner, a nebulous sort of thing, an object of talent if not tangible success. This nostradomical rise, only the sands of time may let it run flush with reality.

For real 2017-08-30 19:35:05		Teams that actually have a shot:BCC, Wootton, Paint Branch, RM, Whitman, Einstein, maybe Northwest and maybe maybe Sherwood and QO. People need to look at the virtual Meet. Churchill, Poolesville and Northwood way overrated. Go look at the virtual Meet on athletic.net

For Real 2017-08-30 19:43:02		It's an open year. Anybody's for the taking

Someone 2017-08-30 20:19:29		and it turns out BCC's transfer is actually heading to Einstein

Smirftual meet 2017-08-30 22:00:36		so this virtual meet of yours has RM with a shot to win it? Would love your see your algorithm. Northwood is overrated and RM is not?

LOLOLO 2017-08-30 23:54:44		Nobody chooses to go to Einstein

For Real 2017-08-31 00:02:32		RM is 9 and Northwood is 15. And I make an exception for Mark Unger.

For Real 2017-08-31 00:03:35		Its on athletic.net. Go to Montgomery County, 2016 times, view hypothetical meet, filter grades for 9,10,11.

For Real 2017-08-31 00:11:46		You can make exceptions for transfers, freshmen, breakout athletes etc. but a team doesn't improve 7 spots randomly(unless Northwood has some crazy good transfers, freshmen, breakout athletes I'm not aware of). RM could reasonably have 3 guys under 16. I guess you never know, though.

for realz? 2017-08-31 12:19:14		So we should look at the virtual meet but know that there are cases for exceptions based on information that For Real is privy to and exceptions may not be made for information the For Real is not privy to. Got it.

Lil 2017-08-31 18:21:12

Lil mayo 2017-08-31 18:21:42		Zach Goldman is gonna win it all

Lil PAMP 2017-08-31 18:27:56		Sharwin Vyapuri is gonna win xc states single handedly for the nortweest jigwars

LIL PUMP LIL PUMP 2017-08-31 18:32:14		Ali Haider is a secret weapon of northwest's. Watch out for him this coming season, gonna fly by everyone.

Lil PAMP 2017-08-31 18:33:58		Also sharwin your girlfriend is faster than you so shut up

Sharwin vyapuri 2017-08-31 18:44:37		I am not a distance runner moe #hurdlegang shoutout to t-ray and cam G #extenshun

W 2017-08-31 20:26:17		Nicholas Gracyalny. Remember the name.

C'MON MAN 2017-08-31 21:56:15		RM is def not overrated, neither is Northwood. Both had success on the track. RM with two guys sub 4:30 plus El Masry! Northwood with three guys at 4:32-33 then two more @ 4:45. Virtual meet also doesn't take into consideration that besides Feda & Phillips, Northwoods guys first season running was last fall.

For Real 2017-08-31 22:14:28		Never said RM was overrated. I said they could have three guys under 16.

For Real 2017-08-31 22:16:09		for realz u can't make exceptions for things u don't know about, and Eldad Mulugeta and Obsaa Feda will be a great 1-2 but after that they don't have a whole lot of depth. Well see, will be interesting.

Actually tho 2017-09-01 18:38:29		Qo is not getting top 10.

Toughbuck 2017-09-02 22:06:36		Sleeping on Springbrook's dynamic duo

Deena 2017-09-05 14:39:29		Is 1800 dynamic?

Einstein 2017-09-08 21:47:09		Noah Clifford is a dog

dawgpound 2017-09-09 22:03:51		Real rankings: 1. RM 2. Einstein 3. BCC 4. Whitman 5. Wootton 6. Northwood 7. Northwest 8. Churchill 9. Paint Branch 10. QO Don't @ me Also watch out for Ian Silver of Churchill as a breakout athlete potentially sub 16:30

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