I'm glad I didn't quit my day job after correctly picking only 25 of last week's 32 matchups and predicting the top four teams at Octoberfest in nearly reverse order. I'm going to reverse the trend this week with predictions in 32 matchups in 8 meets. Coaches, please send results to webmaster@mocoruning.com
Girls Standings
Northwest
3-0
Walter Johnson
3-1
Sherwood
2-2
Walt Whitman
2-3
Churchill
1-2
Damascus
0-3
Wootton
4-0
B-CC
2-1
Quince Orchard
1-1
R. Montgomery
0-1
Blair
1-2
Gaithersburg
0-3
Clarksburg
3-0
Magruder
3-1
Rockville
3-2
Poolesville
1-2
Springbrook
1-3
Einstein
0-3
Northwood
5-0
Seneca Valley
5-1
Kennedy
2-1
Paint Branch
3-4
Blake
2-3
Watkins Mill
0-4
Wheaton
0-4
Boys Standings
Walter Johnson
4-0
Churchill
2-1
Northwest
2-1
Sherwood
2-2
Damascus
1-2
Walt Whitman
0-5
Quince Orchard
2-0
R. Montgomery
1-0
Wootton
3-1
B-CC
1-2
Gaithersburg
1-2
Blair
0-3
Poolesville
3-0
Einstein
3-0
Clarksburg
3-0
Magruder
1-3
Rockville
1-4
Springbrook
0-4
Northwood
5-0
Blake
5-0
Paint Branch
4-3
Seneca Valley
2-4
Wheaton
1-3
Kennedy
0-3
Watkins Mill
0-4
Boys Picks
Walter Johnson over Sherwood
Churchill over Damascus
Churchill over Northwest
Damascus over Northwest
Richard Montgomery over B-CC
Richard Montgomery over Blair
B-CC over Blair
Wootton over Quince Orchard
Poolesville over Clarksburg
Poolesville over Einstein
Einstein over Clarksburg
Blake over Northwood
Magruder over Springbrook
Kennedy over Wheaton
Kennedy over Seneca Valley
Wheaton over Seneca Valley
Girls Picks
Walter Johnson over Sherwood
Churchill over Damascus
Northwest over Churchill
Northwest over Damascus
B-CC over Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery over Blair
B-CC over Blair
Wootton over Quince Orchard
Clarksburg over Poolesvile
Poolesville over Einstein
Clarksburg over Einstein
Northwood over Blake
Magruder over Springbrook
Kennedy over Wheaton
Kennedy over Seneca Valley
Seneca Valley over Wheaton
Division I
Northwest girls should wrap up the division against Churchill and Damascus in Damascus this week.
Damascus, Churchill, and Northwest will make for a great boys race. Up front will be a good race between Thomas Arias, Chris Miller, and the young Zach Weinstein. The team battle will be between Churchill and Damascus for pride since both have suffered losses to Walter Johnson. After Arias, Damascus has a big gap where Churchill can potentially place four guys before Damascus's #2 runner. This seems like a likely scenario, and if it does happen, Churchill's #5 runner can finish last and they will still win.
Dispite a disappointing performance by the Walter Johnson boys at Octoberfest, they still placed higher than Sherwood by a considerable margin last weekend. So while Walter Johnson should easily wrap up the division title this week, what will be more interesting is how WJ's top five runners will bounce back against Sherwood's top runner, Jackson Reams. With both teams heading to the Manhattan Invitational this weekend, no one will want to put out a 100% effort, but pride is on the line as Reams remains undefeated against county competition this season.
Division II
Quince Orchard boys will try to stay undefeated and stay alive in the division against Wootton this week. Wootton has beaten three teams with depth and only lost to RM because of a 1-2-3 sweep. QO probably will not get a top 3 sweep against Wootton but they should take the top two spots to make things tough on Wootton. QO seems to be bringing along a few guys to a more competitive level which makes this matchup nearly unpredictable. A score of 28-29 seems likely.
The Richard Montgomery boys will try to improve to 3-0 against B-CC and Blair before facing Quince Orchard in the final dual meet of the season next week.
Division III
There couldn't be a better way to determine the division champion than what will take place at Clarksburg this Tuesday. The Poolesville, Einstein, and Clarksburg boys all stand atop the division tied with a record of 3-0. Poolesville has not competed since they won the small school race at the Bull Run Invitational, but they looked considerably better than Einstein and Clarksburg in their victory and should be expected to claim the division title here.
Unlike the compelling boys matchup, the Clarksburg girls sit at 3-0 while the Einstein and Poolesville girls are a combined 1-5. Clarksburg girls should easily claim the division title, its third in the school's first four years.
Division IV
The Northwood girls have proven to be the strongest team in division IV and should wrap up the division title this week against Blake.
While I've been calling for the Northwood boys to win the division title all season, they will need to race hard against an improving Blake team. Both teams competed at the Frank Keyser Invitational last weekend and with dual meet scoring, Blake would have defeated Northwood 28-29. Blake's new #1 runner Chip Seldon placed in front of Northwood's strong pack of three runners. Blake packed its 2-3-4 runners just seconds in front of Northwood's #4 and then packed 5-6-7 in front of Northwood's #5. This matchup looks as close as it can possibly be on paper and Blake could very well step up and steal this division title, which looked to have Northwood's name on it from the first day of the season.
Name
Comments
Monday, October 05, 2009 10:59:52 PM
RM also is facing Gaithersburg as well next week, not just QO...
Brooks Boliek
Tuesday, October 06, 2009 06:06:20 PM
Northwood boys and girls win it on the tough Gladiator course. I believe that makes them undefeated Div. IV champs. We are Northwood!
Coach Sauter
Tuesday, October 06, 2009 06:51:41 PM
Northwood boys did have to race hard to beat a much improved Blake team. And race hard they did! Great job on the river course at Northwood! Way to step up when you had to.
nick hall
Tuesday, October 06, 2009 07:31:21 PM
great job northwood! just goes to show moco running jumped the gun saying blake would win. you can look at all the #s you want, but in the end it's all about guts, heart, and effort. think twice before you call a race that close, moco!
austin moore
Tuesday, October 06, 2009 09:04:36 PM
nono not in our house
-northwoods #4 runner
austin moore
Tuesday, October 06, 2009 09:11:14 PM
nono not in our house
-northwoods #4 runner
Wednesday, October 07, 2009 09:29:18 PM
Regardless, please do not use this as a platform to criticize or complain about the article that you have just read
