Georgetown Visitation coach Kevin Hughes believes that this year's ISL Championship will be even closer than last year when Visitation wrapped up the title by 15.5 points over Sidwell Friends. I respectfully disagree. Of course, every girl must be on top of her game - that is a given during championship season. If they are, I think Visitation will win it with at least twenty points to spare.

Mocorunning ISL Rankings:
1. Georgetown Visitation
2. Sidwell Friends
3. Georgetown Day
4. Holton Arms
5. Stone Ridge
6. Episcopal
7. National Cathedral
8. Maret
9. Potomac
10. St. Stephens and St. Agnes
11. Bullis
12. Flint Hill
13. Madeira
14. St. Andrew's Episcopal
15. Holy Child

1. So what makes Visitation so good? A lot of teams have two strong athletes. Maybe three. Visitation has about ten girls who are going to grab large chunks of points from nearly every event. While they only currently lead the ISL in one event so far this year (the 4x100, 50.34), I foresee them picking up a lot of seconds and thirds. Terri Bullock and Kelsey Tillman are a strong duo in the sprints while Grace Carr, Bridgett Connelly, and Stephanie Jones are equally as strong in the distance events. Nada Tramonte is a do-it-all type that every good team needs and Elise Tigani recently just went under 60 in the 400.

2. No team can match the distance dominance of the Sidwell Friends girls. Marisa Repka and Kara Wilson are coming off a 1-2 finish in the 1600 at the Draper Invitational where Repka outkicked Wilson 5:09.50 to 5:09.76. With those two girls, a 2:25 800 runner in Sydney Cogswell, and 11:47 3200 runner Liz Cunningham, the Sidwell girls are about to put on a show in the distance events. They sat their 'A' team 4x800 at the Draper Invitational, and I have a feeling they are capable of much better than their early season mark of 9:40.94. If anyone is capable of taking down Visitation, it is Sidwell, who will also get some points in the throwing events.

3. Not to be counted out is Georgetown Day School, led by two of the most dynamimc athletes in the conference, Jessie Christian and Dominique Campbell. Campbell will be shooting for a few individual sprint titles while Christian goes after the long and triple jump titles. Maya Braxton will be in the mix in the throws.

4. Holton-Arms is one of the most improved teams this year with freshman standout Natiaha Hinnerichs who will be looking to win the high jump (season best 5-04). Juju Obioha is one of the conferences top throwers and Kathryn Scully has been runing well in the 1600 this year.

5. Chloe Nickens is sprinting almost as well as anyone in the ISL right now and when combined with Alyssa Gill, Stone Ridge leads the ISL in the 4x200 so far this year. Chantay Donoway will compete in the jumps while Liz Omenitsch is right on the fringe of being a scorer in a number of events.

6. Sarah Dillard of Episcopal is one of the very best throwers in the entire DC area with throws of 129-05 and 40-06. Her twenty points should come easily. The question is if she can break both conference meet records this weekend. Between her and hurdler Shantel Bingham, Episcopal will have a respectable showing.

7. Naomi Bates of National Cathedral leads the ISL in the long and triple jump so far this year. National Cathedral will also get contributions from Lottie Hedden in the distance events and Kimora Brock in the high jump.

8. Sierra DeLeon of Maret is another one of the conference's top athletes. DeLeon leads the ISL in the 100, 200 and 300-meter hurdles so far and is second in the 100 hurdles. All by herself she could give Maret a good team finish.

9. We haven't seen much out of defending ISL 1600 champion Anneka Wilson yet this year save an 11:50 3200 indoors. I'm going to assume Potomac will not be counting on Wilson too much for points this year while Trish Brandt picks up some points in the 400 and Candace Johnson picks up some points in the throws.

10. St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School will find strength in relays and field events while top sprinter Mya Reid should be in contention in the 100 and 200.

11. Bullis will be looking to win the 4x100 relay with anchor leg Jasmine Scott who transferred in this year from Magruder.

12. For Flint Hill, Britt Savage will be in contention for the 300-meter hurdle title while Katie Colas tries to hang with the big dogs in the middle distance events.