Mocorunning conducted a preseason poll between August 28 and September 2, 2011. Fans were instructed to rank their top ten teams and individuals in order but were not required to vote in every field. 50 valid votes were collected for boys teams and 44 valid votes were collected for girls teams.
Rank
Boys Team
Poll Points
Rank
Girls Team
Poll Points
1
Winston Churchill
492
1
Walt Whitman
437
2
Walter Johnson
393
2
Bethesda Chevy Chase
368
3
Thomas S. Wootton
390
3
Thomas S. Wootton
350
4
Quince Orchard
279
4
Sherwood
224
5
Albert Einstein
258
5
Northwest
192
6
Sherwood
242
6
Quince Orchard
152
7
Richard Montgomery
151
7
Richard Montgomery
149
8
Walt Whitman
107
8
Winston Churchill
112
9
Poolesville
80
9
Montgomery Blair
111
10
Northwest
77
10
Walter Johnson
79
Mocorunning Analysis
If the voting is any indication, this year's Montgomery County Championships will be more of a battle for second best than for the team title. 84% of fans voted for the Churchill boys to win and a whopping 93% of fans voted for the Whitman girls to win.
As reported in Mocorunning's preseason tour, the Churchill boys and Whitman girls are alike in that they will each receive an immediate boost from a talented freshman. Both teams are expected to be stronger than last year. In 2010, Churchill finished as runners up to Walter Johnson at the county, region, and state championships while the Whitman girls swept the three big meets.
Preseason hype swayed public opinion and pulled the Wootton boys even with the three-time defending state champions of Walter Johnson. One or two more votes could have elevated Wootton to the fans' #2 spot, but fans still have respect for the Wildcats who could potentially win four state titles in a row this year. WJ lost two studs but return their next three runners and have several guys who were itching for varsity experience last year. There will be a tri meet with Churchill, Walter Johnson, and Wootton later in the season.
QO, Einstein, and Sherwood appear to make up the next tier of boys teams with good experience returning. QO and Sherwood graduated a few big guns, but have good depth.
The remaining boys teams battling for top ten spots will consist of many new faces. Teams like Richard Montgomery, Whitman, and Northwest will have almost entirely new varsity teams. Poolesville returns a strong top three, and I would argue Magruder and Gaithersburg may push into the top ten as they return more varsity experience than most teams in the county this year. B-CC has some up-and-coming talent
This is not a bad year to be rebuilding as many other Moco boys teams, particularly in the 4A West, are in the same spot.
The Wootton and B-CC girls were nearly dead even for second place in the fan voting. Wootton may be a little stronger up front while B-CC has a seemingly endless supply of girls knocking on the door for varsity spots. The Sherwood girls have a top four that will be competitive but will need to build some depth and have someone step up with that top group.
Northwest girls have finished in the top five in Montgomery County for the last decade so it is no surprise they have the fan support, but they graduated a ton of talent last spring and are working with a coaching change. To return to the top five this year would be a major accomplishment. Quince Orchard already beat them handily in a scrimmage.
Teams like RM, Churchill, and Blair have had good freshman classes for the past few years and will be looking to better their position in the county.
Walter Johnson girls, like Northwest, graduated a lot of talent this year and will be in rebuilding mode. Clarksburg, Damascus, and Magruder all received nearly as many fan votes as WJ in this poll.
Name
Comments
:(
Friday, September 02, 2011 09:13:53 PM
Poor Northwest girls, they lost almost there whole varsity team!
:(
Friday, September 02, 2011 09:15:02 PM
Poor Northwest girls, they lost almost there whole varsity team!
Really?
Saturday, September 03, 2011 11:32:20 AM
Wo Einstein is underrated again? What a surprise!
Division II
Saturday, September 03, 2011 08:40:36 PM
Looking down at boys #7, 8, and 9, that tri-meet at Whitman should be a great meet to see. 3 teams fighting it out for the division title
WHAT??
Saturday, September 03, 2011 08:45:49 PM
Einstein should be #3, QO and Wootton have nothing on them
hmmm
Saturday, September 03, 2011 08:47:56 PM
Einstein underrated again, there are schools south of WJ that actually do stuff.
Look at a map
Saturday, September 03, 2011 10:59:13 PM
I hope you aren't from Einstein because only B-CC and Whitman are south of WJ.
confused
Sunday, September 04, 2011 12:16:36 PM
How can you say QO and Wootton have nothing on Einstein?? They both have a stronger top group. Enstein may do better than some people think, but that doesn't mean they will beat teams that are deeper and have a stronger front pack.
JSB
Sunday, September 04, 2011 10:50:52 PM
UUUUUMMMMM Rockville beat Norhtwood. Shouldn't they be there.
Monday, September 05, 2011 12:04:21 AM
I hope you know Northwood and Northwest are two different schools.
Isaac Stevens
Tuesday, September 06, 2011 09:24:18 PM
Springbrook lost many great seniors last year so this year will be a healing year. Even though we will suck this year we have GREAT sophomores and freshmen
