52 valid votes were tabulated for Mocorunning's XC Preseason Poll. Below are the composite results of that poll.
1. Rohann Asfaw, Richard Montgomery 2017
483 Poll Points
Asfaw has already racked up enough titles and accolades to fill a couple paragraphs, so just focus on this one stat: his 15:21.10 5K personal best at last year's NXN Southeast Regional was the second-fastest by a Montgomery County underclassman since 2006, only behind Whitman's Andrew Palmer in 2008.
If anyone is going to challenge Asfaw as the county's top runner, it may be Nakasaka. He broke out in 2015 with a 14th-place finish at the state championships, then dropped a 9:38.49 3200 in the spring. He will be a key component if B-CC is going to win their second county championship since 2013.
He was great as a sophomore in the fall of 2015, finishing seventh at the county championships, before sitting out the track season with injuries. All signs point to a healthy return in 2016, where he could join Asfaw as the first teammates to go 1-2 at the county championships since 2000.
Lent's promising junior season was cut short by an injury in September, but he returned in the spring to run 9:40.11 in the 3200, the third-fastest returning time in the county behind only Asfaw and Nakasaka.
Fry joined his fellow classmate Nakasaka last year as a breakout runner for the Barons, finishing 26th at the state championships and then running 9:46.59 in the 3200 during the outdoor track season. He and Nakasaka will be instrumental in the Barons' quest for not only a county title, but perhaps even a 4A team title.
6. Simeon Mussie, Albert Einstein 2018
175 Poll Points
He made the transition to the 4A classification look effortless in 2015-16, qualifying individually for the cross country state championships. He showed even more improvement on the track, running 9:41.72 in the 3200. He will probably be the favorite for the Consortia Championships a week before the county championships in October.
7. John Riker, Thomas S. Wootton 2019
157 Poll Points
The county's top freshman in 2015 was a key part of the Patriots' 2015 Montgomery County team title. The Wootton boys might not be quite as good team-wise in 2016, but Riker should challenge for a top ten spot at the county championships as only a sophomore.
Realistically, there are about four or five guys who could be Northwest's top runner this year, and it wouldn't be a bit of a surprise. Osborne had perhaps the best track season on the deep Northwest squad last spring, running 1:56.52 in the 800.
He has the top returning time among the Northwest boys this season at 16:42.90, and finished 12th at the 4A West Regional meet last season. Only two Northwest boys made this list, but their returning pack runs about five deep, and it's not too far-fetched to think three or four of them could swarm into the top ten at the county championships this season.
Feda's greatest claim to fame thus far is being the upright athlete in the world-famous Woodward Relays steeplechase photo that went viral last spring. Voting fans are high on a runner from a non-powerhouse school who has never run high school cross country before, but he certainly impressed during track as a freshman last year. He ran 17:40 in a time trial on their difficult home course early this season and his 10:06.41 3200 suggests he's ready to break out in 2016.
1) Bethesda-Chevy Chase Barons (387 Poll Points):
With a strong pair of juniors and the depth that comes with one of their largest teams in school history, the B-CC boys are set up not only for a shot at their second county title in four years, but perhaps a run at the 4A team title.
2) Northwest Jaguars (317 Poll Points):
They showed incredible chemistry and poise last year when shooting towards the top of the county, and nearly that entire squad is back for 2016. Coach Robert Youngblood will definitely have the boys pumped up and ready to go at the county championships.
3) Richard Montgomery Rockets (308 Poll Points):
They've got the top two returners from last year's county meet, and while they lost three seniors from their top five, they are projected to get a rising freshman with national caliber age group track times. If there was ever a sleeper to throw themselves into state-title contention, it's this year's Rockets.
4) Thomas S. Wootton Patriots (254 Poll Points):
Losing their top three runners from 2015 probably means they won't repeat as county champions this year, but they've got more than enough depth behind John Riker to stay competitive within the top five.
5) Winston Churchill Bulldogs (233 Poll Points):
Last year's group of seniors carried the Bulldogs very far throughout the 2015 season. There will be many new faces on the varsity team this fall, but don't expect it to affect the depth-rich Churchill squad as much as it might affect a smaller team.
6) Quince Orchard Cougars (203 Poll Points):
The returning trio of Chris Thoms, Ethan Mara and Matthew Owens is definitely one of the better groups around Montgomery County. The progression of the rest of the team behind them will ultimately determine if they can crack the top five at the county championships.
7) Albert Einstein Titans (133 Poll Points):
Simeon Mussie and Tyler Wilson make up probably the third-best duo coming into the 2016 season, behind Nakasaka/Fry and Asfaw/El-Masry. After settling for only sending Mussie to the state meet last year, Einstein will have a shot at qualifying out of the 4A West region for the first time in 2016.
8) Walter Johnson Wildcats (114 Poll Points):
The girls' team will definitely garner more of the attention this year as they shoot for their fourth straight state title, but head coach Tom Martin will probably have enough depth to work with to keep them at least in the top ten this year.
9) Montgomery Blair Blazers (98 Poll Points):
The Blair boys made strides with their 12th-place finish at last year's county championships, then broke out by winning the outdoor county/region/state 4x800. Their team resembles more of a small nation's army than a cross country team, and they're just waiting to break out.
10) Walt Whitman Vikings (93 Poll Points):
Josh Engels and Aaron Bratt both had breakout track seasons last spring and seem ready to roll this fall. The team behind them may have some question marks, but the strength of the top two runners alone could vault the Vikings back into the top ten this season.
Name
Comments
klfslnfls
Thursday, September 01, 2016 03:44:15 PM
Lets go Andrew!!
Watch out for Obsaa Feda
Weakest preseason top 10 in a decade
BLAZER4LYFE
Thursday, September 01, 2016 03:56:58 PM
BLAIR BLAZERS FTW
Clyde
Thursday, September 01, 2016 04:00:33 PM
Do not really see how RM is projected third when their depth does not really beyond their top 2. If they have an injury among their varsity squad I think it easily drops them to around sixth in the county. I feel like Churchill will have a couple of guys come out of left field and do really well for them since they have so many guys hovering around 18.
north by northwest
Thursday, September 01, 2016 04:16:07 PM
BCC kids vote themselves number 1 every year and it never happens (except that year it did)
cream will rise
Thursday, September 01, 2016 05:07:44 PM
not a weak year, voters are just morons
Anon
Thursday, September 01, 2016 06:12:48 PM
BCC and RM getting really overrated
Marcus Hibbeln
Thursday, September 01, 2016 06:48:29 PM
SIMEON MUSSIE BOUTTA WIN STATES
Unknown
Thursday, September 01, 2016 08:57:02 PM
Harambe is winning counties.
Hope solo
Thursday, September 01, 2016 09:27:36 PM
Exceptionally weak year, these kids were placing in the 20s and 30s at last years county meet.
Although RM lacks depth, they have the counties 1-2 runner so they only really score 3 runners
joe
Thursday, September 01, 2016 09:53:16 PM
where is 2j rains at
Sweaty and nervous mother from Gaithersburg
Friday, September 02, 2016 12:00:21 AM
Well I think kEnnedy has a chance!!
800
Friday, September 02, 2016 10:44:04 AM
Thierry is just gonna jog the 1st 2.5 miles, and close in 1:55 to win it all
toomanychoddering
Friday, September 02, 2016 08:44:26 PM
rm will rise jus wait on it
Sunday, September 04, 2016 01:57:27 AM
Are we all just going to ignore RM's 4:40 mile incoming freshman? And its not like they're other top 4 are bad, they're just not as fast as dreads or the kool-aid man.
westner
Thursday, September 15, 2016 11:42:41 AM
It's all about RM's 5th runner. If RM's 5th runner can be somewhere close to NW's 5th runner, then NW will not win. Pack running is great but I think the gap between RM's 1 and 2 will be too far ahead of NW's 1. Reminds me a little bit like the situation at the 1998 MoCo XC Championships....
