Girls
#11 Annie Hill over #9 Tiahna Vladic at Butte Invitational (MT)
A tough race last weekend saw Annie Hill record the slowest finish of her high school career: 18:13 for 12th overall at the Mountain West Classic, where she is the two-time defending champion, while sophomore Tiahna Vladic ran away to a dominant victory in 17:04.63. But Hill was back to her old form again at the Butte Invitational, as she cruised to a 16:40.3 three mile win while Vladic took runner-up honors in a well-beaten but still very respectable time of 17:01.9. Hill's mark is a new course record.
#17 Rebecca Story over #13 Taylor Cuneo at Jesse Owens Classic (AL)
The Jesse Owens Classic was a rematch of last year as 2015's top two finishers in Tennessee's Rebecca Story and Taylor Cuneo returned to Alabama. Story was about 15 seconds off her 16:57 course record but still took home the 'W,' while Cuneo faded back to 15th place overall in 19:08.7. Cuneo, a two-time NXN All-American, took time off in the spring due to a growth plate injury.
Unranked Mattie Geddes over #25 Anna Gibson at Rob Campbell Invitational (ID)
One week after winning the tough Bob Firman Invitational, Anna Gibson placed just seventh at the Rob Campbell Invitational with a 5K time of 20:20.6. Her freshman teammate, Mattie Geddes, took home the individual title with a time of 18:29. Gibson may have been pacing another teammate, Andie Cornish, who finished just behind Gibson in 20:21.7. The girls' Jackson Hole High School squad easily won the team title with 30 points over Skyline.
#18 Keller over #9 Southlake Carroll at Chile Pepper (AR)
Southlake Carroll rose up to the national top 10 after a surprise third place finish at the Woodbridge Sweepstakes in California, though Keller High School had already defeated the fellow Texas squad at the Marcus I Invitational. The rematch took place at Arkansas' massive Chile Pepper XC Festival in Fayetteville. The two Texas teams rose above an insane field of 82 teams and 562 individuals to score less than 100 points each: Keller won with 86 points, Southlake Carroll took runner-up honors with 90 points while third place Blue Springs South of Missouri scored 260 points. Southlake Carroll has the superior pack with a 29-second spread compared to Keller's 2:05 top five margin, but the Indians managed to place three in the top 10 and two in the top five: sub-17:40 clockings for Abbey Santoro (3rd, 17:38) and Julia Black (4th, 17:39) are impressive on the rolling course.
#12 Blacksburg over #11 Lake Braddock at Great American (NC)
Blacksburg proved that they are the top team in Virginia right now by nailing a convincing 69-103 win over Lake Braddock at Great American on Saturday. Though Lake Braddock's No. 1 Kate Murphy took home the individual title, Blacksburg was able to pack their top five into the top 22 scoring positions led by Samantha Marin in 17:48.9 and fifth overall/third in team scoring.
Unranked Shenendehowa, Oakland Catholic over #14 Centerville at Paul Short (PA)
No. 14 ranked Centerville competed without top runner Grace Kilroy again this weekend and felt the results of her absence with a third place finish in Pennsylvania. Centerville scored 195 points behind unranked Shenendehowa (100 points) of New York and Oakland Catholic (131 points) of Pennsylvania. While Centerville will likely drop out of the rankings, Shenendehowa looks like a potential top 25 candidate with a strong top two in track star duo Julia Zachgo (2nd, 17:44) and Hannah Reale (5th, 17:52).
Unranked Broomfield over #19 Mountain Vista at Metro State Roadrunner (CO)
The closest battle of the weekend took place in Denver, Co. at Washington Park. A one-point decision saw unranked Broomfield High School take home the title over Mountain Vista, 46 to 47. Mountain Vista actually had a tighter pack (55-second spread compared to Broomfield's 1:23 pack) but Broomfield's Madison Mooney and Ivy Gonzales locked up the win with a 1-2 sweep.
Madison Mooney and Ivy Gonzalez talk after placing 1-2 to lead a one-point Broomfield victory over Mountain Vista: