A Dive Into The Deepest NXN Regional: NXR Northwest

Nike Cross Nationals Northwest Regional
Cory Mull

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GIRLS RACE

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Temperatures on Saturday near Boise could be perfect by the championship races.

Highs are projected in the mid 50s with no rain. Northwest is one of two regionals this weekend. You can check out our in-depth preview of the Nike Cross Nationals Midwest Region here. 


Previous Placement: 

2018: 1. Bend Summit (OR); 2. Portland Jesuit (OR); 3. Boise Senior (ID); 4. Hellgate (MT)

2017: 1. Bozeman (MT): 2. Portland Jesuit (OR); 3. Bend Summit (OR); 4. Issaquah (WA)

2016: 1. Bozeman (MT); 2. Bend Summit (OR); 3. Portland Sunset (OR); 4. Jackson Hole (WY)

2015: 1. Bozeman (MT); 2. Portland Sunset (OR); 3. Bend Summit (OR); 4. Portland Jesuit (OR)

2014: 1. Camas (WA); 2. Coeur'd Alene (ID); 3. Bend Summit (OR); 4. Bozeman (MT)



CONFIDENCE PICKS BY MILESPLIT: 

1. Bend Summit (OR); 2. North Central (WA); 3. Portland Jesuit (OR); 4. Boise Senior (ID)


Teams To Pay Attention To: 

  • Bend Summit (OR): The trifecta matchup we all will be watching closely will feature Summit, North Central and Jesuit. Summit seems to have too much depth, with five girls over 129 speed ratings. That potency will likely overpower everyone on the Eagle Island State Park course on Saturday. But we may also find out how Summit responds in a meet with massive implications. Saturday will mark the first time since last year where a national title is on the line -- you have to qualify to repeat. The Storm averaged 17:34 in its Class 6A race, nearly 30 seconds faster than Jesuit. A qualification would make it four straight NXNs for the Summit girls. 
  • North Central (WA): This is the team to watch on Saturday. We know what Summit will bring, and we are convinced that Jesuit and Boise Senior have the depth and talent to compete for an auto-bid. But if all goes well for North Central, the team could give Summit a run for its money. Janke and Hill present two athletes capable of breaking 17:40 on this course; with speed ratings over 140. North Central lacks depth, though, and every member of its five must run well for it to secure its ticket to NXN. The program averaged 17:55 at its Class 3A Championship in Washington and were five-points shy of sweeping the classification. 
  • Portland Jesuit (OR): Jesuit has history on its side, having qualified for NXN over the past two seasons. With the sophomore Foerster coming along in 2019, this team seems poised to make another run -- and even if it doesn't finish second, there are good odds the Northwest gets an at-large bid. 
  • Boise Senior (ID): The Braves made it two straight Idaho state titles in 2019. The team remains full of depth and oozes control, as it averaged 18:34 over its Class 5A championship, using a incredible 23-second spread to win. Junior Rosina Machu continue to get better and leads this team. 
  • Bozeman (MT): After an in-state tug-of-war with Hellgate last season, Bozeman took control of Montana again in 2019, dominating its Class AA championships with 38 points and a sub-60 second spread. led by senior Terra Trom, Bozeman is talented. But the Northwest is absolutely stacked this season. 
  • Portland Lincoln (OR): This team finished third at its Class 6A championships, behind Summit and Jesuit. Led by Peters, it's stock full of talent and all five of its runners are over 110. It averaged 18:03 on the Lane Community College course in Eugene. 
  • Boise Timberline (ID): The team averaged 18:46 at the Class 5A race in Idaho, finishing 28 points ahead of Boise Senior. 


Top Returners From 2018: 

1. Sydney Thorvaldson, Rawlins (WY); 3. Ella Borsheim, Bellarmine Prepatory (WA); 4. Julia David-Smith, Issaquah (WA); 5. Mattlyn Geddes, Twin Falls (ID); 6. Fiona Max, Summit (OR); 7. Ashley LaJocies, Eagle (ID); 9. Allie Janke, North Central (WA); 10. Sariah Harrison, Skyline (ID); 14. Terra Trom, Bozeman (MT); 15. Teaghan Knox, Summit (OR); 17. Azza Borovicka Swanson, Summit (OR); 18. Lauren Forster, Coeur'd Alene (ID); 21. Kelsey Gripekoven, Summit (OR); 22. Chloe Foerster, Jesuit (OR); 24. Mikella Tobin, Boise Senior (ID); 25. Lexy Halladay, Mountain View (ID).


Individuals: 

  • Fiona Max, Summit (OR): Max's only loss came to Idaho's Halladay in September. But the Summit No. 1 has been on fire since, defeating her in-state freshman competitor Peters, twice over a span of two months. Max comes in with confidence and will give Thorvaldson a run for her money. 
  • Sydney Thorvaldson, Rawlins (WY): The defending NXR Northwest champion is undefeated in 2019, with eight straight wins and a PR of 16:40.60 from September. But she hasn't quite faced much competition all season and Northwest will present her first true test against some capable, nationally-ranked opponents. The race will test Thorvaldson. 
  • Kate Peters, Lincoln (OR): The talented freshman will have a chance to qualify. She's run a best of 16:58.70 for 5K and has faced more than enough competition to battle-test her ahead of the championship race. 
  • Julia David-Smith, Issaquah (WA): Much like last season, Northwest is a race where David-Smith can prove her chops. And there's nothing to say that she won't. She's won seven races. Her only loss came to Peters at the Hole in the Wall Invite in October. 
  • Chloe Foerster, Portland Jesuit (OR): Jesuit's No. 1 will have far more responsibility than just a top five finish. If she races well, she could set Jesuit up for an automatic-qualifier as a team, which would automatically advance her to NXN anyway. 
  • Mattalyn Geddes, Twin Falls (ID): She's finished less than first just once on the season -- picking up a sixth-place finish at Bob Firman -- and is coming off her third straight state championship in Idaho. She's run a PR of 17:27.60. Experience will get Geddes to the line and potentially yet again for an NXN bid. 
  • Lexy Halladay, Mountain View (ID): Halladay fell short of qualifying for NXN last year. And she was upset at her Idaho state championships. But one miss aside, he's been as good as ever in 2019, and there's a strong chance she books a trip to NXN. In September, on the same course, Halladay won Bob Firman in 17:31.20. A performance like that will get her in. 
  • Allie Janke, North Central (WA): Two races back from injury, Janke is in solid form. She ran 17:26.80 at her state championship, winning her second straight title. 
  • Teaghan Knox, Summit (OR): She's run behind Max as Summit's No. 2, but for most teams Knox's talent would led from the front. Don't be surprised if Knox puts together a surprisingly efficient race -- she's more than capable. 
  • Terra Trom, Bozeman (MT): Bozeman's top runner was second at her state championships. She's run a top time of 17:58.60 on the season. 
  • Lizzie Dildine, Eagle (ID): She upset Halladay and others at the Idaho state championships, winning the Class 5A title in 17:42.16. The secret is out: Dildine is good enough to qualify for NXN. 


Other Athletes To Watch: Rosina Machu, Boise Senior (ID); Ella Borsheim, Bellarmine Preparatory (WA); Naomi Smith, King's Scools (WA); Alaina Stone, Colville (WA); Erinn Hill, North Central (WA); Kylie Hartnett, Helena (MT); Lucy Huelskamp, Sunset (OR).