The Preseason MileSplit50 Top 25 Girls Team Rankings

No. 13: Ann Arbor Pioneer (MI)

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Analysis: There's nothing like a good-ole fashioned, and this fall in Michigan, we have precisely that in Division I between Ann Arbor Pioneer, the defending large school state champions, and Holland West Ottawa, which were runner-ups and start the season at No. 15 on the MileSplit50. 

Just how will this matchup shake out over the course of the season? Right now, we have to give the inside leverage to Pioneer, which features individual state champion Rachel Forsyth. The high school junior was a qualifier for the Eastbay Cross Country Championships as a sophomore and largely anchored the program's top performances over the indoor season, which included a new national record in the 4x800. 

Now, stars don't make the team. If Ann Arbor Pioneer is to reclaim its Division I title, it will have to lean on the likes of Emily Cooper and Natalie Mello, who both broke 19 minutes last year for 5K, along with underclassmen who will need to improve upon their performances in 2021. 

Biggest Question: Disparity between its top runners and its back pack.

Like any great team looking to solidify its lineup, Pioneer will have to make sure the back of its lineup keeps pace -- or least develops over 2022 -- with the top three and forges into a reliable group that can score at invitationals big and small. 

MileSplit50 Girls Team National Rankings Countdown