Class AA Cross Country Rankings: Wayzata, Lakeville North Top the Charts

It's apparently not too soon to be thinking about the high school cross country season.

The Class AA preseason rankings for boys and girls were released recently. Defending Minnesota State High School League Class AA champs Wayzata lead the boys poll, while Lakeville North, 5th at State last year, tops the girls' rankings.

Willmar's Mahad Hassan, 4th at State last year, leads the boys' individual rankings. Defending Class AA champ Laura Hughes of Mankato West leads the girls.

The Rankings ...

Boys:

Teams
1 Wayzata
2 Eden Prairie
3 Stillwater
4 Brainerd
5 Edina
6 Moorhead
7 Owatonna
8 Willmar
9 Alexandria
10 Lakeville South
11 Minnetonka
12 Buffalo

Individiuals
1 Mahad Hassan 12 Willmar
2 Robel Kebede 12 Mpls. South
3 Drew Paradis 12 Alexandria
4 John-Michael Brandt 11 Winona
5 Thomas Ruttger 12 Brainerd
6 Jeremy Drenckhahn 12 Wayzata
7 John Holt 12 Roseville
8 Eric Truedson 12 Bemidji
9 Danny Ducharme 12 Wayzata
10 Zach Mellon 12 Buffalo
11 Ryan Evans 12 Centennial
12 Kamal Jarso 11 St. Paul Central

Girls:

Teams
1 Lakeville North
2 Eden Prairie
3 White Bear Lake
4 Prior Lake
5 Burnsville
6 Minnetonka
7 Chaska
8 Woodbury
9 Grand Rapids
10 Roseville
11 Waseca
12 Lakeville South

Individuals
1 Laura Hughes, 11 Mankato West
2 Cassy Opitz, 12 Eden Prairie
3 Emma Bates, 11 Elk River
4 Katie Moraczewski, 12 WBL
5 Meghan Heuer, 11 Prior Lake
6 Kaylea Brase, 12 Centennial
7 Sarah Heuer, 12 Prior Lake
8 Emily Meese, 12 Minnetonka
9 Jamie Piepenburg, 9 Alexandria
10 Laura Docherty, 12 Cretin DH
11 Rachel Drake, 12 WBL
12 Becca Nichols, 12 Lakeville South