Edina, the #3-ranked team in boys' Class AA, won't compete at the MSHSL State Cross Country Championships next weekend after finishing a non-qualifying third at the Section 6AA meet at Gale Woods in Minnetrista this Wednesday.#1-ranked Wayzata won the 6AA boys' competition with 28 points; #2 Eden Prairie finished second with 51. Edina tallied 89 points; #9 Minneapolis South finished 4th with 126 points.
In girls' competition, the #1-ranked Eden Prairie girls won with 24 points, followed by #3 Minnetonka which tallied 58. Wayzata was third with 89; #9 Hopkins was fourth with 105.
Full results of the meet can be found HERE.
Two teams from each section qualify to State. Section competition opened Wednesday and continues through Friday across the state.
The MSHSL has a full listing of section meets HERE.
Elsewhere ... The #4-ranked White Bear Lake boys won Section 4AA with 42 points over un-ranked Roseville which tallied 68. #7-ranked Stillwater finished a non-qualifying third with 70 points.
In 4AA girls' competition, #5 White Bear Lake topped #4 Woodbury 42-68. #12-ranked Stillwater finished third with 85 points.
Complete 4AA results can be found HERE.
Our Opinion: Fix the System ... As regular readers of Down the Backstretch know, MSHSL State Meet qualifying is an issue we've voiced our opinion on before. We think the current qualifying system is unfair to top-notch teams who happen to be in strong sections.
We offered THIS proposal last year -- a proposal, we can't help but note, would have allowed the #3-ranked Class AA boys to race at State next weekend.
Let Us Know What You Think ... Last year, 69% of readers who participated in our DtB poll (see results at right) thought the State Meet system needed fixing. Let us know your opinion in the comment section below ...
7 comments:
The MSHSL XC qualifiying bull____ has to end!
Ranked #3 in the state and no state champs - ridiculous!!!
I agree that the system should change, but then again I wish I had a 75 VO2 Max. and was born and raised at 8000 feet altitude. Let's remember the point is to crown a "State" Champion for both team and individuals. If you still want to compete this weekend, I believe they'll keep a slot open for you on the starting line at Rocky's Run this weekend.
Sparky,
If "the point" is crowning a state champion team, shouldn't we only send one team to State per region ... and only give a single team trophy?
I'd argue that the point is to, AT LEAST, have all the teams with a reasonable shot at a trophy on the starting line at State.
Truly, though, I think the aim should be to put the best 16 teams on the line at State, or come as close to that as is practical.
-- Charlie
I admit I don't follow HS x-c very closely. With that said...
Maybe the #3 ranking wasn't deserved. How about this - let's not rank the teams at all during the season until after the state meet. That way no one can complain when teams don't perform up to a certain arbitrary ranking.
That makes no sense. It still leaves teams that would place higher in a state meet at home. Even if you think rankings are arbitrary, a team like Edina, that beat White Bear Lake and other state qualify teams earlier in the season, will not have the chance to "rank" higher than them at the end of the year because they ran against two incredibly talented teams in a section race.
Edina lost to only two instate teams this year: Wayzata and Eden Prairie. Although we’ll never know for sure, Edina’s team this year would more than likely have placed 1, 2, or 3 at state. Is it not unfair that those kids are robbed of the opportunity to earn all-state honors or battle for a team championship?
The MSHSL needs to reevaluate their methods of entry. The goal of the state meet is to put the best of the best against each other. Right now that’s not what it provides.
Some sort of at-large system is needed. 6AA, and other sections at times (4AA, 1AA come to mind before the most recent realignment) has been seriously disrespected the last few years by not having three or even four teams in the state meet. Does the MSHSL even pay attention to how well the teams within its own league are doing? It's not like it's an unknown fact or a secret that 6AA consistently has anywhere from three to seven of the top ten or 15 teams in the state (see this: http://www.hutchcrosscountry.com/CrossCountry/2000/01RatingsIntro.htm--Section 6AA had seven of the top ten ranked teams in the October 1st poll of the 2001 season), and only two get to participate in the state cross country meet. There is now way around it: the qualifying system needs reform!!!
Derek said, "Although we’ll never know for sure, Edina’s team this year would more than likely have placed 1, 2, or 3 at state."
Edina finished 61 points behind Wayzata and 38 points behind EP. It's not like they just missed qualifying.
I do agree with Brent's comment posted on the Kirkpatrick interview - there's a life lesson in losing too.
But that doesn't mean that restructuring isn't needed.
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