Remember, this is only how it looks from the rankings heading into the regionals. This is not a prediction based on any analysis of races held during the season. If a team has fewer than five ranked runners, it is assumed that their first unranked runner would finish three places behind the last ranked runner, their second unranked runner would finishe six places behind the last ranked runner, etc. Runners run above and below their ranking in every meet, and the Regionals will be no different. The important thing is that if you have five runners, get them to the starting line. Your region may be depending on you.
Region I: This Region should advance three teams. Morgantown should run away with the title. There should be a three way battle for the other 2 spots. University appears to have the edge for the 2nd spot. I show them with a 7 point advantage over Parkersburg. Parkersburg has just a 5 point advantage over Preston. Parkersburg and Preston appear to have a little better depth than University, so their position is far from etched in stone. Individually, the current top 10 includes Brynn Harshbarger, Amelia Paladino, Kaitlyn Workman, Victoria Cooke, Abbey Harrison, Allison Lynch, Kaylee Williams, Andrea Pettit, Sydney Pineault, and Hannah Pineault. There is only one runner within 90 points of those top 10 who aren't on an expected advancing team. That is Parkersburg South's April Kirk (11th). There are 67 ranked runners in Region I. There are 36 runners in this Region that would be expected to advance from Region III.
Region II: This region should advance three teams. Hampshire appears to be the strongest team in the field. Musselman appears to have an edge over Jefferson for the 2nd spot. Buckhannon-Upshur looks to try to sneak into the field. I show them 11 points behind Jefferson. Individually, the current top 10 includes Ashleigh Martin, Abby Colbert, Rachel Lipps, Morgan Roach, Heather Jenkins, Antonia Dunnigan, Laura Dean, Anya Wallace, Mary Feaster, and Fallon Stone. Runners within 90 points of that top 10 and not on an expected advancing team that will be trying to take one of the individual spots are Hedgesville's Brittany Pollard (11th), Elkins' Hannah Gongola (12th), Washington's Destiny Harrison (13th), Buckhannon-Upshur's Alexa Bennett (15th), Buckhannon-Upshur's Gillian Ross (17th), and Hedgesville's Courtney Layhew (18th). There are 36 ranked runners in Region II.
Region III: This region should advance three teams, but it's a little shaky. There are a couple teams that rarely field full teams over the course of the season. If both come up short, only two will advance. For purposes of this preview, I'm assuming that at least one of the two will have a full squad on the line. There are five teams fighting for the three spots, and I only show 19 points difference between 1st and 5th. I show Capital on top with a 9 point cushion over George Washington. Shady Spring is another 2 points back with Ripley and Greenbrier East another 4 and 8 points back, respectively. The quality of the unranked runners is going to be a very large factor in this region. Everyone's first unranked runner is considered to be equal, but obviously that isn't the case. Individually, the current top 10 includes Peyton Panger, Ali Cunningham, Emily Fedders, Taylor Jackson, Adrienne Arnold, Sophie Kemp-Sherman, Nicole Hegele, Shaye Gadomski, Riley Simmerman, and Rowan Maher. One one runner is within 90 points of that top 10 who isn't on an expected advancing team and will by trying to steal an individual spot. That runner is Ripley's Melissa Hughart (11th). Region III has 21 ranked runners.
Region IV: This Region should advance three teams, but it's very shaky. Everyone that has run a complete team at any point this season has to do so at the Regional in order to get a 3rd team out. At least one of them only ran a complete team one time, but it was at the conference meet, so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming that everyone comes through for their Region. Hurricane appears to be the class of the field and should take a pretty easy win. Cabell Midland and Winfield should have quite a battle for 2nd. I have Cabell Midland taking the spot by 3 points. If one of the shaky full teams doesn't get five to the line, this will be a very tight race for advancement. Individually, the current top 10 includes Tori Dent, Emily Schwendiman, Jorden Thornton, Brittney McMillion, Rachael Englund, Baylee Summers, Joie Johnston, Abby Short, Andrea Porter, and Kelsey Dillon. Only one runner is within 90 points of the top 10 and not on an expected advancing team and will be hoping to take one of the 10 individual spots. That runner is Nitro's Jillian Clemens (15th). There are 37 ranked runners in Region IV.