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. University should be far in front of the field. The 2nd spot should be a fight between Parkersburg and Morgantown with Parkersburg looking to have a slight edge. I show just 7 points between them. Wheeling Park will be lurking on the outside trying to steal a spot. Individually, the current top 10 is Andy Paladino, Seth Edwards, Colin Radabaugh, Albert Schrimp, Nic Cheuvront, Alex Minor, Connor Riley, Tristan Harvey, Anthony Laurita, and John Bolton. Runners within 90 points of the top 10 who are not on an expected advancing team who will be trying to take one of the individual spots are John Marshall's Dylan McKeag (11th), Wheeling Park's Jamie Tarr (14th), Brooke's Antonio Pizzuti (15th), and Wheeling Park's Cameron Eberhard (20th). There are 46 ranked runners in Region I.
Region II: This Region should advance three teams. However, there is a chance it could get 4. Hedgesville has not run as a complete team all season, but they do have 6 guys on their roster. If they come through along with everyone who has run complete, the region could advance 4. Since they haven't run complete all season, I'm doing the preview as though just 3 will advance. Jefferson should hold the top spot. The next 3 are within 9 points of each other, so they'll be hoping that Hedgesville toes the line. I show Elkins in 2nd, five points ahead of Hampshire, with Musselman 4 points out. Individually, the current top 10 includes Andrew Milliron, Austin Hamrick, Shane Rigsby, Jackson Jacobs, Matt Wallace, Casey Feezle, Rhett Zillinger, Josh Leake, Austin Jenner, and Kendall Coles. Runners within 90 points of the top 10 that aren't on an expected advancing team that will be trying to steal a spot are Martinsburg's Vladimir Bauer (11th), Martinsburg's David Sullivan (13th), and Lewis' Nathan Louk (14th). There are 32 ranked runners in Region II.
Region III: It looks like this Region might advance four teams. To do so, everyone that has ran as a complete team this season must get their team to the starting line. Riverside, South Charleston, and Woodrow Wilson will need to come through for their region. Riverside and Woodrow Wilson both ran complete at the MSAC, but South Charleston did not. For the preview, I'm going to assume that South Charleston comes through and 4 teams advance. That fourth team could be important because I show just 11 points separating the top 4 teams. I have Ripley on top by just 2 points (and that's assuming that Antonio Jones runs). George Washington holds the 2nd spot by just 5 points over Oak Hill (and that assumes that Jacob Ashcraft runs). Capital is just 4 points back. These four could finish in any order. If Jones and Ashcraft are out, that likely makes George Washington and Capital the top teams with Ripley and Oak Hill battling for the 3rd spot. Individually, the current top 10 includes Matthew Brafford, Levi Snedegar, Cody Gillespie, Marshall Sharp, Jake Casto, Remington Boyce, Nick Oxendale, Michael Ruhnke, Chad Hollandsworth, and Levi Phillips. Those within 90 points of the top 10 that aren't on an expected advancing team that hope to snare an individual spot are South Charleston's Josh Greear (12th), Shady Spring's Justin Harper (14th), and Princeton's Justin Snyder (17th). There are 23 ranked runners in Region III.
Region IV: This Region should advance three teams. 8 teams have ran complete. One of Lincoln County, Point Pleasant, and Spring Valley must run complete to get a 3rd team out. I'm going to assume that happens and the Region advances 3. Cabell Midland appears to have a pretty solid grip on 1st. Hurricane appears to have an advantage over Winfield for the 2nd spot. Those 3 are way ahead of the rest of the field. There is only one runner within 90 points of the top ten who isn't on an expected advancing team. That is Huntington's Anthony Jaime (20th). There are 34 ranked runners in Region IV.