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 finish 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. If you can come up with 7, get them on the line. If you only have 3, get them on the line. Your region may be depending on you.
Region I: This Region should advance three teams. University and Morgantown should duke it out for the top spot. I have University taking it by a single point. Preston is very solidly in the 3rd spot. The top 3 ranked teams in the State are in this region. Individually, 10 runners will advance. The current top 10 are Lea Hatcher, Athena Young, Caroline Kirby, Zoe Shetty, Irene Riggs, Allie Martin, Isabella DiSaia, Chloe Stark, Emma Troischt, and Emma Williams. By the way, these are the top 10 ranked individual in the state, not just this region. So this region has the top 3 teams in the state and the top 10 individuals in the state, which shows just how hard it will be to get out of this region and that we can expect some very good runners to be left behind...again. Those within 60 points of the top 10 but not on an expected advancing team are John Marshall's Zara Zervos (11th) and Buckhannon-Upshur's Cadence Vincent (13th). So, that's the 13th and 17th ranked girls in Class AAA very much in danger of not advancing to the State Meet. There would be 28 girls in this region expected to advance in Region II, 32 would be expected to advance in Region III, and 16 would be expected to advance in Region IV. There are 49 ranked runners in Region I.
Region II: This Region should also advance 3 teams. I have a very close battle for the title between Musselman and Hampshire with Musselman taking it by 2 points. I have Spring Mills in the 3rd spot. To get 3 teams out, either Hedgesville or Washington must get 5 runners to the line. I think they likely both will, but each have had meets that it didn't happen. Individually, 10 will advance. The current top 10 are Madison Gray, Dakota Johnson, Katie McGivern, Danielle Davis, Alex Kile, Addie Labombard, Carolina Wilson, Sarah Butts, Julie Veldeman, and Aleynah Miller. There is only one runner within 60 points of the top 10 who isn't on an expected advancing team. That is Martinsburg's Janette Salvador (11th), but she hasn't competed since 9/24, so I don't know if she'll be participating. There are 26 ranked runners in Region II.
Region III: This Region looks like it will only advance two teams. I don't see a part to 3 teams this year. It's pretty clear that Woodrow Wilson and George Washington should take those top two spots with Woodrow Wilson holding the advantage. Individually, 10 will advance. The current top 10 are Charlotte McGinnis, Kara Edstrom, Collette Lindley, Maya Schneider, Madison Cornett, Karson Fletcher, Gillian Breeden, Katherine Sutton, Savanah Hughes, and Abigail Londeree. Those within 60 points of the top 10 and not on an expected advancing team are Riverside's Jacque Arrington (11th), Capital's Emma Magee (13th), Greenbrier East's Tori Parks (14th), and St. Albans' Jessica Miller (15th). There are 23 ranked runners in Region III.
Region IV: This Region should advance three teams. I have Hurricane edging out Cabell Midland by just 2 points for the win. And I have Ripley taking the 3rd spot over Parkersburg, but just by 10 points, so Parkersburg very much has a shot here. If Madison Trippett elects to run (I have no idea on this), that probably moves Parkersburg into the spot. That is unless, of course, Tori Starcher decides to run as well (but I'm pretty sure that isn't happening), which would shift it back to Ripley. Individually, 10 will advance. The current top 10 are Emma Jenkins, Audrey Hall, Asha Bora, Jadyn Casto, Kate Meek, Tatum McKenna, Brynn Smith, Haleigh McCune, Olivia Noel, and Ada Thompson. Those within 60 points of the top 10 and not on an expected advancing team are Huntington's Allie Gibson (12th) and Parkersburg's Emily Cunningham (13th). There are 36 ranked runners in Region IV.