Gavin's Top 11 - Girls Team Rankings
1. Rogers
2. Bentonville
3. Fayetteville
4. Providence Classical Christian
5. Bentonville West
6. Cabot
7. Mount St. Mary Academy
8. Russellville
9. Greenwood
10. Lake Hamilton
11. Mountain Home
After debuting at #22 in the COROS Milesplit50 Team Rankings, it shouldn't be a surprise that Rogers is your top team in Arkansas. In three races this seasons, the Mounties have won all three, including the Chile Pepper Festival. After winning the 6A state title last season, the Rogers girls, who are led by Lilly Beshears (US #5), have their eyes set on qualifying for NXN Nationals in Portland, Oregon, which seems more and more possible each time they race.
Bentonville was tasked with replacing the two top finishers from last season's state meet over the offseason and have done exactly that. In the front, just 21 seconds separate their #1 and #5 runners. This tight group is averaging 18:58.90 over 5,000m, which is only 22 seconds behind where the team finished last season. Even if the Tigers can't chase down their rivals from Rogers, this team has done a terrific job rebuilding from last season and is still in position for a podium finish at the state meet.
While Fayetteville is led by a pair of freshman, their greatest strength is their depth. Their #4 through #7 runners are separated by just 10 seconds and on any given day, the Bulldogs have multiple girls they can rely on to boost their team score - that's a great thing to have, especially in the postseason. They beat Bentonville in Texas at the start of the season and will hope for a repeat from earlier this year at the state meet.
Providence Classical has the best 1-2 punch in Arkansas. Gabbie Bishop and Maggie Bishop are an unstoppable force, with both running under 17:30, but this team's greatest vulnerability is their 4:23 split between their #1 and #5 runners. Fortunately for the Patriots, at state, there will be significantly less runners than the big invitationals this team has run in this season and their depth will be able to move through the pack easier and help bring home their first AAA 3A state title.
The showdown between Cabot and Bentonville West will be one to watch at the state meet this season. Each team have competitive low-sticks up front to go along with strong and consistent packs throughout their scoring roster. Both teams have only gotten better over the course of the season and these two teams could cause chaos at the top of 6A in the postseason.
Mount St. Mary Academy has seen incredible improvements from last season and this is a team that should expect to improve upon their 7th place finish in 2023. Virginia Milwee leads the Belles and is a bonafide star capable of beating just about anyone in the state on any given day, which could come in handy inside the gates of Oaklawn.
For a second straight season, the race for the 5A girls team championship is wide open. Russellville, Greenwood, Lake Hamilton, and Mountain Home are no strangers to one another and are all capable of winning the competitive classification this season. Although unranked, Vilonia is another team that could find themselves in the mix and challenge for the title in November.
Honorable Mentions:
Bryant
Episcopal Collegiate School
Ft. Smith Southside
Harding Academy
Valley View
Van Buren
Vilonia