Girls Coundown to XC Day 21: Canyon Crest

In a sense, this is one of the bigger "gambles" in my countdown this year. The Ravens' returning rankings don't identify them as a top 30 team and they rank 3rd in the San Diego Section, quite a long way behind the #1 team. Putting them here hinges on two factors, both of which I think are very important. First, Canyon Crest has been one of California's best teams at year-to-year improvement, which shows they have solid training and buy-in over 12 months. Second, there is simply no way that a team this strong in the 3200 in the spring could not be a contender in the fall. The Ravens put 5 returning girls under 12 minutes, led by superstar Carlie Dorostkar's 10:26 (good for 6th place in the state meet). That includes a breakthrough season by Delaney Lee-Bellows, who should join the competition for the top 7 this fall and improve an already solid supporting cast. If she can stay in a pack with Canyon Crest's returning 2-4 runners, and given that the team features several seniors who want to go out strong, I am betting that the Ravens will exceed expectations this fall.