Good morning MIAC runners! It is Regionals week and we are going to get to see who get's an invitation to the big dance. Obviously, this means that I have to do a regionals preview and prediction for who will be in attendence on November 23. So get your popcorn ready, and grab some hot chocolate, because it's going to be a sunny and chilly day in six days in Colfax, Wisconsin at the Whitetail Golf Course. First lets, start with the teams:
1. La Crosse(Q): The class of the field, really don't know if there is another team in the country with the seniority and depth of these guys. They should be able to coast as they did last year: (Shout out Jayden for chattin with me at Carleton last year about ball knowlege, hopefully they bring the same vibes).
2. P-vegas(q): Gotta really hand it to these dudes - if you would have told me last year that Platteville would have been knocking on a top 10 nationals finish, I would have called you crazy. I do expect it to be close between teams 2-5, but from what we have seen all season, these dudes have been running legit.
3. St. Olaf(q): I think the Oles will likely be a close 3, and I think that this is typically the time of year that they tend to run very well. It is November after all, and they definitely still have the talent to make a top 10 national finish. It remains to be seen how their 2-7 guys run, as that is going to make the biggest difference for them in these next two weeks. They certainly have the seniority to do it.
4. Stevens Point(q): These guys just keep getting better every year, and it is really fun to watch. They are still on the younger side though, but like the Pioneers and the Oles, I think they also have a potential for a top 10 nationals finish. I do think they will be pretty controlled out there and I could see them kind of coasting to a fourth place finish, which would still easily put them in the national meet. These teams 2-4 are all kind of in the same boat, each with a very good Low stick that has All American potential, and a solid back end, but it is very difficult to predict where all of their 2-7 guys will finish.
5. Whitewater (q): I don't think they are quite as good as the four teams listed ahead of them, but I still think they make it. Mills is a great coach, and I find it hard to believe they won't be ready come Saturday.
6. Eau Claire (First team out): Another instance of a coach who has their guys ready in November, I just don't know that they won enough during the regular season to get to the big dance, so for that reason, I think they miss unless some team from another region runs very poorly. If they do make nats I would be they are a top 25 team, but who knows.
Now lets look at the Individuals:
1. Mo Bati: Need I say more? I think he wins by 30 seconds just because I expect all of the other top guys to just coast.
2. Jacob Curulewski: This dude has really come into his own through the years. Gotta hand it to him for sticking his nose in every race he runs. I love the abilitiy to do that.
3. Jack Hesse: I have him in here because I don't think Eau Claire makes it. He has been one of the surprises this year, and with a good regional meet, I think he is rewarded with a trip to South Carolina.
4. Gabe Nichols: Gabe should have to closing speed to turn it on in the last mile, which is what will likely happen. He should make it, and I do see some potential for an All American finish in two weeks, but he does have to make it there.
5. Cole Stencel: Another guy that has really come into his own this year, and I think that he gets his first trip to a national meet this weekend. He just has to keep doing what he's been doing all year.
6. Cammeron Cullen: Oshkosh number 1. I think that he likely makes it as he has been runnig pretty well this season. With Oshkosh being a team looking in, I don't think they make it, but I hope think they will have some individual guys.
7. John Ihrke: He really impressed me at MIACs, and again, I think he has quite a bit of dawg in him. I don't think I have ever seen him afraid in a race, and I think this ability allows him to sneak into Nats with a good performace. Plus there is always someone who sneaks in that is unexpected, and I'll bet on Ihrke to be the one.
Would love to hear some different takes on what people think is going to happen, and I look forward to following the results. I want to see as many MIAC guys as possible make the meet. Have fun, enjoy it, and remember to run with joy out there!