Teams to Watch: 2020 TN DII-AA State Cross Country Meet

DII-AA is going to feature two excellent team battles.

Both races are too close to call one week from state.

There's maybe a slight favorite on the girls and guys sides of division two's large school classification heading into next week's TSSAA State Cross Country Championship.

But both leagues have a few teams you'd classify as a "dark horse" who could pull off an upset.

Here's our full breakdown.

DII-AA Girls

Defending Champion: Brentwood Academy

Girls Preparatory School and Father Ryan are neck-and-neck heading into the girls race in DII-AA.

The Bruisers got a head-to-head win earlier this season against the Irish down in Alabama, but the final team total was close.

Irish freshman Katie Knapp has burst onto the scene in her first high school cross country season, leading Ryan with an 18:41 season-best.

Girls Preparatory School's top runner is Jane Eiselstein, who comes in with a nearly-identical season best, just seven-tenths of a second quicker than Knapp.

Eiselstein had a massive personal best at the James Clemens Last Chance Invitational, besting her previous career-best by over a minute to take fifth place down in Alabama.

But if there's a dark horse in this league in 2020, it's Baylor.

Freshman Mae Mae Powe leads the Red Raiders with an 18:47 season-best. She's finished in the top seven of every race she's run in her first season as a high school cross country runner, and Baylor will need her to have a big day in order to get on the podium.

Baylor has mainly just raced local competition in Chattanooga, so it's tough to gauge how they'll look against the rest of the league.

They did finish 29 points behind Father Ryan at The Southern Showcase earlier in the season after opening their 2020 schedule with a second place finish in the silver race at the Coleman Midgett Invitational.

Brentwood Academy came in as the dark horse last year and took home the team title. Baylor will be hoping to do the same next week in Hendersonville.

DII-AA Boys

Defending Champion: McCallie

McCallie and Brentwood Academy have combined to win every team championship on the guys side in DII-AA since 2011.

Last year, the Blue Tornado broke BA's streak of five-straight team titles dating back to 2014.

But the top three runners from that team graduated, so maybe this is the year someone else breaks through.

Father Ryan looks like the team with the best shot to do just that.

Colin Knapp and Ciro Albamont finished in the top ten at last year's state meet. And next week, one of the state's best 1-2 punches will be looking to stand atop the podium instead of bringing home the runner-up team trophy like they did last year.

But there are lots of challengers.

Starting with a Brentwood Academy team led by one of the best freshmen in the state.

Luke Thompson has had a monster freshman season for the Eagles, clocking in with a 16:17 season-best, good for second among Tennessee freshmen boys this season.

Veteran Cayden Durrough has already been a part of two state championship XC teams as well.

The Eagles finished 38 points behind Father Ryan at Jesse Owens. But with a smaller field toeing the line at state, these teams look awfully close to one another.

Jesse Owens Classic - Oct. 3

Christian Brothers is the class of Memphis again this year, led by Jake Ryan and Parker Russ. The Brothers have three guys who have gotten under 17 minutes this year, and could absolutely challenge for a runner-up or championship finish.

And then after those three teams, there's a tight pack of squads who could all make the podium with big races.

Look at how close this field is based on virtual meet standings...

It's definitely anyone's race. Looking forward to these two team battles.