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Note: As I say every year, this is just a projection. It's pretty much everyone's best Saratoga State Park times from last year and some adjustments where I felt it was needed.

Boys Class D

     Class D is always the toughest to predict. Many times it only takes one or two new runners to totally turn a team around. Take last year, my preseason top three were Berlin, Spa Catholic, and Hadley-Luzerne. Those teams finished 8th, 7th, and 5th respectively. The teams that finished top three: North Warren/Johnsburg, Maple Hill, and Greenwich, I had 11th, 7th, and 4th.  So it shows that anything can happen in the off season. This season could be more of the same as many teams are bunched together and, again, one or two new runners could change the whole landscape.

     Maple Hill looks to be the favorite after finishing 2nd last year and bring back a very deep team with their top five all in the top 20 returning runners and Noah Albanese leading the way. North Warren/Johnsburg come back as the defending champion and are still tough even with losing a few runners to graduation and it starts with Class D's top returning runner in the section, Brandon Olden, and a solid top three. If their fourth and fifth and can close the gap then they could challenge again. Hadley-Luzerne has a solid top two with Andrew Foley returning as a top five runners and Erik Schreiner in the top 15 and could challenge with a solid top five. Lake George have a solid top two with Nick Rollo and Patrick Dee but need help from their back end to move up. Greenwich loses two time Sectional champion Collin Beasor but have a good top two with Bruce Gregg and Sam Grimmke but need a little more depth to compete. Fort Plain/Canajoharie moves down to Class D with an experienced team that could move up with Andrew Yacobucci and Michael Hoffman leading the way. Hoosic Valley moves down from Class C and have Ben Corey and Matt Rose in the top 25 but will need help from their fourth and fifth to move up. Duanesburg lose state qualifier Brandon VanVlack but bring back everyone else led by Boone Lynch and could be a surprise if their young runners develop. Berlin have top 5 returner Nick Styer that's looking for a bounce back after a disappointing Sectionals last year, but need help after their top two. Galway are led by Holden Decker and Ryan Ingle and could improve after a strong summer of running. Warrensburg/Bolton should be led by top 50 returner Thomas Moore. Chatham movies down to Class D and is led by top 20 returner Caleb Jeralds but only have four returning from last year. Rensselaer/Doane Stuart is led Henry Goca who is an individual favorite for the sectionals title but like Chatham, only have four returning. Argyle/Fort Edward is led by top 50 runner Adin Jacobs-Johnson and Schoharie has top 50 runner Andrew Hahn. All other teams come back incomplete and have not told me if they have enough runners for a full team.

Girls Class D

     Where the boys have been unpredictable lately with four different schools winning the last four years, the girls have been as clear as a unmuddied lake. Greenwich, whether they're in Class C or Class D have won every sectional title since 2004 and more importantly, the last two Class D state championships. Nothing should change much this year as the Witches bring back their top five from last year and also add two younger runners to help their depth out, not like they really needed it. Returning sectional champ and state runner-up Brynne Wright should lead the team again with Emma Cronin, Quinn Collins, and Annabel Gregg not that far behind. Last year's runner-up, Duanesburg decided to move up to Class C which opens the door for Maple Hill to take the runner-up spot. The loss of Monica Strain to graduation will hurt them (4th at states) but with Allison Felts, Natasha Stock, Allison Basile, and a couple of newcomers, they look to be comfortably in the driver's seat for a plaque, though it will mostly depend on their new runners. After the first two teams it starts to tighten up as there are at least five or six teams that can claim the third spot, and in Class D's it only takes one or two new runners to make that leap The first three teams all come down from Class C. Hoosic Valley has the ever so slight edge for third place after moving down from Class C. Carolyn Burnell should lead the team with Rebecca Viall not that far behind but their lack of depth could hurt them. Chatham also moves down with State Qualifier Hallie Allen leading the team and Althea Brennan also cracking the top 20 returning runners. Fort Plain/Canajoharie has a solid top three with Jordan Porter, Eliza Chechnicki, and Michaela Stockwell all in the top 25 but they need help with their fourth and fifth runners. North Warren/Johnsburg have a tight pack with their top five but need someone to step up. Ava Anderson and Summertyme Baker should be their top two and just miss cracking the top 25 returning runners. Saratoga Catholic have an impressive 1-5 person spread of just under 30 seconds but they need to move farther up in times as none of their runners crack the top 40. Galway returns just about everyone and with work over the summer should show some good improvements. Natalie Zembsch should be their top returner. Berne-Knox-Westerlo has been incomplete the last couple of years but had five runners at last weekend's Fonda Invitational so I moved them in. Newcomer Michelle Puzulis looks to be their top runner with Caroline Mundell also in the top 20. Argyle/Fort Edward has top runner Isabelle Gulick in the top 25 returning runners but needs help in the back end if they want to move up. Lake George has top 10 returner Zoee Nadler leading the usual large team but, like Argyle, need help from their 3rd through 5th runners for them to move up. Berlin will be led by Cayla Hungerford who is just outside the top 25 but also will need help from their back end. Hadley-Luzerne only has three runners returning from last year's team but I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Caitlyn Fuss leads the team and was just outside the top 25 (26th to be exact). Whitehall only has four returning but, again, I was nice. Zoe Eggleston should lead the team again this year. All other teams come in as incomplete as none of the coaches have told be otherwise. Mayfield's Madison Relyea is a returning state qualifier and should be one of the top returning runners in the section