MileSplit50 Girls Team Rankings Countdown

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25. East Grand Rapids (MI)

Analysis: The defending Division 2 state champions in Michigan return six runners from last year's squad that scored an incredible 52 points at the MHSAA Cross Country Championships. But that wasn't the most impressive part about the performance. Great cross country teams usually have a balance between its first and fifth runners. The Pioneers may have a burgeoning star in senior Margaret Coney, who finished fifth at state in 18:38.20, but the team's last member was just 26 seconds later. Four of those runners return in 2019 and the team sports an aggregate average of 18:41.16. East Grand Rapids, led by Coney and buoyed by sophomore Ainsley Workman and seniors Katie Hessler and Anna Petr, could be very dangerous this fall. 

Biggest question: Can the Pioneers take the next step? 

What's that next step, exactly? Well, that's hard to say. Michigan's rules for national competition beyond the state's athletic association's championships are often ruthless and harsh. Few teams annually challenge its archaic rules, though individual athletes are often able to run -- because they aren't representing a program. In 2015, for example, Michigan prevented the Northville (MI) girls from competing, referencing an archaic guideline, and then they eventually gave in. It was needlessly complicated. The state association's rulebook essentially states that "all-star" meets or "national" meets are out for commercial gain, and so any member program who pursues and competes in it could face ineligibility for up to a year. East Grand Rapids has talent this year and would be wise to see what they could accomplish at NXR Midwest. The only question is whether they'll face that inevitable battle if they qualify.