New Mexico Cross Country Countdown Series

The New Mexico Cross Country Countdown breaks down the top 25 New Mexico boys and girls teams returning this fall. These rankings will include projected top runners and weighing how each team may do in their respective districts and state competitions. Changes to class alignments and adaptions to the state championship format have been taken into consideration. These rankings are based on past two seasons of performances and do not include teams that did not compete last year due to a lack of athletes and team information. All top returning runners are only projections and may include athletes no longer on the team due to transfer or out-of-state relocation.

#12 Gateway Christian

In what may just be the most outlandish rank going into this season will be putting Gateway Christian ahead of two-time defending champions Academy for Tech and the Classics. Before writing this off as completely improbable let's look at what Gateway Christian is working with entering this fall. Sisters Hannah Lilley and Sarah Lilley return as clear top ten finishers. Emily Martin (14th) is also in the vicinity of cracking the top ten while Chloe Garnand (30th) and Lauren Hunter (37th) finish out the scoring five. Not only is this a solid group worthy of considering state contenders but unlike ATC they are all fresh off of a spring cross country. ATC isn't exactly finding entirely new runners to the varsity but they will rely on runners that missed out in the spring due to limitations on competing. This slight advantage just may be enough to finally end ATC's reign at the top of A/2A. That being said it will be no easy task as ATC includes a handful of all-state performers that have more experience than any other school in the state of New Mexico.

A/2A Girls

2020 State Finish: 4th

State Titles: 0

Individual State Champions: 0

2021 Gateway Christian Rankings

New Mexico Ranking	12th
A/2A Ranking	1st
District 3/4 - A/2A Ranking	1st

Top Returning Runners

Name	Grade	Personal Best (5K)	Best State Finish
Hannah Lilley	Sr	21:11	7th
Sarah Lilley	Sr	20:47	11th
Emily Martin	So	22:40	14th
Chloe Garnand	So	24:13	30th
Lauren Hunter	Sr	26:24	37th