Great Oak CA Boys and Wayzata MN Boys Meet In Early Season Showdown at Roy Griak Invitational, Plus Regionally and Nationally Ranked Girls Teams Meet

By Adam Kopet

The Roy Griak Invitational attracts top teams from across the country to Minnesota each year. This season might have one of the best high school fields the meet has seen in several years based on box assignments released in advance of Saturday's meet.

In the boys competition, Great Oak CA, ranked No. 4 nationally in the preseason rankings will face local favorite and second-ranked Wayzata MN. The result will undoubtedly affect next week's national rankings.

Four of the top five ranked Heartland teams will be competing, including Wayzata, Middleton MN, Edina MN and Madison West WI.

In the top girls race, it will likely be a Great Oak and Wayzata showdown as well, but other top teams could be in play as well. Naperville North IL returns to Roy Griak after winning in 2015 and finishing third in 2016.

Like the boys race, four of the top five Heartland teams will be competing. Wayzata leads the way, but Edina MN could challenge if the Hornets compete at full strength. Sun Prairie WI will face top competition for the first time this season. Washburn MN could also run well.

Grace Ping, a Cotter MN freshman, is entered. She won the race two years ago as a seventh grader. She is currently ranked third in the individual national rankings.

The college races also feature several top teams. The men's race is led by No. 10 Iowa State, but No. 20 Colorado State and watch list teams UCLA and Michigan State could finish well.

The women's race is led by No. 12 San Francisco, with No. 19 Michigan State and watch list teams Iowa State, Colorado State, and Abilene Christian also set to compete.