Catholic-Baton Rouge , Episcopal, St. Joseph’s, Menard top state cross country polls

The power in Louisiana cross country in 2017 resides in the Baton Rouge area.

Catholic of Baton Rouge, Episcopal, St. Joseph’s and Holy Savior Menard are the top-ranked team in the latest Cross Country polls from the Louisiana Track & Field Coaches Association.

Catholic tops the boys large school poll, receiving six first place votes with fellow Brothers of the Sacred Heart school Brother Martin second. The Crusaders received three first place votes. Defending 5A state champion St. Paul’s is third with Holy Cross fourth and Parkway fifth. Mandeville, Belle Chasse, Jesuit and Fontainebleau occupy spots six through nine.

Defending 2A state champion Episcopal is the unanimous choice for the top spot among boys small schools. The Knights easily outdistanced St. Thomas Aquinas for the top spot with St. Martin’s Episcopal third, Holy Savior Menard fourth and Episcopal of Acadiana fifth. Newman is seventh.

On the girls side, defending 5A state champion St. Joseph’s Academy is the unanimous top-ranked team for large schools with Mandeville second and St. Michael third. Vandebilt Catholic is fourth with Sacred Heart fifth. Mount Carmel is sixth with Dominican seventh and St. Scholastica eighth.

Among girls small schools, defending 2A state champion Holy Savior Menard is the top-ranked team in unanimous fashion with St. Thomas Aquinas second. Episcopal is third, Covenant Christian is fourth and St. Martin’s Episcopal is fifth. Newman is sixth.

Here are your latest Louisiana cross country polls:

Boys
Large schools
Rank 1st Team Points
1, Catholic-BR (6) 90
2, Brother Martin (3) 87
3, St. Paul’s 76
4, Holy Cross 74
5, Parkway (1) 60
6, Mandeville 39
7, Belle Chasse 37
8, Jesuit 36
9, Fontainebleau 19
10, Airline 12
Others receiving votes: E.D. White Catholic, John Curtis Christian, St. Michael, Live Oak.

Small schools
Rank 1st Team Points
1, Episcopal (10) 100
2, St. Thomas Aquinas 84
3, St. Martin’s Episcopal 80
4, Holy Savior Menard 70
5, Episcopal of Acadiana 59
6, Cedar Creek 46
7, Newman 41
8, Ascension Catholic 38
9, Runnels 13
10, Jehovah-Jireh 5
Others receiving votes: Houma Christian, Country Day, Berwick, Archbishop Hannan, Choudrant, Dunham.

Girls
Large schools
Rank 1st Team Points
1 St. Joseph’s (10) 100
2 Mandeville 90
3 St. Michael 75
4 Vandebilt Catholic 71
5 Sacred Heart 44
6 Mount Carmel 43
7 Dominican 39
8 St. Scholastica 26
9 Lafayette 24
10 E.D. White Catholic 13
Others receiving votes: Fontainebleau, Barbe, Parkway, St. Thomas More, Parkview Baptist, University.

Small schools
Rank 1st Team Points
1 Holy Savior Menard (10) 100
2 St. Thomas Aquinas 90
3 Episcopal-BR 78
4 Covenant Christian 67
5 St. Martin’s Episcopal 63
6 Newman 43
7 Episcopal of Acadiana 42
8 Cedar Creek 16
9 Catholic-Pointe Coupee 12
10 Ascension Catholic 9
Others receiving votes: McGehee, Westminster Christian, Country Day, Grace Christian.