Women’s race is South Central region highlight -- winner is anyone’s guess

If there’s one thing consistent about the South Central region, it is inconsistency. Missouri Southern swept both titles last year, but will be happy to qualify for Louisville this year. Only five spots are available for nationals -- two men’s, three women’s. I sense this region is deeper than that.
Well-beaten by Missouri Southern and Midwestern State at the Southern Stampede, but a very good third-place at the Cowboy Jamboree, Pittsburg State is the highest-ranked women’s team. Missouri Southern and Midwestern State are the others. Who will win? I’m going to take the easy way out and say all three will qualify. And does anyone know if Dani Dell’Orco (Truman State) is healthy?
Central Missouri men look to atone for missing out last year. Abilene Christian has been steady -- although a shadow of recent years past -- and will also qualify (and Amos Sang (pictureed) will win the men’s race). If they falter, how about Eastern New Mexico?

Regional best: South Central is a doozy

One thing is almost a certainty: The South Central Region will have at least four berths to nationals next year. (Each region gets two plus one more for each team in the top 8.)

But this year, there are only three. And it's the most-interesting regional meet this year.

I detailed the strong points of the contenders, so now I'll pick the qualifiers: Abilene Christian, Southwest Baptist and Pittsburg State.

Abilene Christian, in spite of its variable lineups and a summer of uncertainty, are just too talented to overlook. Plus they're running at home. Plus, I like Amos Sang for the individual win, mostly on the strength of his resounding pre-regionals win a few weeks ago. Although I don't think they're national title contenders, I'd be a fool to rule them out before their top-flight team runs at regionals.

Southwest Baptist won the D2 race at the Griak. Impressive. Michael Pierce will shine.

And Pittsburg State has put together an impressive season.

Missing, of course, are the two Missouri schools: Missouri Southern and Central Missouri. Each are worthy and I won't be surprised at all if they advance to Evansville.

Regionals week: No hiding...and a trip to Wayne, Neb.

This is it. All the invites, conference championships and jamborees are over. From Saturday onward, it counts. Have a good race, and you'll be toeing the line in Evansville. Have an off day, and you'll be dreaming of (almost) Christmas in Louisville.

Though I had hoped to make it to southern Indiana, the time and money just aren't there. While I didn't start this blog for money, as an ex-journalist formerly subjected to the pressures of the blogosphere, I wondered if I could make any coin the Google-way.

Well, $5.60 will get us up and over Bozeman Pass, but not bound for Evansville. I'll take in the Central Regional in Wayne, Neb., which will actually be my second visit there. I'll get to see first-hand how the Adams State-Western State rivalry is faring, and I'll see a possible Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference sweep of the five team spots. (Local favorites Augustana (S.D.) will likely have something to say about that.)

So this week I'll preview each region, pick my winners -- and await your own choices.

Regional poll No. 7: South Central continues to confound

The South Central region is shaping up to be the tightest race of the Nov. 7 weekend. A look at the regional poll over the last two weeks is a good indication.

Last week, Central Missouri was tops. This week, after a nice win at MIAAs, Missouri Southern leads. I've still got my money on Abilene Christian (Daniel Maina will likely run faster), but that'll be a fun meet. Unless you're a coach, chewing on your program as you watch the miles click off.

• MoSo's roster of nearly all Missourians (and a coupla Finns) has been led by different runners at different meets. They don't appear to be front-runners, but will herd all their scorers across the line en masse. Coach Tom Rutledge is an ex-football coach who cut his teeth at Adams State in the 1980s.
• Abliene is deceptively good, which I've written about (probably too much).
• Tim Testa leads a deceptively strong Pittsburg State squad. Most of their squad missed the much-ballyhooed Cowboy Jamboree (Swine Flu?), but they nearly knocked off Missouri Southern at MIAAs. And they went to MoSo's gigantic home meet (the Stampede) and were runners-up to Arkansas. Coach Russ Jewett has been a steady hand for over two decades.
• Southwest Baptist has won one big meet (the Griak in Minnesota) and has been a step behind South Central rivals in two other biggies: the Stampede and the MIAAs. Michael Pierce's front-running should help when Abilene is added to the mix.
• Central Missouri is consistent (led by frosh Laban Sialo of Kenya; remember that name), but also consistently spread out. If they "pack it up," look out.
• Tarleton State is the nearest to knocking Abilene off the top of the Lone Star conference, but it didn't happen this year.

Remember, only three qualify. Any guesses?

Elsewhere: Little change, other than Metro State was rightly moved into No. 4 in the Central, making them legitimate contenders for a trip to Evansville. It's up to Augustana (S.D.) and Mankato State to make sure Nebraska-Kearney and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference don't sweep all 5 nationals berths.