Coming off a stellar 2011 campaign, Coe-Brown Northwood Academy is the this year’s top selection among girls’ scholastic teams in the pre-season N.H. Cross Country Journal poll.

Leading the boys’ teams into the regular season is Hampton’s Winnacunnet.

The Coe-Brown girls won the Division II team championship and was the top-scoring team at the Meet of Champions competition. The Black Bears third place at the New England Championships left them as the highest finishing New Hampshire team in the regional event. They return four of their five scoring runners from last season.

Nashua’s Bishop Guertin girls are picked second followed by Manchester Central.

In the boys’ rankings, Souhegan of Amherst is pegged second and Hanover is rated third.

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NH Cross Country Journal
Pre-season poll

Girls: 1. Coe-Brown of Northwood; 2. Bishop Guertin of Nashua; 3. Manchester Central; 4. Londonderry; 5. Bedford; 6. Timberlane; 7. Hanover; 8. Hollis/Brookline; 9. Souhegan of Amherst; 10. Hopkinton

Boys: 1. Winnacunnet of Hampton; 2. Souhegan; 3. Hanover; 4. Portsmouth; 5. Bedford; 6. Pinkerton of Derry; 7. Nashua North; 8. Bishop Guertin; 9. Hopkinton; 10. Merrimack Valley of Penacook.

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