There can be no argument that Section 6AA is the toughest field in the state when it comes to the cross country trails.

There are six boys team ranked in the top nine in Class AA and five girls squads ranked No. 7 or higher. So what does that mean for for the rest of the seven sections.

How about hope?

There's a chance to make the state field since the top-two teams from each of the eight sections qualify for both the boys and girls.

In Section 3AA, where both Prior Lake teams reside, there are only two ranked squads. Rosemount is No. 12 in the boys field and Henry Sibley is No. 10 on the girls side. Both are the defending champs too.

The Prior Lake boys won back-to-back Section 3AA crowns in 2014 and 2015, but finished fourth last year. The Laker girls have not made the state field as a team since 2012, which was the last of 10 straight appearances starting in 2003. The program also qualified in 2001.

The top-eight individuals not on the two advancing squads also make state. There are two ranked runners in the boys field — Luke Labatte of Rosemount at No. 5 and Myles Flemming of Henry Sibley at No. 11 — and no ranked runners on the girls side.

So again, more hope.

The Section 3AA race is Oct. 26 at Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley starting at 3:30 p.m. The Prior Lake boys look to be a factor in the team standings after a runner-up finish in the South Suburban Conference Championships Oct. 13.

The Lakers were second to Rosemount, but finished ahead of four other Section 3AA teams — Eagan, Eastview, Apple Valley and Burnsville. 

Rosemount is the favorite in the boys field, while St. Thomas Academy looks be the other team to challenge the Lakers for the second spot, along with East Ridge and Henry Sibley.

On the girls side, Prior Lake will need a breakthrough performance from its No. 3 through 5 runners to challenge for a state team spot. But sophomore Mallory Stach is almost certain to be in the hunt for an individual berth.

Stach will be seeking her fourth consecutive trip to state. She finished second to Apple Valley senior Molly Moynihan in last year's second race. Eight of the top-10 finishers last year in the girls race were underclassmen.

On the boys side, there were only four underclassmen in the top 10 at sections last year with defending champion Colin Dwyer of Prior Lake winning the 5,000-meter race. He graduated, so the Laker boys will be looking to seniors Hayden Olson and Nicholas Kartschoke to lead the way this time around, along with ninth-grader Gabe Smit.

For Burnsville, senior Matsula Bein will be one to watch in the boys race. Last year, he finished 17th in the section race and missed state by three places.