The Bishop Guertin boys cross country team enter the season as the top ranked team in the state, according to the New Hampshire Cross Country newsletter.

Rounding out the boys top 10, in order, are Pinkerton Academy, Hanover, Merrimack, Concord, Coe-Brown of Northwood, Nashua North, Londonderry, Winnacunnet and Belmont.

The nationally-ranked Cardinals have the top three returning runners in Class L in Francis Hernandez, Jeff LaCoste and Joey Jourdain, who have all posted sub 16-minute times at Derryfield Park in Manchester. It was the first time one school has three runners under 16 minutes on the tough course and BG could go 1-2-3 in the Class L meet this fall for the first time.

Merrimack is right back in the hunt with two runners in Class L’s pre-season top 15, senior Steve Harshman and sophomore John Conlin. Seventh ranked Nashua North also has two runners ranked in the top 15, senior Matt McCarty and junior Spencer Nelson.

Hollis/Brookline’s Sean Quinn cracked the top 15 in Class I.

The Bishop Guertin girls enter the season ranked third, behind top-ranked Hanover and Manchester Central. Rounding out the girls top 10 are Pinkerton, Merrimack Valley of Penacook, Coe-Brown, Keene, Exeter, Hopkinton and Bow.

Bishop Guertin has three girls among the top 15 returning runners in Class L, senior Kaitlin Allen, junior Hannah Moriarty and sophomore Meghan Turner. Nashua North’s Sandra VanDenHeuvel is also among the top 15 returnees.

The Class I top 15 includes senior Peggy Lai of Milford and sophomore Kate Stopera of Hollis/Brookline.

The Hanover boys, expected to dominate Class I again, have five runners ranked in the top 15.