Weekly High School X-Country Regional Team Rankings 2008

Pre-season, with some selected early-season results.  By Marc Bloom and Rich Gonzalez. Distributed by the NSSF

 

Boys New York

1.Shenendehowa - Regional winner returns top 4 plus marquee transfer in bid for NXN title

2.Fayetteville-Manlius - Soph-dominated state 4^th-placer seeks return to boys’ spotlight

3.Arlington - State Fed 10^th-placer returns 5 of 6 after excellent track season

4.Queensbury - State Fed runner-up fills gaps after key losses

5.Shoreham-Wading River - LI squad has good depth with 6-year unbeaten dual streak on the line

6.Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake - Girls power making headway with boys’ squad

7.Honeoye Falls-Lima - State Public B power returns young squad led by B titlist

8.East Aurora - State Public B power returns top 4 from ’07 top-50

9.Pittsford-Mendon - State Fed 11^th-placer has strong top 3 after fine spring

10.Newark Valley - State Public class C champs bring back excellent top 4
Bubble teams alphabetically: Bishop Ford, Brighton, Chaminade, Collegiate, Ithaca, Massapequa, McKee SI Tech, Msgr. Farrell, No. Rockland. Northport, Penfield, Port Washington, Shaker, Smithtown, St. Anthony’s, Suffern, Wantagh, Warwick Valley, Washingtonville, West Genesee

 

Boys Northeast

(CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, PA, RI, VT)

1.Don Bosco (NJ) - NXN 10^th-place team returns solid 7 led by two 9:10-9:23 3200 men

2.Morris Hills (NJ) - Former NXN team may have best team ever with outstanding top 5

3.W Windsor Plainsboro No (NJ) - Super-soph twins Jim and Joe Rosa lead deep squad with national potential

4.North Penn (PA) - Manhattan meet winners and state 3A champs return strong nucleus

5.Danbury (CT) - NXN 5^th-place team has 3 of 7 back and young talent moving up

6.Haddonfield (NJ) - State 3^rd-place team has 6 of 7 back led by group champion

7.Upper Dublin (PA) - State 5^th-place team has 6 of 7 back led by 4:17 miler on all-senior squad

8.Millburn (NJ) - State 4^th-place team returns solid top 4 led by state 3200 champ

9.La Salle (RI) - State winner returns 4 harriers from state’s top-31 finishers

10.Christian Bros (NJ) - Perennial power has tight pack seeking 16^th state title with upset in mind
Bubble teams alphabetically: Brookline (MA), Cherokee (NJ), Colts Neck (NJ), Council Rock No (PA) Greely (ME), Hanover (NH), Newton South (MA), Northeast (PA), Seneca Valley (PA), West Windsor-Plainsboro So (NJ), Whitman-Hanson (MA)

 

Boys South                     

(AR, LA, MS, OK, TX)

1.Seven Lakes   (TX) - State 4A champ, now in 5A, returns a trio of 9:20 2-milers seeking regional supremacy

2.Cedar Park (TX) - Three top juniors lead state 3^rd-placer with designs on 5A title

3.The Woodlands (TX) - After roster shake-up, NXN 4^th-place team needs young comers to develop

4.Cinco Ranch (TX) - Wins Katy meet w/ 33-second spread as runner-up Seven Lakes not at full strength

5.Southlake Carroll (TX) - State 5A favorite C.J. Brown leads regional runner-up team under new coach

6.Poteet (TX) - State 4A runner-up returns 6 of 7 in pursuit of state title

7.Del Rio (TX) - best team in years could prove to be a spoiler

8.Rogers (AR) - Split school retains state power in bid for 7^th straight 7A crown

9.Georgetown (TX) - Regional 6^th-placer has strong squad hoping to move up

10.Strake Jesuit (TX) - Traditional power has 5 of 7 back with strong top 2
Bubble teams alphabetically: Brother Martin (LA), College Park (TX), Coppell (TX), Corpus Christi Carroll (TX), Friendswood (TX), Houston Mem (TX), Jesuit (LA), Kingwood (TX), Klein Oak (TX), Lamar (TX), Mayde Creek (TX), Socorro (TX), Tulsa Union (OK), Tupelo (MS)

 

Boys Southeast                  

(AL, DE, FL, GA, KY, MD, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)

1.Oakton (VA) - Hendricks twins lead deep regional 4^th-placer hoping for late-season pop

2.Green Hope (NC) - Reg’l 8^th-placer returns 6 of 7 after top 5 ran 4:21-4:33 for 1600 last spring

3.Baylor (TN) - Regional 3^rd-placer returns 3 top runners while quickly filling graduation gaps

4.Jefferson Sci/Tech (VA) - State 3A champ, regional runner-up returns 4 of 7 while losing top scorers

5.Broughton (NC) - State 4A champs return 4 all-staters with 18-second spread plus key transfer

6.Jamestown (VA) - State 2A 3^rd-place team has a pair of all-staters pacing division favorite

7.Brookwood (GA) - State 5A runner-up has top 7 back and is the team to beat in Georgia

8.Northwest (MD) - State 4A runner-up has top 5 back with 37-second spread

9.Melbourne (FL) - State 4A champs return 3 top-13 finishers led by winner Brian Atkinson

10.Hoover (AL) - Regional 5^th-placer led by all-American Patrick McGregor but needs more experience
Bubble teams alphabetically: Albemarle (VA), Atlee (VA), Bethesda-Chevy Chase (MD), Brentsville (VA), Caesar Rodney (DE), Chapel Hill (NC), Collins Hill (GA), Columbus (FL), Daviess County (KY), Enloe (NC), Freeman (VA), Maggie Walker (VA), Marist (GA), Midlothian (VA), Mountain View (VA), Oak Ridge (TN), Ocean Lakes (VA), Parkview (GA), Peachtree Ridge (GA), St. Xavier (KY), Walton (GA), Wando (SC), Wilde Lake (MD), Wheeling Park (WV), Winter Park (FL)

 

Boys Midwest                                                                          

(IL, IN, MI, MO, OH)

1.York (IL) - Steve Sulkin leads regional runner-up seeking to regain state 3A title

2.Neuqua Valley (IL) - NXN national champs lose Chris Derrick and others but still strong and deep

3.Fishers (IN) - 5 of 7 back from regional 4^th-placer led by 4:09 and 4:19 Shields twins

4.St. Louis Univ (MO) - State class 4 champ and reg’l 3^rd-placer returns deep squad with tight pack

5.Carmel (IN) - Returns 4 from reg’l 6^th-placer; wins Midwest Bash big over OH powers

6.Naperville No (IL) - State 5^th-placer returns strong squad led by individual threat Kyle Gibson

7.Medina (OH) - State champ, NXN 12^th-place team led by Donnie Roys plans patient season

8.St. John Jesuit (OH) - State Div 1 5^th-placer returns good nucleus and runs 2nd at Midwest Bash

9.Saline (MI) - State Div I runner-up has 5 of 7 back seeking to regain state title

10.St. Ignatius (OH) - Traditional state power 3^rd with 27-second spread in Midwest Bash
Bubble teams alphabetically: Centerville (OH), Chesterton (IN), Columbus No (IN), Dexter (MI), Fort Wayne Carroll (IN), Francis Howell No (MO), Franklin Central (IN), Geneva (IL), Hickman (MO), Kickapoo (MO), Linden (MI), Lyons Township (IL), Mason (OH), North Central (IN), Northridge (IN), Palatine (IL), Parkway West (MO), Pioneer (MI), Rochester Adams (MI),  Waubonsie Valley (IL), West Plains (MO)           

 

Boys Heartland

(IA, KS, MN, NE, ND, SD, WI)

1.Wayzata (MN) - Regional titlist and state 2A champ has 5 of 7 back with ‘07 J.V. adding depth

2.Bismarck (ND) - State A winner returns most of team led by regional titlist Joash Osoro

3.Shawnee Mission NW (KS) - State 6A champ, regional runner-up has 5 9:40s 2-milers back but lacks spark

4.Eden Prairie (MN) - Group of 9:35 to 9:50 2-milers poised to challenge Wayzata for state honors

5.Brainerd (MN) - Return 4 of 7 from squad that placed 4^th in regional

6.Stevens Point (WI) - State Div I runner-up returns 5 of 6 with 48-second-spread

7.Yankton (SD) - Lose #1 man but next 6 return from reg’l 9^th-placer; excellent track season

8.Stillwater (MN) - State 2A 4^th-placer returns 4 of 7 in long tradition of distance success

9.St. Thomas Aquinas (KS) - Returns a pair of all-staters and good back-up as state 5A favorite

10.Norfolk (NE) - Top 6 back, all juniors in ’07, from state A 4^th-place team
Bubble teams alphabetically:         Cedar Rapids Washington (IA), Edina (MN), Jamestown (ND), Madison-La Follette (WI), Manhattan (KS), Moorhead (MN), Pleasant Valley (IA),  Rosemount (MN), Sioux Falls Roosevelt (SD), Willmar (MN)

 

Boys Southwest                                                          

(AZ, CO, NV, NM, UT, WY)

1.Albuquerque Acad (NM) - NXN 3^rd-placer loses #1 man but most others return as Chargers add depth

2.Los Alamos (NM) - NXN runner-up by 2 loses 3 of 5 but top 2 are blue-chippers w/ good support

3.Timpview (UT) - State 4A winners return 4 scorers from first 21, led by titlist Jon Nelson

4.Mesa Mtn. View (AZ) - State 5A-I favorite under new coach led by state 1600m champ D.J. Johnson

5.Mingus (AZ) - Regional 4^th-placer returns 4 of 7 led by state contender Tim Freriks

6.Cibola (NM) - State 5A runner-up returns 10 of 12 with hopes of over-taking Gallup

7.Gallup (NM) - State 5A titlist returns key scorers while adding excellent newcomers

8.Wheat Ridge (CO) - State 5A winner moves to 4A w/ top 3 back, wins Pre-state w/ gap to 4^th man

9.Durango (CO) - Under-the-radar school wins Pre-state 5A by good margin

10.Reno (NV) - Seeks to regain state 4A title, wins Nevada Twilight meet by 46 points at 4k
Bubble teams alphabetically: Alhambra (AZ), American Fork (UT), Arapahoe (CO), Brophy (AZ), Carson (NV), Cherry Creek (CO), Cheyenne Central (WY), Dakota Ridge (CO), Davis (UT), Desert Vista (AZ), Galena (NV), Hopi (AZ), Loveland (CO), Mountain View (UT), Ogden UT), Regis Jesuit (CO), Rio Rancho (NM), Rio Rico (AZ), Rock Springs (WY)

 

Boys Northwest

(AK, HI, ID, MT, OR, WA)

1.North Central (WA) - Reg’l winner returns super top 5; cannot afford injury in bid for national title

2.Central Catholic (OR) - Regional runner-up and 6A champ loses key scorers; has solid top 4

3.Mead (WA) - State 4A defenders will count on big-race know-how to fend off challengers

4.Henry Jackson (WA) - 5^th-place 4A team had great spring with 9:27, 9:24, 9:41 for 3200 trio

5.Seattle Prep (WA) - State 3A runner-up to No Central has 3 9:30 runners and more

6.Jesuit (OR) - State 6A runner-up loses 4 of 7; good depth to dominate Wilsonville meet

7.Gig Harbor (WA - State 4A runner-up returns strong nucleus to challenge for state crown

8.Boise (ID) - Returns state 5A 1-4-8 performers to loom as division favorite

9.Kodiak (AK) - All-American Trevor Dunbar is off to a flying start leading state’s top team

10.Twin Falls (ID) - State 5A defender returns 3 top-20 harriers to try and hold off Boise
Bubble teams alphabetically: Ashland (OR), Burlington-Edison (WA), Crater (OR), Ferris (WA), Flathead (MT), Glacier (MT), Hermiston (OR), Leilehua (HI), Mountain View (ID), Preston (ID), Redmond (WA), Sehome (WA), Service (AK), Skyview (MT), South Eugene (OR)

 

Boys California           

1.Dana Hills - Returns 4 from runaway D-1 state champs; deeper squad after solid track season

2.Buchanan - Returns all scorers from state D-1 5^th-placer, 36 points out of 2nd

3.Loyola-LA - Returns 4 from NXN 8^th-place team and D-2 state champs

4.Barstow - Returns 5 from D-3 state champs that was in NXN selection contention

5.Vista Murrieta - Returns 4 from state D-1 3^rd-place team, 11 pts behind NXN qualifier

6.Royal - Returns 4 from traditional power with nice improvements in track

7.El Rancho - Returns 5 from fastest team that did not qualify for state meet

8.Petaluma - Returns 5 from squad that took 2^nd in state D-2

9.Davis - Loses top man but returns all others from D-1 11^th-place squad

10.Jesuit - Returns 4 and deep backup from squad aiming to return to regional prominence
Bubble teams alphabetically: Campolindo, Colony, Corona, El Toro, Jesuit (Carmichael), Mountain View, Newport Harbor, Rancho Cucamonga, Redondo Union, Thousand Oaks, Upland