Utah packs five teams into the Top 20

By Paul Schmitz for DyeStat

The 1-2-3 punch of Casey Clinger, McKay Johns and Patrick Parker keep preseason US#1 American Fork in the top spot with dominant performances at every meet so far this year. 

The team of the week is preseason US#9 Davis UT, which showed incredible depth as it beat North Central WA, Ogden UT, Crater OR and others at the Bob Firman Invite in Idaho.  The Darts' 15:53 team average tops the 15:57 team average in 2015 of eventual national champion Great Oak CA.   

The gutsy team of the week is previously US#3 Dana Hills CA.  This team bravely opened its season at 4,700 feet in Pleasant Grove, Utah to take on American Fork and US#10 Lone Peak. It was a big challenge that could pay off down the line. Despite a rough outing, Dana Hills remains in the top 15.    

Another mover in the Southwest is Timpanogos UT, which beat a solid field at the Nike Portland XC with a 15:41 average.  There is also movement in New York with NY#2 Corning bumping ahead of Fayetteville-Manlius in the national rankings after Corning rebounded from its loss to Loudon Valley and defeated Saratoga Springs, F-M and Ithaca in the merged results of the McDaniel Baxter Invitational.  Saratoga Springs also knocked off F-M in that meet.  

Lake Zurich IL moves back up in the Midwest region after an impressive win at the Palatine Invitational over Southeast#2 St. Xavier KY.  This came a week after St. Xavier knocked off Carmel IN, the top team in Indiana and the Midwest#5.   

The Top 30, 9/29

1. American Fork UT

2. Christian Brothers Academy NJ

3. Neuqua Valley IL

4. Davis UT

5. The Woodlands  TX

6. Wayzata MN

7. Bozeman  MT

8. Mountain Vista  CO

9. Brentwood High TN

10. Solon  OH

11. Downers Grove North  IL

12. Lyons Township IL

13. Timpanogos UT

14. Dana Hills CA

15. North Central WA

16. Colt’s Neck NJ

17. Ogden UT

18. Lone Peak UT

19. Loyola CA

20. Broughton NC

21. Corning NY

22. Monarch CO

23. Palmer Ridge CO

24. Great Oak CA

25. Lake Zurich IL

26. Saratoga Springs NY

27. St. Xavier KY

28. Claremont CA

29. Loudoun Valley VA

30. Fayetteville-Manlius NY