Lots of deserving teams after shining at state

By Paul Schmitz for DyeStat

With state and postseason races in full swing or revving up around the nation, teams are showing all of their cards. Very few of Top 30 teams have faltered from two weeks ago and are now joined by some of our watch teams that won state championships and have positioned themselves to be competitive nationally.   

Skyline ID, Fort Wayne Carroll IN, Bellarmine Prep WA, Council Rock North PA, Broughton NC,  La Salle Academy RI, Staples CT, Trinity Prep FL, Mahomet-Seymour IL, Desert Vista AZ and Monarch CO have all won state titles and have arguments to be considered in the Top 30. Add to them several more teams who nearly won state titles or have had big improvement in their regional/sectional/district races to show they need to be considered nationally. Edina MN, Green Hope NC, Cardinal Gibbons NC, Danbury CT, Princeton NJ, Saratoga Springs NY, Lowell MA and College Park TX all fit that bill.  All of those teams realistically could click on this article wondering if they are listed. 

This has been the toughest rankings week to date, not because of a shake-up at the top, but because there is not enough room for teams that are deserving of recognition.   

In Illinois, Neuqua Valley comfortably won the Illinois 3A Championship over US#11 Downers Grove North 83-116.  Depth at 6 and 7 make NV the clear favorite heading into the Nike Midwest meet. Also in the Midwest, Solon OH took care of business and won the Ohio Division 1 state championship as expected.  

In the Northwest, Bellarmine Prep WA debuts at US#19 after its Class 4A Washington state title.  The Lions' win included a team average of 16:03, seven seconds faster than 3A champion North Central. Crater OR captured the Oregon 5A title behind champion Andy Monroe's 15:20 5K. The Comets' 15:54 team average bested 6A champion Central Catholic’s 16:02 team average. Crater continues its ascent going from 30th to 16th.  

The Top 30, 11/10

1. American Fork UT

2. Christian Brothers Academy NJ

3. Neuqua Valley IL

4. Great Oak CA

5. The Woodlands TX

6. Wayzata MN

7. Bozeman MT

8. St. Xavier KY

9. Brentwood TN

10. Olympus UT

11. Downers Grove North IL

12. Solon OH

13. Palmer Ridge CO

14. Timpanogos UT

15. Dana Hills CA

16. Colts Neck NJ (correction)

17. Crater OR

18. Fort Wayne Carroll IN

19. Lake Zurich IL

20. Bellarmine Prep WA

21. Corning NY

22. Skyline ID

23. Claremont CA

24. Southlake Carroll TX

25. Council Rock North PA

26. Lone Peak UT

27. North Central WA

28. Springville UT

29. Wellesley MA

30. Loudoun Valley VA

31. Edina MN