Wayzata MN prepped for a big run in the Heartland

By Paul Schmitz of DyeStat

Boys NXR Heartland Preview 

After compiling the data in the Heartland, two things are readily apparent:  No. 1, Wayzata MN is really good and will be running in Portland for a fifth consecutive year, and No. 2, the second NXN bid is up for grabs. All of the top teams aside from Wayzata have question marks or flaws going into the 2017 cross county season.

Wayzata has the makings of a top-five team but there is a big drop off after that. 

The Heartland has been dominated by Minnesota teams in recent years, with the Gopher State finishing 1-2 each of the past four years.

A year ago, the team that seemed ready to take the next step and compete with the top Minnesota schools was Pleasant Valley of Iowa. PV finished second by two points at the Iowa state meet to Dowling Catholic and followed that up with a strong fifth-place finish at the NXR Heartland meet. The team returned five of its top six and looked ready. However, No. 1 runner, Nick Yanek, moved to Georgia. Pleasant Valley remains a threat to make it to NXN but must overcome the loss of Yanek to get there. A new up and comer in Iowa is Johnston. The Dragons have several underclassmen with room to improve and could challenge Pleasant Valley and defending champ Dowling Catholic for the state title. 

Last year Nebraska was the most improved state in the region. Millard West, led by Seth Hirsch, almost became the first team from the Cornhusker State to qualify for NXN when it finished third in the region. Fremont was sixth at NXR Heartland giving Nebraska its best showing ever. None of the Nebraska teams this fall appear to have that firepower.  

North Dakota is a state on the rise. The top five teams from 2016 lost just eight scoring runners from the state meet. Defending champion Century is once again the favorite for the large-class North Dakota title and also has just enough depth to make the watch list in the region. However, small-school New Town is the best team in the state. New Town was close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets in Heartland history when it was in front of Wayzata and Edina MN with a mile to go. The fast-start plan ultimately came up short and the team finished fourth -- just 10 points out of a trip to Portland. New Town remains a legitimate threat to make it to nationals, but there are holes to fill after losing two of its top four. 

Just missing out on the top five is three-time defending Kansas 5A champion St. Thomas Aquinas. The Saints finished seventh at NXR Heartland last year but lost the Nos. 1 and 2 runners in Class 5A, Will Cole and Alex Gill. They are the top team in all classes in Kansas but they don’t have the depth to make the top five.   

1. Wayzata MN. The NXN 10th-place finisher loses three of its top five but is one of the deepest teams in the country. They have five 9:42-or-better 3,200-meter runners, led by No. 2 Heartland returner Khalid Hussein. Hussein finished 29th at NXN last year and has the potential to be a low stick in big meets for the Trojans.

2. Middleton WI. Middleton showed promise last year but finished third in Wisconsin and did not compete in the Heartland regional. This squad produced some great spring track times, pointing to the possibility of becoming the second team in Wisconsin history to qualify for NXN (Arrowhead 2011) if it can maintain progress all the way to mid-November. 

3. Pleasant Valley IA. PV is in a virtual tie with Middleton for the second regional spot. The loss of Nick Yanek hurts but this team definitely has a chance. The top four like to run in a pack. If the Spartans can find capable fifth and sixth runners, look out.

4. Stillwater MN. The Ponies lack the low stick of Wayzata, but they have the depth to compete with anyone else in the region. Led by junior Addison Stansbury and a whole bunch of determined seniors, they have a chance of getting back to NXN for the first time since 2011. 

5. Edina MN. It is a testament to the strength of a program that it can lose six of the top seven runners and still be ranked in the top five in the region. Edina has traveled to Portland four years in a row with two top-10 finishes. This ranking, however, is not based upon reputation. The Hornets have a deep collection of JV runners from 2016 that have an outside chance to make it five NXN trips in a row.   

Watch list

St. Thomas Aquinas KS

New Town ND

Mounds View MN

Monona Grove WI

Dowling Catholic IA

Johnston IA

Century ND