Boys Regional Rankings - 11/16/2023

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor 

The first three NXR meets are in the books and six boys teams have qualified to advanced to Nike Cross Nationals in Portland on Dec. 2. 

So those regions -- Northwest, Midwest and Heartland -- are done and accounted for. 

Three more -- South, Southwest and Southeast -- are on tap for this weekend and those meets are previewed elsewhere on the site. State meet results did come into play in all three regions. 

Rio Rancho gave New Mexico its first entry into the rankings with a solid state meet performance last week at Albuquerque Academy. The Rams may not have the firepower to contend with the elite teams of the region, but they have earned the No. 5 spot. 

McCallie School of Tennessee showed what it was capable at its state meet and is a legitimate contender in the wide open Southeast, where Belen Jesuit of Florida is the clear favorite, even on two days' rest, but the second spot feels up for grabs.  

And Louisiana's state meet on Monday featured one of the best team competitions in the history of the event, with Jesuit edging out Brother Martin, 27 to 32. Both teams are going to the regional meet on five days' rest. 

New York's rankings were shaken up by the NYSPHSAA state championships, where the Saratoga Springs boys won a tiebreaker over Monroe-Woodbury for the Blue Streaks' first Class A title since 2012. Thomas Isenovski and his teammates jump from No. 5 to No. 1 in the state and have another big competition on Saturday with the Federation meet. Twenty-seven points separated the top four teams. 

The final state meet in the Northeast region is the All-Class Massachusetts Championships on Saturday. Brookline, with its top lineup, should be in line to win that event and contend for an NXN berth on Nov. 18, but the lineup that ran at the MAA Division 1 final placed fifth. So perhaps Saturday's meet isn't a slam dunk after all. 

The Southern Section finals in California this weekend feature most of the top teams in the state and will set the lineup for the Nov. 25 state meet at Woodward Park. In addition to the five schools listed, pre-season No. 1 Ventura could be coming back on at the right time, led by individual favorite Anthony Fast Horse, and certainly has the personnel to crash into the top three in the CIF merge. 

CALIFORNIA

1. Dana Hills

2. Great Oak

3. San Clemente

4. Oakdale

5. Mira Costa

HEARTLAND

1. Stevens Point WI

2. Wayzata MN

3. Dowling Catholic IA

4.Minnetonka MN

5. Hudson WI

MIDWEST

1. Downers Grove North IL

2. Plainfield (North) IL

3. Plainfield (South) IL

4. Carmel IN

5. Rock Bridge MO

NEW YORK

1. Saratoga Springs

2. Monroe-Woodbury

3. Auburn

4. Fairport 

5. St. Anthony's

NORTHEAST

1. Christian Brothers Academy NJ

2. Westfield NJ

3. Ridgefield CT

4. Brookline MA

5. Union Catholic NJ

NORTHWEST

1. Coeur d'Alene ID 

2. Crater OR 

3. Franklin OR

4. Rocky Mountain ID

5. Seattle Prep WA 

SOUTH

1. Southlake Carroll TX

2. Austin Vandegrift TX 

3. Jesuit LA

4. Bentonville AR 

5. Brother Martin LA

SOUTHEAST

1. Belen Jesuit Prep FL

2. McCallie School TN

3. Farragut TN

4. University WV

5. Marvin Ridge NC

SOUTHWEST

1. American Fork UT

2. Herriman UT

3. Niwot CO

4. Lone Peak UT

5. Rio Rancho NM