Foot Locker Champion Drew Griffith, NXN Champion JoJo Jourdon 1-2 In Final Season Cross Country Rankings

By Keenan Gray and Doug Binder of DyeStat

It isn't easy choosing the top-ranked runner in the nation when there are multiple national championship races, but Drew Griffith's performance to win Foot Locker Cross Country Championships at Balboa Park in San Diego stands out as the best performance of the year.

The senior from Butler High in Pennsylvania made one last mark on the prep cross country scene, winning his first national title before moving on to Notre Dame next fall to run for the Irish. In eight races, Griffith won seven times, with his lone loss coming against future Notre Dame teammate Ryan Pajak, coming in at No. 3, at Foot Locker Northeast before defeating him at the national meet.

Right between Griffith and Pajak at No. 2 is JoJo Jourdon from Olympus High in Utah. The biggest spoiler of a surprising day at Nike Cross Nationals finds himself just one spot out from No. 1 after taking down the likes of Daniel Simmons, Byron Grevious, Nathan Neil and many more to claim the boys national title in what was the best race of his high school career.

Trailing Jourdon in Portland was Cameron Todd from Indiana's Brebeuf Jesuit. Not only was the Notre Dame recruit runner-up at NXN, but he earned an eighth-place finish at Foot Locker, making him the only boy in the country to secure All-American honors at two different national meets.

That leaves us with Simmons rounding out the top five. After sitting atop the boys rankings all year long, the senior from American Fork in Utah finished a disappointing 13th place at NXN but had done enough all season by dominating the Utah and Southwest landscapes to stay within the final top five spots.

Between these five, along with 95 other individuals, DyeStat's final individual rankings lean heavily on the national championship performances, but also take into consideration other top performances. 

The Top 100

1. Drew Griffith, senior, Butler PA: Foot Locker champion; Foot Locker Northeast second place

2. JoJo Jourdon, senior, Olympus UT: NXN champion; NXR Southwest second place

3. Ryan Pajak, senior, Ringgold PA: Foot Locker second place; Foot Locker Northeast champion

4. Cameron Todd, senior, Brebeuf Jesuit IN: NXN second place; Foot Locker eighth place

5. Daniel Simmons, senior, American Fork UT: NXN 13th place; NXR Southwest champion

6. Nathan Neil, senior, Bozeman MT: NXN third place; NXR Northwest champion

7. Tamrat Gavenas, junior, Andover Phillips Academy MA: Foot Locker third place; Foot Locker Northeast fourth place

8. Austin Westfall, senior, Orem UT: NXN fourth place; NXR Southwest fourth place

9. Manny Putz, junior, Onalaska WI: NXN fifth place; NXR Heartland second place

10. Byron Grevious, senior, Phillips Exeter Academy NH: NXN 11th place; NXR Northeast champion

11. Berkley Nance, senior, Mills E Godwin VA: Foot Locker fourth place; NXN 30th place

12. Brayden Marshall, senior, Winfield WV: Foot Locker fifth place; Foot Locker South eight place

13. Ty Steorts, junior, Hurricane WV: Foot Locker sixth place; Foot Locker South fifth place 

14 .Porter Middaugh, senior, Battle Mountain CO: NXN sixth place; NXR Southwest fifth place

15. James Wischusen, senior, Union Catholic NJ: NXN seventh place; NXR Northeast second place

16. Jason Parra, senior, Millikan CA: NXN eighth place; California Division 1 champion 

17. Joshua Bell, senior, Templeton CA: NXN ninth place; California Division 3 second place

18. TJ Hansen, junior, Freeland MI: NXN 10th place; NXR Midwest fourth place 

19. Paul Bergeron, senior, Westford Academy MA: Foot Locker seventh place; Foot Locker Northeast third place

20. Patrick Koon, senior, Leon FL: Foot Locker 15th place; Foot Locker South champion 

21. Evan Noonan, junior, Dana Hills CA: NXN 45th place; California Division 3 champion

22. Sam Scott, senior, Minneapolis Southwest MN: NXN 12th place; NXR Heartland fourth place

23. Landon Heemeyer, senior, Rocky Mountain ID: NXN 14th place; NXR Northwest second place

24. Tommy Latham, junior, Marist GA: NXN 15th place; NXR Southeast third place

25. Benjamin Anderson, junior, Mountain Vista CO: Foot Locker ninth place; Foot Locker Midwest seventh place

26. Juan Gonzalez, junior, Fremont NE: Foot Locker 10th place; NXN 42nd place

27. Anthony Fast Horse, senior, Ventura CA: Clovis Invitational first place; Woodbridge Invitational second place

28. Noah Valyo, senior, Athens Drive NC: NXN 71st place; NXR Southeast champion

29. James Partlow, senior, Governor Thomas Johnson MD: NXN 16th place; NXR Southeast fourth place

30. Andrew Ludwig, senior, Riverton UT: NXN 17th place; NXR Southwest eight place

31. Robert Mechura, junior, Roseville Area MN: NXN 20th place; NXR Heartland champion

32. Caden Leonard, sophomore, Southlake Carroll TX: NXN 21st place; NXR South third place

33. Emmanuel Perez, senior, Cathedral CA: NXN 96th place; California Division 4 champion

34. Jake Liebert, senior, Wando SC: Foot Locker 11th place; Foot Locker South ninth place

35. Colin Eckerman, senior, Webb of Knoxville TN: Foot Locker 12th place; NXN 25th place

36. Ethan Edgeworth, senior, Cold Springs AL: NXN 47th place; NXR Southeast fifth place

37. Clay Shively, senior, Trinity Academy KS: NXR Heartland fifth place; Roy Griak champion

38. Nolan McGinn, senior, Fayetteville-Manlius NY: NXN 74th place; NXR New York champion

39. Daniel Skandera, sophomore, unattached AL: RunningLane champion

40. Josiah Tostenson, junior, Crater OR: NXN 18th place; NXR Northwest 59th place 

41. Micah Blomker, senior, Shawnee Mission North KS: Foot Locker 13th place; Foot Locker Midwest ninth place

42. Eli Fitchen-Young, junior, Santa Cruz CA: NXN 19th place; California Division 4 fourth place

43. Seth Norder, senior, Grand Haven MI: Foot Locker Midwest 13th place; Michigan D1 champion

44. Aloysius Franzen, senior, Stevens Point WI: NXN 22nd place; NXR Heartland eight place

45. Marcelo Mantecon, freshman, Belen Jesuit FL: NXN 23rd place; NXR Southeast 48th place

46. Lucas Cohen, senior, Albany CA: NXN 24th place; California Division 4 second place

47. Broen Holman, junior, Sonora CAL NXN 26th place; California Division 4 third place

48. Dylon Nalley, senior, Marion INP: NXN 27th place; NXR Midwest third place

49. Tayvon Kitchen, junior, Crater OR: NXN 58th place; NXR Northwest fourth place

50. Anthony Provenzano, senior, Carmel IN: Foot Locker 14th place; Foot Locker Midwest fifth place

51. Will Conway, senior, Floyd Central IN: NXN 46th place; NXR Midwest second place

52. Jack Beckstrom, senior, Herriman UT: NXN 28th place; NXR Southwest 44th place

53. Thomas Westphal, senior, New Baltimore Anchor Bay MI: Foot Locker 31st place; Foot Locker Midwest champion

54. Gabriel Schmid, senior, Orange NC: Foot Locker 16th place; Foot Locker South seventh place

55. Connell Alford, senior, Chelsea MI: Foot Locker 17th place; Foot Locker Midwest second place

56. Steven Hergenrother, senior, Ridgefield CT: NXN 29th place; NXR Northeast third place

57. Riku Sugie, junior, Thomas Nelson KY: Foot Locker 18th place; Foot Locker South second place

58. Hudson Haley, junior, Austin Vandegrift TX: NXN 31st place; NXR South sixth place

59. Joshua Ruiz, senior, Belen Jesuit FL: NXN 32nd place; NXR Southeast 15th place

60. Joe Barrett, junior, Christian Brothers Academy NJ: NXN 59th place; New Jersey MOC champion 

61. Miles Ramer, senior, Ravenwood TN: NXR Southeast eighth place; Tennessee D1-AAA champion

62. Joseph Bariola, senior, Lakeside-Hot Springs AR: NXN 78th place; NXR South champion 

63. Luke Pash, junior, Ridgewood NJ: NXN 33rd place; NXR Northeast fifth place

64. Jonah Tang, junior, Herriman UT: NXN 34th place; NXR Southwest 28th place

65. Aden Bandukwala, senior, Hinsdale Central IL: NXN 35th place; NXR Midwest fifth place

66. Nayan Kasperowski, senior, South County VA: NXR Southeast 22nd place; Virginia 6A champion

67. Ben Gabelman, senior, Westerville North OH: NXR Midwest 20th place; Ohio D1 champion

68. Avery Keith, senior, Westfield NJ: NXN 81st place; NXR Northeast fourth place

69. Ben Montgomery, junior, Bridgeland TX: NXN 36th place; NXR South fifth place

70. Kyle Steadman, junior, Mountain View UT: NXN 37th place; NXR Southwest sixth place

71. William Brunner, senior, Battle Mountain CO: NXN 60th place; NXR Southwest seventh place

72. Brennan Draper, senior, Chaparral CO: Foot Locker Midwest 11th place; Colorado Class 5A champion

73. Nate Stadtlander, junior, Meridian ID: NXR Northwest ninth place; Idaho 5A champion 

74. Jack Sheesley, junior, Boise ID: Foot Locker 19th place; Foot Locker West sixth place

75. Zach Hillhouse, senior, Pleasant Grove UT: Foot Locker 20th place; Foot Locker West seventh place

76. Grant Morgenfeld, senior, Palo Alto CA: Foot Locker 21st place; Foot Locker West third place

77. Raghav Gopalakrishnan, senior, Ardrey Kell NC: Foot Locker 22nd place; Foot Locker South 10th place

78. Josh Chu, senior, Ponderosa CA: Foot Locker 23rd place; Foot Locker West champion

79. Sam Ghiz, senior, Riverton UT: NXN 76th place; NXR Southwest third place

80. Jack Meier, senior, West Salem OR: NXN 79th place; NXR Northwest sixth place

81. Owen Powell, junior, Mercer Island WA: Washington 3A champion

82. Peyton Shute, senior, Gateway Regional NJ: Foot Locker 32nd place; Foot Locker Northeast fifth place

83. Jack Henzke, senior, Seattle Prep WA: NXN 112th place; NXR Northwest third place

84. Rocco Culpepper, sophomore, Niwot CO: NXN 38th place; NXR Southwest 16th place

85. Ben Crane, junior, Winnetka (New Trier) IL: Foot Locker 24th place; Foot Locker Midwest eighth place

86. Brett Ephraim, senior, San Clemente CA: NXN 40th place; California Division 1 second place

87. Junior Allen, senior, Oakton VA: RunningLane second place; Virginia Class 6 third place

88. Matteo Tonnos, senior, Farragut TN: RunningLane third place; NXR Southeast 16th place

89. Trey Caldwell, junior, De La Salle CA: Foot Locker 25th place; Foot Locker West fifth place

90. Matthew Edwards, senior, Classical Academy CO: Foot Locker 29th place; Foot Locker Midwest 10th place

91. Kaden Evans, junior, American Fork UT: NXN 51st place; Utah Class 6A second place

92. Sam Quagliaroli, junior, Fishers IN: NXR Midwest 28th place; Indiana state meet third place

93. Asher Danielson, senior, Ida B. Wells OR: Oregon Class 6A second place

94. Jacob Sushinsky, senior, Mullen CO: Colorado Class 4A second place

95. Alex Fisher, sophomore, Loomis Chaffee CT: Foot Locker 34th place; Foot Locker Northeast seventh place 

96. Jack Witte, senior, Millard West NE: NXN 57th place; NXR Heartland sixth place

97. Jack Bowen, junior, McCallie TN: NXR Southeast 19th place; Tennessee D2-AA second place

98. Carter Spradling, senior, Clovis East CA: Foot Locker 36th place; Foot Locker West ninth place

99. Colin Whitaker, senior, Lampeter-Strasburg PA: Foot Locker 37th place; Foot Locker Northeast sixth place

100. James Ndayishimiye, senior, Lafayette KY: NXR Southeast 29th place; Kentucky Class 3A champion