With Or Without Allred, Corner Canyon Strong In Southwest

By Paul Schmitz of DyeStat

Boys NXR Southwest Preview 

The Nike Southwest is a region with several compelling storylines. At the top of the list is the team from Draper, Utah's Corner Canyon. In 2018, the Chargers won the Utah 5A state cross country championship and then went on to finish fifth at the NXR Southwest, losing only to nationally ranked teams. All of the team's top five return in 2019, as well as new transfer and NXN fifth-place finisher Easton Allred.

This rock-solid returning lineup, plus Allred, secured Corner Canyon a top stop in the region. In fact, preliminary projections have the team No. 1 in the nation in some virtual, trial meets.

With the news of Allred’s injury this past week, that top national spot is now in question. However, behind the strength of the returning lineup and Allred even not at full strength, the Chargers hold top spot in the Southwest. One numbers note: it is unfortunate that Allred may not be at 100 percent even by the time postseason begins. This could dampen the chances of his likely goal, an NXN individual championship. A falloff for him from his peak is less damaging on the team side. Even a 45-second slower time from what his predicted time would have been at Glendoveer Golf Course might only add 10 or 11 team points to the potential low score of his team. Allred is so fast he does not have to be close to his best to be an incredible asset on the team side.    

Close behind Corner Canyon is defending NXR Southwest and Colorado defending champion Dakota Ridge. Led by the incredible 1-2 combo of Austin Vancil and Connor Ohlson, Dakota Ridge made the most of its first trip to NXN and made the podium with a third-place finish. Vancil has graduated and moved on to run for the University of Colorado, but Ohlson remains and leads a group that can challenge for the top spot in the region.    

In the past five years the Southwest has secured more at-large bids to NXN than any other region, seven, including two apiece in 2015 and 2017. Current projections put the Southewest in a secure position for one at-large bid. Mountain Vista CO joins Corner Canyon and Dakota Ridge in or near the top 10 in the nation. The darkhorse in the region is the pick in Arizona, Highland. Several teams have the pedigree to make the leap and move into the conversation as the national rankings shake out during the year, including Albuquerque Academy NM, Fort Collins CO, American Fork UT, Lone Peak UT and Farmington UT.  

1. Corner Canyon UT. This is an experienced lineup of proven runners. The defending 5A Utah state champions return their top five runners and add Nike Elite camper Allred, moving to 6A this season. On the team side of the NXR SW race in 2018, Allred is the fastest returner, Mark Boyle is third and Alex Harbertson is ninth. With quality seniors Caleb Johnson and Nathan Beltran at 4 and 5, this team will be tough to beat, if healthy. 

2. Dakota Ridge CO. Along with Nike Elite camper Ohlson, Dakota Ridge returns NXN participants Jacob White, Ben Piegat and Ben Morrin. There is a question mark at No. 5 and the Eagles will need a quality runner in that spot to repeat in the Southwest.

3. Mountain Vista CO. Mountain Vista won the NXR SW title in 2015 and 2017 and secured an at-large bid in 2018 for a third appearance at nationals in four years. Mountain Vista has a shot at making it four out of five in 2019 behind solid returners Jack O’Sullivan, Seth Rouse and Davis Helmerich. The Golden Eagles lack depth at the bottom of the lineup, but have several breakout candidates and has a history of putting great teams together.  

4. Highland AZ. There is a dropoff in known talent in the Southwest behind the top three teams. It is likely that one of the historically strong schools from Colorado or Utah (like American Fork, which graduated five of its top six) will emerge and challenge the teams at the top. For now, the fourth spot is owned by the pick in Arizona, Highland of Gilbert. Desert Vista has dominated boys cross country lately in Arizona, winning five straight state titles. That stretch includes an NXN appearance and eighth-place finish in 2017. Highland loses two runners from the top five on a team that finished 10 points behind Desert Vista at the state meet. However Highland’s six and seven were close behind the top five. The team is led by impressive senior Leo Daschbach. In track, Daschbach was Arizona state champion in the 3200, 1600 and 800 meters and logged PRs of 1:51 (800), 4.07 (1600) and 8.51 (3,200). 

5. Davis UT. There is a tight pack of several contenders for the fifth spot in the region. The nod goes to the Darts. With no single-digit standouts in 2018, Davis used a 21-second compression 1-5 to finish second behind American Fork in the Utah 6A meet. Davis also stayed close and took home a fourth-place finish at NXR SW. This team has qualified for NXN six times. In order to make it seven, some holes in the pack will need to be filled given that three of the top five have been lost to graduation. 

Watchlist

Fort Collins CO

American Fork UT

Albuquerque Academy NM

Lone Peak UT

Farmington UT

Castle View CO

Desert Vista AZ

Timpanogos UT

Los Alamos NM

Stansbury UT

Herriman UT