Boys Regional Rankings - 10/7/2021

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

A busy slate of big meets featuring interstate competition has caused some shakeup across the nine regions in the first update of October. 

Meets such as Great American, Roy Griak, RimRock Farm, Chile Pepper, Carlisle and McQuaid -- most of them returning for the first time since 2019, have provided opportunities to experience big-meet cross country and to find higher levels of competition. 

Four regions have new No. 1 teams this week. In the Southeast, Mount Tabor of Winston-Salem N.C. takes over the top spot after winning the Great American XC Festival in its home state against two of the region's other powers -- Severna Park MD and previous No. 1 Hardin Valley Academy TN. The Spartans, led by UNC commit Will Soule, have a deep lineup and a strong bond that can take them far this season. Big contributions from Douglas Gledhill and Lucas Plitt helped Mount Tabor beat Severna Park by five points. 

The Midwest is stacking up with quality teams and there is a change at No. 1 this week as Orland Park (Sandburg) IL dominated the Peoria Invitational with a 1-5 split of 36 seconds. The Illinois team moved ahead of Columbus North IN, which held on for a narrow win over Center Grove and Carmel to win the Nike XC Town Twilight, held in a driving rainstorm. Meanwhile, Hilliard Davidson of Ohio made a big move into the top five after beating New York No. 1 Corning-Painted Post impressively at McQuaid in New York. 

In the Heartland region, the attention has shifted away from Minnesota and onto teams from Iowa and Nebraska. Millard West of Omaha finished five points back of Colorado power Valor Christian at the RimRock Farm Classic in Kansas. Sam Kirchner leads a strong group that also won the Heartland Cross Country Classic on Sept. 18. Iowa schools Sioux City North and Dowling Catholic went 1-2 at the Roy Griak Invitational and both beat preseason Heartland No. 1 Wayzata MN. 

The other change comes in the Southwest, which is loaded and had five teams in the top 14 of last week's national rankings. But Cheyenne Mountain has emerged as the strongest and deepest of the bunch and has overtaken Mountain Vista as the top team in a very competitive state and region. The team's latest performance at the Pat Patten Invitational, led by junior Kaden Levings, was perhaps the most impressive of the year outside of Newbury Park CA. 

In the Northeast, Ridge NJ holds onto the top spot but only barely. Ridge was beaten at the Shore Coaches Invitational because top runner Jackson Barna injured an ankle mid-race and did not finish. Ridge's continued hold on the top spot depends on Barna returning to top form. This is a region in flux, with Union Catholic NJ, Hempfield PA and North Allegheny PA joining the top five for the first time and Christian Brothers Academy NJ and Xavier CT falling out. 

Central Catholic of Portland produced one of the week's biggest upsets, taking down US#3 Grapevine at the Chile Pepper Invitational in Arkansas. The Rams may now be on even footing with cross-town rival Jesuit but only go five deep. Even so, the quality at the top, with Max Girardet and Wes Shipsey, and stronger support at No. 5, push the team ahead of Seattle's Bishop Blanchet. A big test looms in the Northwest this week at the Hole In The Wall Invitational, where Jesuit, Bishop Blanchet and Franklin will go head to head.

SOUTH

1. Grapevine TX

2. Southlake Carroll TX

3. El Paso Eastwood TX

4. The Woodlands TX

5. Jesuit LA

SOUTHEAST

1. Mount Tabor NC

2. Severna Park MD 

3. Hardin Valley Academy TN 

4. University WV

5. Belen Jesuit FL   

NORTHEAST

1. Ridge NJ

2. Lasalle College PA

3. Union Catholic NJ 

4. Hempfield PA

5. North Allegheny PA

NEW YORK

1. Corning-Painted Post.

2. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 

3. Fayetteville-Manlius

4. Niskayuna

5. Webster Thomas    

MIDWEST

1. Orland Park (Sandburg) IL 

2. Hilliard Davidson OH

3. Columbus North IN

4. Mason OH  

5. Center Grove IN

HEARTLAND

1. Millard West NE

2. Sioux City North IA

3. Dowling Catholic IA

4. Fremont NE

5. Wayzata MN

NORTHWEST

1. Jesuit OR

2. Central Catholic OR

3. Bishop Blanchet WA

4. Franklin OR

5. Lincoln OR

SOUTHWEST

1. Cheyenne Mountain CO

2. Niwot CO

3. Farmington UT

4. Valor Christian CO

5. Mountain Vista CO

CALIFORNIA

1. Newbury Park

2. Loyola

3. Great Oak

4. Clovis West

5. Hart