Folders |
Early Season Boys Top 40 XC Teams 2024Published by
Herriman Better Than Ever As It Seeks To Defend NXN Title; CBA Breaks Up Southwest Dominance In Top Four By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor 2024 Boys Early Season National Rankings Herriman of Utah will return to the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic presented by ASICS in Irvine, Calif. ranked No. 1 and heavily favored to win the Doug Speck Sweepstakes team title for an unprecedented third consecutive year. The group led by seniors Tayshaun Ogomo and twins Micah and Jonah Tang is also aiming at a possible repeat at Nike Cross Nationals. Despite graduation losses to several key pieces of last year's team, a couple of transfers have stepped in to round out the lineup. Herriman coach Doug Soles became the first to lead two different schools to an NXN boys title last year and it was also the first for running hotbed Utah. Perhaps the only teams capable of matching up across seven or eight deep with Herriman are Christian Brothers Academy of New Jersey and Niwot of Colorado. CBA, led by Joe Barrett, recently pushed its incredible national dual meet victory streak to 400. That's also been going for 50 years. The Colts have one of its strongest packs this fall. Niwot brings all seven back from a team that finished fifth at Nike Cross Nationals last year, with junior Rocco Culpepper and sophomore Quinn Sullivan leading the way. Colorado and Utah are both represented by five teams in the Top 40, part of 11 total for the Southwest. Belen Jesuit of Florida checks in at No. 5 and easily won the Southern Showcase last weekend in Alabama. Sophomore Marcelo Mantecon leads a team still riding high after finishing fourth at NXN last December at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland. No. 6 Southlake Carroll of Texas, which made the podium last year when it got third at NXN, bring back standout leader Caden Leonard. Illinois' best teams, Downers Grove (North) and Plainfield (South) both are in the top 10, at Nos. 7 and 9 respectively. The coming weekend should reveal more about the three tightly bunched teams from the Northwest: No. 8 Coeur d'Alene of Idaho and No. 10 Jesuit and No. 11 Crater of Oregon. Coeur d'Alene and Crater are both racing at Woodbridge and Jesuit is hosting a big invitational on the coast at The Mook at Alderbrook. Crater has perhaps the best 1-2 punch in the country with seniors Josiah Tostenson and Tayvon Kitchen and it remains to be seen how far ahead of the 3-4-5 scorers they will be in national-caliber races. The Top 40
Top 40 Teams By Region Southwest: 11 Northwest: 5 California: 5 South: 5 Midwest: 5 Southeast: 3 Heartland: 3 Northeast: 2 New York: 1 Top 10 Teams By Region Southwest: 3 Northwest: 2 Midwest: 2 Northeast: 1 Southeast: 1 South: 1 More news |
