TSR's 2023 Boy's High School XC Top-10 Team Rankings: Mid-Season Edition

Donald Speas
Nov 1, 2023
8 min read

Written by Donny Speas, edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin

KEY

(Unranked):

Was not ranked in our last update.

(#/#):

First number indicates how much the team has moved in our rankings.

The second number indicates where the team was ranked in our last update.

1. American Fork Cavemen (UT) (+1 / 2)

The American Fork Cavemen secured the 2023 Utah 6A state title with their overwhelming firepower. Until the final results were announced, it was uncertain as to who would claim the title, providing fans with the suspense that they had craved since their first meeting with Herriman earlier this year.

A significant contributor to the Cavemen's victory was Ben Jaster who has been returning to form after recovering from a stress fracture. He proved to be the main game-changer for American Fork, finishing as he team's fifth runner with a 20th place effort. That result was just enough to cap the scoring after seeing Danny Simmons, Kaden Evans, Chase Pack and Ben Bradshaw go 1-2-3-8, respectively.

If Jaster continues to progress and eventually secures his usual spot in American Fork's top-four by the national meet, then the Cavemen might have some breathing room against the other top teams in our rankings when they battle for the national title.

Beyond the state meet, the Cavemen maintained a relatively low profile, running the table against the always-challenging Utah boy's cross country scene. Barring a minor tune-up meet, we may not see American Fork in action again until NXR where they'll face other top-ranked squads in a much larger field.

2. Herriman Mustangs (UT) (-1 / 2)

We were torn about placing Herriman at TSR #2.

Although they lost to American Fork by six points at the Utah 6A XC State Championships, Herriman's top runner, William Steadman, had consistently performed at a higher level than his 15:46 (5k) state meet time throughout this season. In fact, if Steadman finishes 5th at the state meet, which is well within his capabilities, then the Mustangs find themselves in a tie (after displacement) and that ultimately gives Herriman the victory.

The Mustangs' biggest challenge at the state meet stemmed from not having a true, top-tier front-runner who could break up American Fork's trio. Typically, Steadman fills that role, but at the state meet, it was junior Tayshaun Ogomo who crossed the line in a still-strong 5th place overall to lead the team.

As we approach NXR Southwest meet and eventually Nike Cross Nationals, the battle between Herriman's impressive pack of scorers and American Fork's dominant individual firepower will be intriguing to watch once again.

3. Belen Jesuit Wolverines (FL) (0 / 3)

Belen Jesuit has been setting the pace with consistently fast times this season. Their team average of 15:09 (5k) currently stands as the fastest in the country. That's an incredible average regardless of where they're racing.

Of course, the Wolverines' success isn't based on just their impressive times. It also stems from the caliber of teams who they've defeated this season. Victories at the Southern Showcase, FSU Invitational and the Great American XC Festival highlight their diverse range of wins among teams. It also shows how effective their lineup structure can be in those settings.

Mantecon has delivered on low-stick expectations along Josh Ruiz. Meanwhile, the Ruiz brothers in general have been as good as ever while Evan Torres deserves a lot of credit for closing the gap between him the Wolverines' top men. The next challenge for Belen Jesuit will come at the NXR Southeast meet where they should continue to find grand success.

4. Southlake Carroll Dragons (TX) (+1 / 5)

Since their 2nd place finish at Woodbridge in September, Southlake Carroll has been unstoppable, winning a handful of races by significant margins.

A perfect example of that is their performance at the UIL 6A District 4 XC Championships where they scored 18 points with a 1-2-3-4-8 finish, winning by roughly 50 points in a small race of 49 finishers. They averaged a wildly impressive time of 15:12 for 5000 meters!

Caden Leonard has been building a case for being the best sophomore in the nation. Not too far behind him has been Blake Bullard, who looks like a more potent lead scorer this fall, as well as unsigned senior Jude Alverez. The latter name is looking more and more like he could be a steal for whichever university signs him.

Southlake Carroll's opportunity to solidify their position as the top team in Texas awaits at the Texas XC State Championships. Shortly after, on November 18th, they'll face strong competition at the NXR South meet which will feature teams such as Jesuit (LA) and Deer Creek (OK) in addition to a handful of formidable Texas squads.

5. Christian Brothers Academy Colts (NJ) (+4 / 9)

Christian Brothers Academy wasted no time in making some noise once they started their season, securing a victory at the New Balance Shore Coaches Invitational, edging out a very strong Westfield (NJ) team by eight points.

While the Westfield win stands out among the rest of their results, it's not the team's only major victory. The Colts continued their winning streak at the Manhattan College XC Invitational where they beat teams from both coasts.

They then flexed their depth at the Shore Conference XC Championships where they rested most of their varsity seven and still won by 58 points, averaging 15:53 for 5000 meters!

One big reason why Christian Brothers Academy has climbed so high in our rankings is because Joe Barrett has turned into a true low-stick who can thrive in national-caliber fields.

In fact, he has yet to lose a race all season!

With Jack Falkowski acting as a strong secondary low-stick (despite having one "off" day), Connor Clifford making solid improvements as an impact scorer and the rest of the team offering extensive depth, it's hard to dislike anything about CBA.

The Colts' next challenge lies in the NJSIAA XC Meet of Champions where they'll face a competitive field of New Jersey teams, including a hungry Westfield team looking for a rematch as well as a top-ranked Union Catholic squad.

6. Great Oak Wolfpack (CA) (+1 / 7)

It's understandable if you're wondering why Great Oak boys are ranked higher than Dana Hills, especially after their loss at the ASICS Clovis XC Invitational.

Yes, I'll admit, this decision was challenging, but here's why we leaned towards Great Oak: The Wolfpack defeated Dana Hills by a substantial 125-point margin in their initial meeting this season (as opposed to a five-point loss at Clovis). They also secured victories at the Lewis and Clark XC Invitational by a 60-point lead and, most recently, they triumphed at the Mount SAC XC Invitational with a 30-point victory.

And when you look at the Wolfpack's five-point loss, it's fairly explainable. While Gabriel Rodriguez had an excellent 19th place finish at Clovis, none of his other teammates cracked the top-30 of the results. If Westin Brown had replicated a few of his previous performances, then Great Oak comfortably takes home the win over the Dolphins.

I'd also like to take a second to highlight an unsigned senior, Cameron (Jeffery) Keeny, who has really stepped up in the recent months. Going into this season, he was projected to be the Wolfpack's sixth runner, but more often than not, he's been appearing as a top-three scoring option for this team.

As of right now, Great Oak stands at the forefront of the highly competitive field of California teams. However, it's worth noting that the long and demanding California postseason could potentially bring about shifts in these rankings for this team.

7. Dana Hills Dolphins (CA) (Unranked)

I have to give credit to Dana Hills, they have truly impressed us since our initial rankings release from last month.

Their 8th place finish at Woodbridge, while good, didn't initially seem to warrant a top-10 national ranking. However, they made a significant statement at the ASICS Clovis XC Invitational, clinching a five-point victory over a slew of formidable teams, including one within our top-10 and two within our "Honorable Mention" or "Just Missed" sections. Jayden Hernandez's return and his ensuing 11th place finish was massive, especially when paired next to Evan Noonan (3rd)

Even so was still a surprising turn of events and in our eyes, they needed to validate that result as more than just a one-race stunner. Sure enough, they did just that by securing a victory at the Orange County XC Championships over a formidable San Clemente squad, averaging an impressive time of 14:22 for three-miles in the process.

The road ahead promises even more challenges with both the California Southern Section XC Championships and the California XC State Championships on the horizon.

8. Union Catholic Vikings (NJ) (Unranked)

Something extraordinary is happening in New Jersey this year. This cross country season is arguably the strongest that I've seen from the state in my many years of following this sport.

Union Catholic is not only among the best in the state, but also the nation, consistently proving themselves both within the state and in the broader Northeast region. The Vikings have been impressive this season by typically averaging in the mid-to-high 15-minute range for 5000 meters, even on challenging courses.

In their performances at major meets such as the Ocean State XC Invitational in Rhode Island and the Union County XC Championships, they've demonstrated their aerobic prowess against strong competition, responding well to pressure from challengers.

Two runners who have arguably improved the most out of anyone on the Vikings' roster is the senior duo of Alessandro Alvarez-Tullo and Sean Wilson. Those athletes have made big strides this fall, bridging the gap between star front-runner (and Virginia commit) Jimmy Wischusen and the backend of their scoring group.

At their most recent race, the Union County XC Championships, Vikings triumphed over a just-as-deep Westfield squad (currently one of our "Just Missed" teams) by nine points, giving them a confidence boost before they face-off against Christian Brothers Academy at the NJSIAA Group XC Championships.

9. Coeur D'Alene Vikings (ID) (Unranked)

At the start of this cross country season, we were unsure who would emerge as the top team in the Northwest region. However, after months of fierce competition, it has become evident that Coeur D'Alene is the team to beat. They have remained undefeated and have faced nearly all of the region's top contenders.

Oh, and let's not forget about their impressive 5k average of 15:19 which ranks 4th in the country! While they haven't replicated this average consistently throughout the season, they have emerged victorious in every race that they've entered.

Some of their significant wins have come at meets like the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational over Portland Jesuit (OR), the IHSAA XC 5A State Championships over Rocky Mountain (ID) and the Mountain West XC Classic over Bozeman (MT).

And what's maybe most interesting is that throughout this season, the Vikings have had three different boys leading their scoring efforts in truly competitive settings this fall! Lachlan May has come on strong as of late while guys like Max Cervi-Skinner and Jacob King have been as reliable as ever. The rest of this team has seemingly been capable of staying fairly compact.

To complete their northwest sweep, Coeur D'Alene will face their last contender for the region, Crater (OR), on November 11th at the NXR Northwest Championships.

10. Carmel Greyhounds (IN) (0 / 10)

After a somewhat shaky start to the 2023 cross country season, the Carmel Greyhounds have reclaimed their position as arguably the best team in the midwest.

The Indiana-based program truly hit their stride at the Nike XC Town Invitational, winning by an impressive 47-point margin against a field of talented midwest teams. This was achieved while averaging 15:37 (5k) on the always-challenging LaVern Gibson course. Following that success, the varsity team breezed through their regional and sectional meets before snagging gold at their state meet this past weekend.

At the IHSAA XC State Championship, the Greyhounds dominated, winning by an astounding 109 points. While low-stick Anthony Provenzano (4th) ran as exactly as expected, we loved seeing senior Kyle Groves validate his superb regular season results in a championship setting, coming across the line in 7th place overall (fifth scoring among scoring runners).

One key factor in Carmel's success lies in their depth; they are one of the deepest teams in the country. For instance, at the Delta Eagle Invitational, Carmel's JV squad secured a 22-point victory while averaging a time of 16:25 (5k)!

In roughly two weeks' time, on November 11th, the Carmel Greyhounds will once again return to the LaVern Gibson course, this time with a regional title and a trip to the national meet on their minds.