Five new teams enter the MileSplit National Team Power Rankings this week. Saratoga Springs (NY), Fort Collins (CO) and Greenwich (NY) enter the girls rankings, while Los Alamos (NM) and Wheaton North (IL) enter the boys rankings. With conference and state series meets ahead, a lot more movement may occur over the coming week.
MileSplit National Team Power Rankings (Oct. 16)
Boys
1. Albuquerque Academy (NM) - An impressive win at the Highland Invitational keeps the Academy on top. A forty point margin of victory, while scoring a mere 25 points, continues the positive momentum this team has built up all season.
2. Neuqua Valley (IL) - A dominating performance at the Upstate Eight Conference Championships lifts Neuqua Valley up two positions. Over some very good in-state talent, the team took 1-3, while placing their top six in the top 13.
3. Danbury (CT) - Winning one of the varsity races at the Manhattan Invitational is never an easy task. Danbury beat a strong Oakton (VA) team 56-71 in the varsity boys B race. Willie Ahearn and Matt Terry led their team again finishing third and sixth respectively.
4. North Central (WA) - Idle from weekend competition.
5. Wheat Ridge (CO) - Idle from weekend competition.
6. Crater (OR) - At the adidas Cross Country Classic, Crater ran their lower level talent, while resting many of their top runners for the bigger meets ahead.
7. Brookline (MA) - While many of the top northeast teams ran Manhattan, Brookline won the Bob McIntyre Invitational, scoring 72 points and winning by 93 points. A 1-3 finish up front helped guide the team to their big victory. Frontman Robert Gibson once again led the way.
8. Loyola (CA) - Idle from weekend competition. Mt. SAC coming up.
9. Los Alamos (NM) - While they have yet to beat US #1 Albuquerque Academy in a head-to-head competition, Los Alamos continues to improve as the season draws towards the state series in New Mexico.
10. North Penn (PA) - After running the second fastest team time ever at Van Cortland Park (NY) after their weekend at the Manhattan Invitational, North Penn enters the rankings riding a wave of momentum.
Girls
1. Fayetteville-Manlius (NY) - F-M didn't just win the Manhattan Invitational, they won it big. Beating runner-up Saratoga Springs 87-159, F-M used an incredible 24 second split from 1-5, while placing their top five from 13-26.
2. Eldorado (NM) - Easily won their own invitational, scoring a mere 30 points, as they placed 6 in the top 14, including a nice 1-2 finish by Kristy Hannah and Allison Bedonie.
3. Saugus (CA) - Idle from weekend competition. A showdown with US #5 Carondelet looms at Mt. SAC this coming weekend.
4. Mountain Brook (AL) - Just when one thinks Mountain Brook's position in these rankings can't get much higher, they seem to turn it up a notch. Mountain Brook won the Great American XC Festival, placing three in the top twelve, while beating regionally ranked Collins Hill by 22 points, as the team scored 75 points.
5. Carondelet (CA) - Idle from weekend competition. A showdown with US #3 Saugus looms at Mt. SAC this coming weekend.
6. Westfield (IN) - Running two key meets in five days time really puts the pressure on a team. Westfield ran sectionals on Tuesday and regionals Saturday, as they won both meets over IN #3 Carmel.
7. Saratoga Springs (NY) - Experts waited all season for this point. Saratoga Springs looked a bit down in the preseason outlooks. However, SS continues to prove their hard work always works, as they beat a host of US ranked and regionally ranked teams at the Manhattan Invitational. Saratoga Springs only lost to US #1 Fayetteville-Manlius.
8. Fort Collins (CO) - While a few teams dropped out of this weeks rankings due to loses, Fort Collins jumps into the rankings after showing they are a consistent force out in Colorado.
9. Greenwich (NY) - Greenwich beat prior US #5 Burnt-Hills 46-51 at B-H's home invitational. While B-H took first individually, Greenwich's 1-3 finished 3-5 in the race. Greenwich continues to improve.
10. Yankton (SD) - Another big win at a small invitational prepares Yankton for their state meet.