The first round of Nike Team National qualifying meets happened this past weekend. US #2 Neuqua Valley and US #3 North Central each qualified on the boys side, while US #6 Westfield, US #7 Jesuit and US #9 Yankton qualified on the girls side. With a few top teams losing, expect some change in this week's power rankings (coming out Tuesday).
MileSplit National Team Power Rankings - Weekend Wrap-Up
Boys
1. Albuquerque Academy (NM) - At the New Mexico State Championships Albuquerque Academy lost their first meet of the year to US #6 Los Alamos 34-40. Despite two athletes in the top three, including race champion Ben Johnson, the strength of Los Alamos' pack beat Academy's to teh line.
2. Neuqua Valley (IL) - The strength of Neuqua Valley is nearly 100% again after senior Jim Riddle returned to true form Saturday at th NTN Midwest Regional. Riddle finished twelfth in the team scoring, helping his team to a 73-111 victory over York (IL). Neuqua placed four runners in the top fifteen, led by race champion Chris Derrick.
3. North Central (WA) - North Central ran their typical less-than-minute split Saturday at the NTN Northwest Regional, earning their first berth to the national competition with a solid 87-95 win over second place Central Catholic. North Central's junior tandem of Andrew Kimpel (second) and Leon Dean (tenth) led the way.
4. Danbury (CT) - Using a strong 28 second split Saturday at the New England Championships, Danbury beat a strong field by over a hundred points, capturing the team title with 43 points. Senior Matt Terry and Willie Ahearn both finished in the top five.
5. Wheat Ridge (CO) - Idle.
6. Los Alamos (NM) - With a strong split of 21 seconds, Los Alamos beat US #1 Albuquerque Academy to win the New Mexico State title. The squads tight pack beat Academy's to the finish despite Academy place two runners in the top three. Los Alamos' leaders on the day were Allen Pittman, Kyle Pittman and Gareth Gilna, as all three worked together to finish 5-7.
7. North Penn (PA) - Idle.
8. Murrieta Valley (CA) - Winning a close battle the week before, Murrieta Valley repeated the nervousness felt when races are extremely close this week as well. MW won the DI Southern Sectional by a 77-83 margin over Royal. The squad used a 30 second spread to beat the competition.
9. The Woodlands (TX) - Despite their top runner junior Reed Connor not running his usual race, the Woodlands continued their upswing on the season by beating Southlake Carroll 70-76 at the Texas State CC Championships.
10. Brookline (MA) - Brookline won the MIAA Eastern Divisional Championships this past weekend while placing four athletes in the top six finishers. Led by race winner Robert Gibson (Sr.) and second place David Wilson (Jr.), Brookline beat the other teams in the field by well over one hundred points.
Girls
1. Fayetteville-Manlius (NY) - The New York State Championships pit Fayetteville versus US #5 Saratoga Springs. Many thought Saratoga's recent surge may be enough to at least push F-M to a close race. However, the top ranked team in the land showed their incredible strength with a 23-71 win over Saratoga. F-M placed their top four in the top six.
2. Saugus (CA) - The top team in the west won their section of the DI Southern Sectional Championships Saturday. Placing their top five in the top ten, including a 1-2-3 finish up front, Saugus crushed the competition. Senior Katie Dunn and freshman Kaylin Mahoney finished the three mile race in 17:37 each, fnishing first and second.
3. Eldorado (NM) - Strength in numbers always beats one or two top individuals up front, especially at a state championship competition. Eldorado Saturday beat the field at the New Mexico State Championships by over fifty points, placing three runners in the top five.
4. Mountain Brook (AL) - Running without front running senior Madeline Morgan, Mountain Brook still won the Alabama 6A Championship race 35-71 over Hoover. Mountain Brook once again used their incredible depth to beat the field, placing all seven runners in the top twenty team spots. Freshman Marie Demedicis placed third overall as the top finisher of the squad.
5. Saratoga Springs (NY) - Saratoga Springs had a chance to knock off US #1 Fayetteville-Manlius Saturday at the New York State Championships, but quickly found out that despite their recent winning results the team could not match F-M's fire power up front. Saratoga finished second, losing by a 23-71, despite senior Hannah Davidson winning the race.
6. Westfield (IN) - Despite placing two runners in the top ten, and two more in the top 25, Westfield finished second at the NTN Midwest Regional Saturday. Lake Central finished first with a 86-92 score. Maggie Bingham and Kaitlyn Love led Westfield once again, helping them qualify for the national meet in Portland for the second year in a row.
7. Jesuit (OR) - Despite losing to St. Mary's 87-94 at the NTN Northwest Regional Saturday, Jesuit still earned a berth to the national meet in a few weeks. Jesuit faltered when their strong pack seperated a bit, however placing two runners in the top six pushed them towards the last automatic berth.
8. Burnt-Hills (NY) - Running perhaps the second best race of the day, only behind US #1 Fayetteville-Manlius, Burnt-Hills won their division of the New York State Championships in grand fashion. Running behind second place finisher Sam Roecker, B-H scored a mere 31 points to crush the field.
9. Yankton (SD) - Qualifying for their fourth consecutive Nike Team Nationals, Yankton finished second at the NTN Heartland Regional, beating out in-state rival Sioux Falls Roosevelt by only five points 90-95 for the final qualifying spot. Yankton used a 58 second split to gap the field except for race champion Dowling Catholic. Mariah Hofer led the way for Yankton placing fourth.
10. Dakota Ridge (CO) - Idle.