Analysis: As only a junior Ethan Kern is one of only a handful of guys who made both national cross-country meets last fall after an outstanding string of postseason meets. He finished ninth in the Class 3A IHSA Cross Country State Championship, running 14:32.46 for three miles. At the NXN Midwest Regional, he had a huge performance placing fifth and earning a spot to nationals. He was able to replicate that performance only a few weeks later at the Foot Locker Midwest Regional where he placed sixth. After that he went on to place 28th at NXN and 35th at Foot Locker for just off All-American finishes at both races. This year the rising senior will again be the front-runner on his York (IL) squad, which returns all seven runners from 2018 and will look to make it to NXN for the first time since their team placed sixth in 2012.
MileSplit50 Boys National Rankings Countdown
| RANK | ENTRY |
|---|
| 25 | Aug. 20 -- Jonas Price (Eisenhower Senior, WA) |
| 24 | Aug. 20 -- Silas Winders (Henry County, TN) |
| 23 | Aug. 20 -- Patrick Anderson (Mt. Lebanon, PA) |
| 22 | Aug. 20 -- Liam Murphy (Allentown, NJ) |
| 21 | Aug. 20 -- Caleb Niednagel (La Costa Canyon, CA) |
| 20 | Aug. 21 -- Anthony Monte (Austin Vandegrift, TX) |
| 19 | Aug. 22 -- Jarrett Kirk (Flower Mound, TX) |
| 18 | Aug. 23 -- Thomas Boyden (Skyline) |
| 17 | Aug. 24 -- Robbie Cozean (Xavier, CT) |
| 16 | Aug. 25 -- Ryan Schoppe (La Porte, TX) |
| 15 | Aug. 26 -- Connor Ohlson (Dakota Ridge, CO) |
| 14 | Aug. 27 -- Cruz Culpepper (Niwot, CO) |
| 13 | Aug. 28 -- Leo Daschbach (Highland, AZ) |
| 12 | Aug. 29 -- Ethan Kern (York, IL) |
| 11 | Aug. 30 -- Stetson Moss (Thunder Ridge, ID) |
| 10 | Aug. 31 -- Daniel O'Brien (Virginia Episcopal, VA) |
| 9 | Sept. 1 -- Nathan Green (Borah, ID) |
| 8 | Sept. 2 -- Evan Bishop (East Grand Rapids) |
| 7 | Sept. 3 -- Carter Solomon (Plymouth, MI) |
| 6 | Sept. 4 -- Evan Holland (Ashland) |
| 5 | Sept. 6 -- Josh Methner (Hersey) |
| 4 | Sept. 6 -- Graydon Morris (Aledo) |
| 3 | Sept. 6 -- Matt Strangio (Jesuit) |
| 2 | Sept. 6 -- Nico Young (Newbury Park, CA) |
| 1 | Sept. 6 -- Cole Sprout (Valor Christian) |
