The Preseason MileSplit50 Top 25 Boys Team Rankings

No. 19: American Fork (UT)

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Analysis: Here's where coaching is going to make a difference. On paper, American Fork has just two runners back from a team that finished second at the Utah Class 6A championships and saw its top runners go first and third, respectively, in the meet. But Timo Mostert is considered one of the top coaches in the country for a reason, and that's why the Cavemen will likely still find themselves in the hunt for a state title against the likes of Riverton, Corner Canyon, Skyridge and Farmington. 

Some help is on the way, though. Daniel Simmons, a junior who finished second in Idaho's Class 2A finals last year and who was 21st at the Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Championships, has transferred, which gives American Fork a pretty formidable No. 1. That's even before considering the improvement of Ben Jaster and Ben Bradshaw, who are the two holdovers from the 2021 season. 

But from there, Mostert will be tasked with bringing a full lineup to the table and with finding the right formula on grass as American Fork once again eyes up hardware. If anyone can do it, we trust Mostert can. 

Biggest Question: Can AF find depth with an inexperienced team?

This will no doubt be a building year for the Cavemen. Much of the team are juniors, which will give them just the right amount of time to develop while also looking ahead to another year of action on grass. And there's also this: Ben Jaster is the brother of Nate Jaster, who was a two-time state champion in Utah. 

MileSplit50 Boys Team National Rankings Countdown