Will Colorado go 1-2-3 at NXN?

Wisconsin is very good this year with three top ten candidates as well as Washington.

I say 1-2, there’s too much talent other places in the country, but Cole and Easton are just on another level right now.

Easton is an author

"BELIEVE IN YOURSELF"

Hacker, Gessner, Bosley, Wisconsin guys seem to be able to peak at the right time. I predict Bosley for the win.

I watched Evan holland race at NXR. He’s a beast. 15:10 on that course is no joke and he cruised it in beating a lot of big names. His track times back up his performance too. I bet he goes top 5 and probably sneak in and break up the Colorado boys

Lol this is one of the funniest posts I've ever read. I'm going back to my physics homework now. Wahaha this is funny.

He's also a college student. #fueled

I don't pay attention to or care much about high school cross country, but I'll spoil it for you and let you know the answer is "no".

CO Watcher wrote:

Cole Sprout, Easton Allred, and Cruz Culpepper, all juniors, are some of the finest runners in the country. Is it possible that they will sweep NXN individually?

Culpepper, while good, is not on the same level. Cole Sprout, Cole Hocker, Easton Allred, and then there is a slew of other runners very close. Ryan Oosting (peaking at the right time?) ran an incredible race in Massachusetts Easterns and I think he now belongs in the conversation, though, I would not be surprised if he goes footlocker which I think would suit him better.

End point: it would be very unexpected for them to go 1-2-3, but Allred and Sprout both have legitimate chances of being podium.

What about Matt Strangio?

Bosley for the DUB.

Niles wrote:

CO Watcher wrote:

Cole Sprout, Easton Allred, and Cruz Culpepper, all juniors, are some of the finest runners in the country. Is it possible that they will sweep NXN individually?

Culpepper, while good, is not on the same level. Cole Sprout, Cole Hocker, Easton Allred, and then there is a slew of other runners very close. Ryan Oosting (peaking at the right time?) ran an incredible race in Massachusetts Easterns and I think he now belongs in the conversation, though, I would not be surprised if he goes footlocker which I think would suit him better.

End point: it would be very unexpected for them to go 1-2-3, but Allred and Sprout both have legitimate chances of being podium.

Sure, OK. Obviously on Sprout & Allred, but to dismiss Culpepper as not on the same level is absurd:

5k fitness?? 14:44 this year, ........From 16:27 last year!

4:11 mile @ 5,200 elevation, as a sophomore.

Speed?? 800 = 1:54.05, as a sophomore.

Parents?? Don't know who Hockers parents are, but I do know Cruz's. They're fast. Look it up.

Not of the same level as Hocker?? OK, I'll agree with that statement.

Easton is a vegan, if we give him some eggs, milk and beef he will run sub 4:00 no doubt. Could even see him potentially even the first sub 4:00 in Colorado.

No doubt he has very fast parents. I understand that and I also understand what he did last track season. I just haven't seen anything indicative of him being able to beat those top guys. His 14:44* was still an 11 second loss. He won the 4A race in Colorado, and I do not know of his exertion level, but his 15:48 does not show that he can mix it up with Sprout who ran 15:16. He's a very good runner but there are other very good runners.

*And can we please stop using XC times without reference to course as an example of how fit a runner is? They don't mean much. 14:44 at Desert Twilight in AZ is still fast, but it is also one of the fastest 5k courses I've ever heard of.

I randomly chose the 25th place finisher who ran 15:42 there and found out he's run 4:34, 9:59, and then a next closest 5k time of 16:12, and a lot of races around 17 min.

Another random selection and the 20th place finisher in 15:38 has run 4:38, 10:19, and next closest 5k time is 16:11 with a lot of other 16:40-16:50s.

I don't have time to go through and see if these two random runners are outliers, but my point is that saying he ran 14:44 so he has the 5k fitness to be competitive at the top of the field is mostly invalid.

I think Sprout, Hocker, Oosting, Bosley, and Allred have the best odds of winning national titles, and I would be quite surprised if Culpepper lands a top 5.

I have to agree, Culpepper will not be in the top five this year, YET is the key here. Allred and Sprout have been on the running circuit since 6th grade while Culpepper was hitting tennis balls (and on his freshman state tennis team). Allred is logging 80 miles a week a Mountain Vista and turned 17 last summer. Culpepper turned 16 last summer and is gaining ground fast on these guys, and I heard he tops out at 35 miles a week. No doubt Allred and Sprout are legit but my guess is with Culpeppers improvement curve he will be catching them pretty soon and likely passing them.

Sprout is completely untouchable barring freak injury or sickness. Anyone whose ever seen the CO state meet course will know just how unfathomable that time was. Completely unreal.

Well, they got the “3” at least. Poor fanboy.

No, but they had a great, great day...well done CO...