FLN and NXN predictions: YOUR TOP 3 - time to put up watchoutxcrankings

Bump.

Hunter has beaten Knight, and Ostberg. He's a junior. Nearly a lock for next year, and he'll make it a great race.

I believe that was partly because Luke Puskedra took it out crazy fast though, right? Fout and Derrick went 1-2 and neither went with the lead pack in the first mile. A similar situation could definitely happen again though.

Penn Watcher wrote:

Hunter has beaten Knight, and Ostberg. He's a junior. Nearly a lock for next year, and he'll make it a great race.

While Hunter's race was impressive. Keep in mind that it was early in the season and Ostberg wasn't anywhere near peaking.

According to his training blog Mantz has started running again.

Footlocker:

1. Andrew Hunter

2. Grant Fisher

3. Mathew Maton

*one of the best footlocker finals to ever watch with the competitive front end

NXN:

1. Tanner Anderson

2. Mike Brannigan

3. Bryce Millar

Teams:

FM wins both boys and girls

American Fork second for guys, Wayzata second for gals

This WILL happen.

Anybody not choosing fm to win it all is an idiot. Tis is one of the only teams in the nation who pretty much ONLY focan on naties. They don't need to peak until them, since they are the best. Look at the girls record in the past. It's hard to bet against a team that has such a good history at this meet. The guys have the best top 4 runners in the nation, and possibly of all time. They are the team to beat

west better than east wrote:

nxn

girls:

Great Oak

American Fork

FM

boys:

American Fork

Great Oak

FM

I agree with this. While it *may* be that no one is good enough to push hard from the start and win it, it is absolutely delusional to think you can win a slow race if you don't have 4:0x speed. There are quite a few guys with that kind of speed. I hope someone makes it an honest race.

The pace will be fairly honest, at least, since it isn't like the top dogs are the only ones in the race. You also have the rest of the qualified 40 guys who are also REALLY FAST and if the pace is slow, one of them would most certainly puch the pace to try and gap the field. It happens at some point at footlocker every year.

It's also quite rare to see a high school boys national championship boys race to turn tactical. It's generally the nature of high schoolers to be aggressive, and want to run fast. The race will be at a quick pace.

1. Andrew Hunter

2. Matthew Maton

3. Grant Fisher

Brannigan is doing FL

Olympicbound wrote:

Brannigan is doing FL

Despite his great track season, he hasn't been running well in xc.

505 wrote:

Olympicbound wrote:

Brannigan is doing FL

Despite his great track season, he hasn't been running well in xc.

Brannigan appears to be peaking now, and didn't have too many bad showing. He was off his game early in the season, but has proven himself recently. Before states he ran 15:44 at sunken meadow, which is very fast, and then won feds after a bad race at states. His states race was still fast, it just wasn't that good.

qwe wrote:

505 wrote:

Despite his great track season, he hasn't been running well in xc.

Brannigan appears to be peaking now, and didn't have too many bad showing. He was off his game early in the season, but has proven himself recently. Before states he ran 15:44 at sunken meadow, which is very fast, and then won feds after a bad race at states. His states race was still fast, it just wasn't that good.

But considering that he ran like a 8:53 for 2 miles in the spring, you'd think he'd be winning almost all of his races.

505 wrote:

qwe wrote:

Brannigan appears to be peaking now, and didn't have too many bad showing. He was off his game early in the season, but has proven himself recently. Before states he ran 15:44 at sunken meadow, which is very fast, and then won feds after a bad race at states. His states race was still fast, it just wasn't that good.

But considering that he ran like a 8:53 for 2 miles in the spring, you'd think he'd be winning almost all of his races.

And he has won the important ones. Anyway, who cares how you run at the start of the season. The championship season is the part that really counts. And to say that he should be winning almost all of his races with an 8:53 is true, and he has done that, so I don't get your point. But also, he is competing against many other top high school guys in the state of NY, who also have the chops to run insanely fast. You think even if he had a bad race he still should have beat Bryce Millar at states? Millar is also insanely fast. He was just 5 seconds behind Ostberg at Manhatten, and is one of those top guys in the nation, even if he doesn't get that credit.

Are you sure?

I don't really know who's running what right now but top boys in either are: Fisher, Dressel, Maton, Anderson, and Hunter

Since I know Fisher and Maton will run FL, if Dressel runs I think he'll take the lead looking for revenge from last year and Fisher and Maton will stay back. Fisher can definately out kick both which would win and it will be close between Maton and Dressel. With Maton coming off a high from breaking Rupp's record he may be able to edge Dressel.

I do think Anderson has NXN though. As usual the championships will be close tactical races.

For girls, O'keefe, Efraimeson (if she's eligible- Idk), and the defending FL champ (I can't remember her name right now) are in the running. NXN could be a toss up though in Efraimeson isn't in and the same winner from last year is my top for FL.

I would be surprised if Efraimson could/would run footlocker, and there is no returning champ, as Tessa Barret won last year as a senior. The boys race is definitely more hyped and strong towards the front end.

Efraimson isn't eligible the defending girls FL champ is now at Penn State. However the 2012 girls FL champ, Anna Rohrer, is returning.