Best All-Time HS All-Star XC Team by State

French Dawg wrote:

California

German Fernandez

Jeff Nelson

Marc Davis

Rich Kimball

Bryan Dameworth

Ammar Moussa

Mitch Kingery

Not sure on Kingery, but he ran 2:23 for the marathon in HS and he still holds the Crystal Springs course record.

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Eric Hulst and Thom Hunt were both World Jr XC champions. They are 1-2 for Cali. Nelson and Kimball are locks as well.

No 2015 XC wrote:

French Dawg wrote:

California

German Fernandez

Jeff Nelson

Marc Davis

Rich Kimball

Bryan Dameworth

Ammar Moussa

Mitch Kingery

Not sure on Kingery, but he ran 2:23 for the marathon in HS and he still holds the Crystal Springs course record.

German is the most recent guy who deserves a mention. Those guys from this year aren't on that level for XC

Idk man, Tamagno's solo 14:45 at Woodward deserves some praise. But yeah you're right they dont really compare to the others I listed. And thank you to the other posters who corrected me, I can't believe I forgot Hunt, Hall and Meb.

Seyta wrote:

Illinois:

1) Lukas Verzbicas (3:59, 8:29, 13:53 3mile XC, 14:06 indoor 5K, 2x FL Champ, NXN Champ, NBIN Mile, 2Mile, 5K Champ)

2) Craig Virgin (4:04 1600m, 8:40, 13:50 3mile XC)

3) Chris Derrick (8:48, 13:53 3mile XC, 13:55 5K, NXN Champ)

4) Donald Sage (4:00, 8:42 *3200m, 14:03 3mile XC)

5) Dave Merrick (4:05i, 8:43i, 13:36i 3mile)

6) Tom Graves (4:07, 8:49, 13:56 3mile XC)

7) Evan Jager (4:05, 8:47, 14:07 3mile XC)

**A few might argue that Jim Spivey should be up there. I don't disagree at all. He could certainly substitute in for any of trunners there excluding the top 3**

Honorable mention: Matt Withrow (**See FL win against Galen Rupp**)

I would be very surprised if another state could muster up something like this.

On just XC I would dump Merrick and Jäger and put in Torres (3x state champ and FL champ) and Withrow. FL champ that took down altitude tent Rupp and a Kenyan.

Thanks Bull. Jim Hill was a great runner.

mdobb wrote:

French Dawg wrote:

California

German Fernandez

Jeff Nelson

Marc Davis

Rich Kimball

Bryan Dameworth

Ammar Moussa

Mitch Kingery

Not sure on Kingery, but he ran 2:23 for the marathon in HS and he still holds the Crystal Springs course record.

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Eric Hulst and Thom Hunt were both World Jr XC champions. They are 1-2 for Cali. Nelson and Kimball are locks as well.

I'm glad someone put in Hulst and Hunt.

I think the California team would be:

1. Nelson

2. Hulst

3. Hunt

4. Fernandez

5. Hall

6. Meb

7. Serna or Kimball

But I'm from the golden days of California HS XC (70s), so I am biased towards the older guys.

Hey Sinatra,

On your Van Cortlandt Park list, Ed Healy is listed. He was an Ohioan (Bay Village) for all but his senior year in high school and 2rd or 3rd in Ohio to Zishka I think. Do we get to claim Ed? I know he would not make the top 7 but thought the unusual situations are fun to point out.

Kimball had a better HS career than Meb.

Last call for team entries:

Illinois

1) Lukas Verzbicas

2) Craig Virgin

3) Chris Derrick

4) Donald Sage

5) Dave Merrick

6) Tom Graves

7) Evan Jager

Oregon

1. Steve Prefontaine

2. Galen Rupp

3. Billy McChesney

4. Matthew Maton

5. Jeff Hess

6. Ian Dobson

7 Lauren Jesperson

Michigan

1. Dathan Rtizenheim

2. Grant Fisher

3. Greg Meyer

4. Herb Lindsay

5. Todd Williams

6. Brian Grosso

7. Abdul Alzindani

Minnesota:

1. Garry Bjorkland

2. Rob Finnerty

3. Ben Blankenship

4. Hassan Mead

5. Garret Heath

6. Elliot Heath

7. Obsa Ali

Massachusetts:

1. Abdirizak Mohammed

2. Andy Powell

3. Sanchez

4. Jonathan Riley

5. Salazar

6. Tom McArdle

7. Quigley

OHIO

1) Bob Kennedy

2) Scott Fry

3) Alan Scharsu (sp?)

4) Zach Wills

5) Andrew Jordan

6) Bob Mau

7) Michael Brajdic

1) George Nicholas

2) Alan Scharsu

3) John Zishka

4) Bob Kennedy.

5) Scott Fry

6) Bob Mau

7) Andrew Jordan

Indiana .

1. Rudy Chapa

2. Futsum Zeinasellassie

3. Nef Aria

4. Christian Wagner

5. Ben Veatch

6.Mike Fout

7. De'sean Turner

Alaska

1.Trevor Dunbar

2. Levi Thomet

3. Don Clary

4. Miguel Gomez

5. Doug Herron

New York

1. John Gregorek

2. Luis Ostolozaga

3. John Trautmann

4. Matt Centrowitz

5. Kevin McCarey

6. Dave Dobryznski

7. Dan Middleman

Colorado:

1. Adam Goucher

2. Jon Sinclair

3. Brent Vaughn

4. Evan Appel

5. Jon Hume

6. Kevin Williams

7. Conner Winter

New Jersey

1. Ches

2. Rosa

3. Rosa

4. Liquori

5. Forys

6. DiJoeseph

7. Hudson

Virginia

1. Alan Webb

2. Drew Hunter

3. Bobby Lockhart

4. Sean McGorty

5.Charles Alexander

6. Jim Hill

7. Sharif Karie

Wisconsin

1. Chris Solinsky

2. John Easker

3. Tim Hacker

4. Keith Hanson

5. Steve Lacy

6. Chris Rombough

7. Scott Jenkins

California

1. Jeff Nelson

2. Eric Hulst

3. Thom Hunt

4. German Fernandez

5. Ryan Hall

6. Ralph Serna

7. Rich Kimball

Mississippi

1. George Kersh

2. Jake Raines

3. Robert Scribner

4. Max Holman

5. Kyle Lewis

6. Brian Pope

J. Torres should replace Jager, who did not even qualify for FL his senior year.

Perhaps Terry Williams over Ryan Hall.

Utah:

Chronologically-

Ed Eyestone

Josh Rohatinsky

Luke Puskedra

Austin West

Ben Saarel

Connor McMillan

Connor Mantz

Casey Clinger

Since that's my NY list, please replace Kevin McCarey with Dennis Fikes (good suggestion from Steve on a Cell in Brooklyn).

I'm not sure of the other states' order but it would be interesting for discussion sake to put each state's team in rank order and then try to determine who would take 1st, 2nd, 3rd.

Some questions to came to my mind right away was: 1) Illinois' #1 man: Verzbicas or Virgin? 2) I'm not sure if the person who put up the MA list put them in order, but I would think that Salazar would be their #1 or 2 man. 3)Did Marius Baaken run well enough in HS to make the Illinois team? 4) Where the team from WA?

Illinois

1) Lukas Verzbicas

2) Craig Virgin

3) Chris Derrick

4) Donald Sage

5) Dave Merrick

6) Tom Graves

7) Jorge Torres

Oregon

1. Steve Prefontaine

2. Galen Rupp

3. Billy McChesney

4. Matthew Maton

5. Jeff Hess

6. Ian Dobson

7 Lauren Jesperson

California

1. Jeff Nelson

2. Eric Hulst

3. Thom Hunt

4. German Fernandez

5. Ryan Hall

6. Ralph Serna

7. Rich Kimball

Colorado:

1. Adam Goucher

2. Jon Sinclair

3. Brent Vaughn

4. Evan Appel

5. Jon Hume

6. Kevin Williams

7. Conner Winter

Michigan

1. Dathan Rtizenheim

2. Grant Fisher

3. Greg Meyer

4. Herb Lindsay

5. Todd Williams

6. Brian Grosso

7. Abdul Alzindani

Minnesota:

1. Garry Bjorkland

2. Rob Finnerty

3. Ben Blankenship

4. Hassan Mead

5. Garret Heath

6. Elliot Heath

7. Obsa Ali

Massachusetts:

1. Abdirizak Mohammed

2. Andy Powell

3. Sanchez

4. Jonathan Riley

5. Salazar

6. Tom McArdle

7. Quigley

OHIO

1) Bob Kennedy

2) Scott Fry

3) Alan Scharsu (sp?)

4) Zach Wills

5) Andrew Jordan

6) Bob Mau

7) Michael Brajdic

Indiana .

1. Rudy Chapa

2. Futsum Zeinasellassie

3. Nef Aria

4. Christian Wagner

5. Ben Veatch

6.Mike Fout

7. De'sean Turner

Alaska

1.Trevor Dunbar

2. Levi Thomet

3. Don Clary

4. Miguel Gomez

5. Doug Herron

New York

1. John Gregorek

2. Luis Ostolozaga

3. John Trautmann

4. Matt Centrowitz

5. Dennis Fikes

6. Dave Dobryznski

7. Dan Middleman

New Jersey

1. Ches

2. Rosa

3. Rosa

4. Liquori

5. Forys

6. DiJoeseph

7. Hudson

Virginia

1. Alan Webb

2. Drew Hunter

3. Bobby Lockhart

4. Sean McGorty

5. Charles Alexander

6. Jim Hill

7. Sharif Karie

Wisconsin

1. Chris Solinsky

2. John Easker

3. Tim Hacker

4. Keith Hanson

5. Steve Lacy

6. Chris Rombough

7. Scott Jenkins

Utah:

1. Ed Eyestone

2. Josh Rohatinsky

3. Luke Puskedra

4. Austin West

5. Ben Saarel

6. Connor McMillan

7. Connor Mantz

Mississippi

1. George Kersh

2. Jake Raines

3. Robert Scribner

4. Max Holman

5. Kyle Lewis

6. Brian Pope

My Ohio order would be as follows

1 Nicholas /Scharsu

3 Fry

4 Kennedy

5 Wills

6 Zishka

7 Mau

8Jordan

for scoring purposes, some more info on Miguel Gomez , Alaska's #4 or #5

-had course record on Kodiak's tough Fort Abercrombie course from 1992 until Dunbar broke it by only 4 seconds. Levi Thomet only beat Gomez's time by one second despite racing it many times. I might rank Gomez #4 ahead of Herron, need to look more into Herron's XC times.

-junior year (1992) placed 13th at Footlocker and beat a.goucher and brad hauser (also juniors)

-was faster senior year but i think we was hurt for the post season, don't see his results at nationals but have always seen him referred to as a 2-time footlocker qualifier

Man, I am struggling to come up with a good list for North Carolina....

Bobby Mack

Jake Hurysz

Ryan Hill

Jack Bolas

Taylor Gilland

I guess I could list some young guys that did well in high school but are either still in college or didn't do well in college. i.e. Thomas Graham. I dunno.

Linsanity wrote:

Seyta wrote:

Illinois:

1) Lukas Verzbicas (3:59, 8:29, 13:53 3mile XC, 14:06 indoor 5K, 2x FL Champ, NXN Champ, NBIN Mile, 2Mile, 5K Champ)

2) Craig Virgin (4:04 1600m, 8:40, 13:50 3mile XC)

3) Chris Derrick (8:48, 13:53 3mile XC, 13:55 5K, NXN Champ)

4) Donald Sage (4:00, 8:42 *3200m, 14:03 3mile XC)

5) Dave Merrick (4:05i, 8:43i, 13:36i 3mile)

6) Tom Graves (4:07, 8:49, 13:56 3mile XC)

7) Evan Jager (4:05, 8:47, 14:07 3mile XC)

**A few might argue that Jim Spivey should be up there. I don't disagree at all. He could certainly substitute in for any of trunners there excluding the top 3**

Honorable mention: Matt Withrow (**See FL win against Galen Rupp**)

I would be very surprised if another state could muster up something like this.

On just XC I would dump Merrick and Jäger and put in Torres (3x state champ and FL champ) and Withrow. FL champ that took down altitude tent Rupp and a Kenyan.

If you substitute in Withrow, then 4 of the 7 come from the same conference from the southwest suburbs.

Connecticut:

Since 1980, here are CT boys finishing in top 10 at Kinney/Foot Locker:

Kevin King 8th 1980

JT Burke 9th 1988

Ahmed Haji 8th 2002

Donn Cabral 8th 2007

Alex Ostberg 9th 2014

I think that's a pretty good top 5. Maybe throw in Gavin Coombs, who in 2003 beat Haji at XC State Open, got 3rd at FL NE (losing to only Ben True & Victor Gras, but beating Josh McDougal, Cory Thorne, and Lopez Lamong), won a national title in the mile later that spring, but bombed at Foot Locker I think because he was sick (tough timing).

Prior to 1980 I can't recommend any one.

Kim Roth needs to be on the Oregon list!

x/c progression:13th, 8th, 2nd, 1st

1500/3000 state bests were only recently beat, which stood for 30+ years. Was at the dual meet were the titans of the time, Kim and Claudette battled in the 1500, with Kim prevailing. Still one of the best races I've seen of all time.