Total guys not in the top 21 predictions who ran in the top 10: 3
This goes to show how much of an upset the race really was.
Not so much an upset. Why wasn’t Aiden Le Roux ranked? He broke Parker Wolfe’s all classification state record at the Colorado state meet. Colorado and other SW guys are always underrated going into NXN.
Only one SW runner was ranked in the top 10, yet four—Vause, Smith, Evans, and Le Roux—finished in the top 10. This isn’t an upset; it’s just a reflection of the consistent bias toward individual rankings in other regions. The depth of talent in the SW is so immense that individual runners don’t stand out as much during the season. In contrast, runners from less competitive regions tend to shine more because they face weaker competition. This dynamic often causes the SW to fly under the radar, despite being one of the strongest regions in the country.
But I guess that goes to show your point that there is less focus on the individuals from the southwest because you can't even remember the names correctly
But I guess that goes to show your point that there is less focus on the individuals from the southwest because you can't even remember the names correctly
You're absolutely right—Spencer, not Smith. Thanks for catching that! But hey, the fact that Smith was the #1 ranked runner and still placed 6th kind of reinforces my point: even the top-ranked runners from other regions don’t face the same depth of competition the SW does. Meanwhile, the SW quietly puts four guys in the top 10. Guess we don’t need perfect name recall when the results speak for themselves!
Yes I agree! Don't get me wrong, there was no ill intent meant in that last message, I was just trying to say that it's crazy that the southwest is so deep that names can often be mistaken!
Predictions for Individuals 1. Keegan Smith 2. Joe Barrett 3. Juan Gonzalez 4. Ben Crane 5. Sam Quagliaroli 6. Eyan Turk 7. Kaden Evans 8. Tayvon Kitchen 9. Ty Steorts 10. Owen Powell 11. Manny Putz 12. Jase Burton 13. TJ Hansen 14. Landon Pretre 15. Tommy Latham 16. Eli Fitchen Young 17. Robert Mechura 18. Caden Leonard 19. Kyle Steadman 20. Will Sheets 21. Charlie Vause
Predicted Actual
Keegan smith (6) Charlie Vause (21)
Joe Barrett (89) TJ Hansen (13)
Juan Gonzalez (13) Caden Leonard (18)
Ben Crane (14) Tommy Latham (15)
Sam Quagliaroli (22) Evan Noonan (Not Ranked)
Eyan Turk (18) Keegan Smith (1)
Kaden Evans (8) Jackson Spencer (Not Ranked)
Tayvon Kitchen (11) Kaden Evans (7)
Ty Steorts (DNF) Aiden Le Roux (Not Ranked)
Owen Powell (46) Robert Mechura (17)
Total guys predicted top 10 who ran top 10: 2
Total guys not in the top 21 predictions who ran in the top 10: 3
This goes to show how much of an upset the race really was.
Or, that this person wasn't that insightful. If you think it's shocking that the Colorado state meet record holder, or the winner of Desert Twilight, or the best runner for Herriman, or that Evan Noonan finished top 10, then you might not follow XC all that closely.
Austin Vandegrift got unlucky they couldve gotten a top three finish if Hudson their top runner didn't pull his hamstring at state. They got second to Carroll even though he got 40th. Carroll is also in contention for top 3. They always shine at big meets and have constantly proved on the big stage they can finish top 3.
Vandegrift was able to redeem themselves and get 7th
The juniors on the Valor Christian team had better 8th grade times than Cheyenne Mountain class of 2022 did… and with all this drama and coaching changes, prospects of going to NXN aren’t looking too good for Valor Christian. Gotta feel for those guys…
Valor track and XC hasn’t been the same since Coach Kula left. He created the culture there that was very special and was heavily involved behind the scenes with the boys distance. After he left kids started seeking outside coaching and the culture was lost.
They were improving all season. They only missed NXN by 1 spot in a tough region. This year was their last chance at NXN for the foreseeable future
