Ritz would have run close to 8 flat or better on a banked track in HS, with help. He crushed Webb in XC who ran 8:45 on a crappy flat track , the following indoors, beating Nate Brannen who was a sub 4 HS guy. By 14 seconds
This was 20, 20 years ago. he(Ritz) had zero set up races except chasing a 5K mark at Penn one year. His Michigan State record where guys 2 and 3 are in the 14:50's high , of 14:10 2 will stand for a very long time. It is most likely the most dominant HS XC mark on a time tested course of all time.
He never ran at the Armory in HS , if Webb had run his two mile at the Armory he would have run 8:42 again , flat to banked, and no help, 20 years ago. So do that math, again, no Pros in that race. So do the math on that, to 3K . NO pacers. He could have chased anything at that point.
He certainly could have run today's NP marks, anyone who thinks otherwise is also challenged or they never saw him in person, His 8:45 on that Md. flat track which was not even remotely fast, was insane. Again 20+ years ago.
In my own Opinion:
Since most , most of these marks, occur in really well set up races, opinion, and I saw both Webb and Ritz in person multiple times in HS . I believe that Ritz with pacing surely would have run under 8:00, Webb as well. Webb ran 1:47.7x to 8:45 yards Indoors. None of these guys were ever beating him, that just is. And it was , did I say? 20! Years ago.
Just my opinion, it's just the math.
Guys should be running faster 20 years later, that counts for everyone, and they, The NP guys are all time good guys. No doubt, especially the miler, who surely can run 7:56 or better.
The guy who always deserves credit in any discussion is a young German Fernandez on the track, 8:34 yards with no help at all, in Hot Greensboro, in HS which surely converts lower than 8 flat and then his 3:55 and 7:47 frosh 18year old year.