Doshi on the watchlist but no Brayden Seymour.
MS50 XC Ind. Boys Rankings 2022
RANKATHLETE/TEAMCOMMENTS1
0
LEX YOUNG
CA Newbury Park (SS)
Young began his season with a 14:48.4 win at the Marmonte League Meet #1 for three miles, leading a pack of Newbury Park boys that included Leo and Dev Doshi right behind him.
2
0
LEO YOUNG
CA Newbury Park (SS)
He ran stride-for-stride with brother Lex for a controlled 14:48.42 three-mile opener at the Marmonte League Meet #1.
3
1
TYRONE GORZE
OR Crater
Has yet to make season debut.
4
16
HUNTER JONES
MI Benzie Central
Jones opened up his 2022 season with a bang, running a new PR and US No. 1 14:36.5 for 5k at the Pete Moss Benzie Central Invite. That's good for an elite-level 196 speed rating, currently the top rating seen so far in the early weeks of cross country. Clearly, Jones entered the fall ready to race, and that should give him great confidence going into the next months of his senior season.
5
7
SIMEON BIRNBAUM
SD Rapid City Stevens High School
If anyone had any doubt as to whether the sub-4:00 miler's speed would translate to the cross country course, those questions likely disappeared after Birnbaum's sesaon opening 5k performance at the Nike Heartland Preview. Birnbaum clocked a new personal best of 14:47.8, which ranks him as the third-fastest boy in the country currently for 5k. The South Dakota star appears prepped and ready for the longer cross country distance, even with just one race down.
6
1
CONNOR BURNS
MO Southern Boone County High School
Burns ran a 16:41.83 5k to win at the Jim Marshall Cross Country Invitational, but expect him to slowly ramp up his racing in the coming weeks.
7
4
AARON SAHLMAN
CA Newbury Park (SS)
Sahlman finished fourth overall and fourth for Newbury Park at the Marmonte League Meet #1 in 15:14.75 for three miles behind teammates Lex, Leo and Dev Doshi.
8
0
ROCKY HANSEN
NC Christ School
Hansen not only ran a 24-second personal best in the 5k to begin his senior season, but broke a Roger Milliken course record by nearly 38 seconds in the process as he ran 14:57.6 to win the Eye Opener meet in Spartanburg, S.C. Coming off of his breakout track season, he's already making a statement on the cross country course just one meet into his season.
9
4
KOLE MATHISON
IN Carmel High School
Mathison made his season debut at the Brown County Eagle Invite and did so in record-breaking fashion, clocking 14:52.10 to break his own course record at Eagle Park in Indiana. That equates to an impressive 198 speed rating and solidies his spot among the nation's best in the early phases of the season.
10
0
TAYSON ECHOHAWK
UT Orem
Consistency has been the name of the game for Echohawk in the early weeks of the season. He earned wins at the Utah Pre Region 8 meet and the Timpanogos Invitational in 15:07.8 and 15:24.2, along with a runner-up finish at the UIAAA Invitational in 14:49.2 for three miles. Echohawk's 15:24.2 win at Timpanogos equates to a stellar 192 speed rating, one of the highest ratings seen nationally so far this season. He's also been part of a rather back-and-forth battle so far between other Utah star Liam Heninger, making for quite the showdown in Utah.
11
N/R
LIAM HENINGER
UT Mountain View
Heninger has ran almost identical times to fellow Utah competitor Echohawk. He narrowly finished second to the Orem senior at the Pre Region 8 meet (15:14.3) and the Timpanogos Invitational (15:25.0), the latter of which earned him a 192 speed rating. At the UIAAA Invitational, it was Heninger who came out on top over Echohawk in a three-mile PR of 14:48.1. Those performances that nearly mirror those of Echohawk certainly boost him into our rankings after starting on the honorable mentions list during the preseason.
12
N/R
SAGE WILDE
MO Liberty North High School
Wilde entered the preseason as an honorable mention athlete, but as the current US No. 2 boy for 5k, Wilde's national star quality can't be denied. The Liberty North (MO) junior began his season with just his second-ever sub-15:00 5k performance with a 14:54.40 win at the Tim Nixon Invitational, and later followed up his impressive debut with a winning time of 14:45.70 at the Olathe Twilight meet. The later of the two earns him a 186 speed rating and sits just off his 14:42.33 PR from RunningLane last season. Wilde has certainly made a name for himself on the national stage just two meets into his 2022 campaign.
13
10
CONNOR ACKLEY
OH Hil. Davidson
The Hilliard Davidson (OH) has already put down a new personal best performance in the 5k of 14:57.9 to win at his home course at the Hot Summer Bash meet, equating to a high 188 speed rating. That also made for his first time under 15 minutes in the 5k, which could serve as a huge confidence boost going forward into the season.
14
11
NOAH BREKER
MN Robbinsdale Armstrong High School
Breker entered the preseason as the last guy in at No. 25, but behind historic performances in the early weeks of the season, he's deservingly worked his way up the rankings. Breker has kicked off his senior cross country season with two sub-15:00 5k performances, including a 14:57.2 PR at the Hopkins Bauman/Rovn Invitational that made for a new school record, meet record and Gale Farms course record. With much racing to go this season, Breker has already become the fastest Minnesota boy on Minnesota turf.
15
6
CHRISTOPHER CAUDILLO
CA Clovis (CS)
So far, Caudillo has only put down a two mile time -- 9:07.00 at the Fleet Feet Summer Sizzle in August -- but that performance equates to about a 189 speed rating.
16
10
AIDAN COX
NH Coe Brown Academy
Has yet to make season debut.
17
6
KEVIN SANCHEZ
TX Austin Vandegrift
Sanchez easily opened up his season with a 12:22.40 4k at Friday Night Lights in Texas, good for a 182 speed rating.
18
3
KEEGAN SMITH
TN Knoxville Catholic High School
Smith cruised to a 15:30.00 5k win at the Cherokee Classic to open up his fall season.
19
N/R
DAVID MORA
TX Lubbock Monterey
Mora began his season with not one, but two wins against talented competition in Texas, taking the individual crown at both the Southlake Carroll XC Invite and the FEAST Patriot XC Invitational with 5k performances of 14:46.17 and 14:51.59, respectively. His 14:46.17 race at Southlake Carroll also earned him a new personal best in just his first meet of the season, as well as a US No. 3 5k ranking and a 186 speed rating.
20
N/R
ANGEL SANCHEZ
TX Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis
Sanchez clocked two 5ks under 15 minutes to kick off his fall season, including a personal best 14:55.54 for second at the Southlake Carroll XC Invite. Currently coming in at US No. 14 in the 5k, the Forth Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis (TX) senior has already shown his potential to be a nationally-elite athlete this fall.
21
8
DEVAN KIPYEGO
RI St. Raphael Academy
Has yet to make season debut.
22
8
JIMMY WISCHUSEN
NJ Union Catholic Reg. HS
Has yet to make season debut.
23
N/R
CHRISTIAN GROENDYK
CO Fort Collins High School
Groendyk currently ranks at US No. 7 for 5k thanks to his impressive performance at the Liberty Bell Invitational that earned him a win, personal best, and first-ever sub-15:00 run. 14:48.00 helped him to the win in a highly-competitive Liberty Bell field, and it was Groendyk as the dark horse that came out on top. Perhaps as he continues to tap into his potential and gain confidence, he'll continue his stellar progression into the latter months of the season.
24
8
ZACK MUNSON
WA Sehome High School
Has yet to make season debut.
25
N/R
NOLAN MCGINN
NY Fayetteville-Manlius (FM)
An eye-catching speed rating of 194 registered at the VVS Invitational with his 15:42.9 winning 5k time bumps McGinn up into the top 25 after entering the season under the radar.
Editor's Comments
Note: These rankings are based around recent results, but also take into consideration that many athletes have yet to have made their season debuts.
Boys on the bubble (in no particular order):
Dev Doshi
Jackson Heidesch
Jake Liebert
Cooper Wasson
Marcelo Parra
Will Conway
Kaden Levings
Natnael Kifle
Jaron Hartshorn
Ian Kemey
Andrew Hauser
Wyatt Athey
Carson Noecker
Sam Scott
Joe Sapone
Logan Law
Byron Grevious
Daniel Simmons
Patrick Koon
Hudson Bennett
Ty Steorts
Hunter Strand
Dominykas Remeikis
Aidan Lord
Sawyer Clarkson
Rendon Kuykendall
William Schneider
Jacob Nenow
Wesley Shipsey
Aidan Ross
Josiah Tostenson