What's the strongest high school cross country and track conference in your state? Are a lot of the schools spread out or is there a conference in your state where fast times get you last?
In North Carolina 3A, which was the state I competed in in high school, the Midwest region was absolutely loaded to the point where the top 4 at the regional meet almost always went top 4 in state in outdoor track. There was one conference in particular that had Weddington, Cuthbertson, Marvin Ridge, and Charlotte Catholic, all top 6 teams in the region in XC my senior year, and all have produced D1 runners. The other 2 teams in the top 6, Mount Tabor and Southwest Guilford, where I ran for, were in the same conference. 3A isn't as competitive as 4A, but you still need to run really fast to get out of the region, and to score high at conference in these cases.
Indiana has the HCC. Where every 4x8 in the conference is under 8 if at full strength. And you can get last at your conference xc meet with 7 under 16:40.
most of those schools are 4A now. Southern Carolina 4A conference is Weddington, Cuthbertson, Marvin Ridge, Porter Ridge, Sun Valley and Piedmont. Probably still the best conference but a few other conferences in Charlotte/Triangle/Winston are strong as well.
Gotta be Utahs region 8. Despite not being the largest classification in the state they have 25 guys sub 10, 20 sub 4:30, 10 sub 2s, all at altitude, not to mention they have a national caliber XC team (Mountain View) and a runner in the conversation for top 10 in the senior class (tayson Echohawk). There no slouch on the sprints ether, 4 guys sub 49, 2 sub 22s and a 1:26 4*2
CIF has southern section. Far and away the best in XC and track.
Does CA do conferences or an equivalent? The southern section, even when split into the division prelims, has a mammoth amount of teams. The other UT, IN and NC conferences in this thread have 6-8 teams total so of course they have far less talent
In CT it's probably the FCIAC. As a state we're not super strong in running, but that conference has three of the six top teams at the cross country state open in 2022 (Ridgefield, Danbury, Staples). Greenwich, Warde, and Trumbull also make it to the state meet consistently.
5A District III in Idaho is legit, especially on a per capita basis. It encompasses the Boise Metro, even though there are some schools that are in 1A-4A also in the metro. 1:56/4:19/9:35 to be top 8. 25 sub 10 guys, only 8 of which are seniors.
There are also a handful of guys that never ran a 3200 in that district that are 4:15-4:23 guys. There’s probably closer to 35 guys that could run sub 10 there. 4 returners under 9:30, 3 under 9:15. Could very well need to run in the 9:20’s next year to be top 8.
there are a few huge power house leagues in Orange County CA alone. Trinity with Mater Dei, Bosco, etc. sea view with Dana hills, San Clemente, mission Viejo. I think it’s the empire league that has(had?) brea, el Moden. At one point league meets there had 4 guys that have gone on to be pros (tamagno, Corcoran, theis, gidabuday)
Indiana has the HCC. Where every 4x8 in the conference is under 8 if at full strength. And you can get last at your conference xc meet with 7 under 16:40.
The Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference has to be up there, especially before Carmel left. North Central, Lawerence North, Carmel.....are always at the top of the heap.
5A District III in Idaho is legit, especially on a per capita basis. It encompasses the Boise Metro, even though there are some schools that are in 1A-4A also in the metro. 1:56/4:19/9:35 to be top 8. 25 sub 10 guys, only 8 of which are seniors.
There are also a handful of guys that never ran a 3200 in that district that are 4:15-4:23 guys. There’s probably closer to 35 guys that could run sub 10 there. 4 returners under 9:30, 3 under 9:15. Could very well need to run in the 9:20’s next year to be top 8.
Utah 6A Region 4:
17 sub 10:00 3200m boys returning. 13 sub 9:40, 10 sub 9:30. 8 4:25 or faster boys returning, 2 sub 4:20.
Idaho 5A District III:
17 sub 10:00, 7 sub 9:40, 4 sub 9:30. 10 4:25 or faster boys, 5 sub 4:20. Of the 17 sub 10 boys, 4 are freshmen.
Region 4 will be a lot heavier at the top, but District III is very legit, especially at the 1600m.
most of those schools are 4A now. Southern Carolina 4A conference is Weddington, Cuthbertson, Marvin Ridge, Porter Ridge, Sun Valley and Piedmont. Probably still the best conference but a few other conferences in Charlotte/Triangle/Winston are strong as well.
To answer the question for this conference in NC, its certainly not as deep as some others listed but considering its only 6 schools and only 3 of them really have distance success (Cuthbertson, Weddington, Marvin Ridge + Porter Ridge had Jacob Laney this year) its pretty solid. On the boys side it had:
9 sub 2 in the 800, 9 sub 4:30 in the 1600, 14 sub 10 in the 3200,
on the girls side it was:
6 sub 2:20 in the 800, 8 sub 5:10 (5 at 4:55 or faster 4 of which are returning), 7 sub 11 in 3200 (5 at 10:40 or better, 4 of which are returning)
5A District III in Idaho is legit, especially on a per capita basis. It encompasses the Boise Metro, even though there are some schools that are in 1A-4A also in the metro. 1:56/4:19/9:35 to be top 8. 25 sub 10 guys, only 8 of which are seniors.
There are also a handful of guys that never ran a 3200 in that district that are 4:15-4:23 guys. There’s probably closer to 35 guys that could run sub 10 there. 4 returners under 9:30, 3 under 9:15. Could very well need to run in the 9:20’s next year to be top 8.
Utah 6A Region 4:
17 sub 10:00 3200m boys returning. 13 sub 9:40, 10 sub 9:30. 8 4:25 or faster boys returning, 2 sub 4:20.
Idaho 5A District III:
17 sub 10:00, 7 sub 9:40, 4 sub 9:30. 10 4:25 or faster boys, 5 sub 4:20. Of the 17 sub 10 boys, 4 are freshmen.
Region 4 will be a lot heavier at the top, but District III is very legit, especially at the 1600m.
Also, 18 sub 2 boys. 7 were seniors. 5 boys were sub 1:55, only 1 is a senior.
16 sub 4:30 boys. 2 additional boys went sub 4:10 in the 1500. 5 were seniors. 4:17.87 won the district meet (4:12 boy). 4:21.25 got 8th.
9 sub 2:20 girls, 21 sub 2:25. 8 sub 5:05 girls. 24 under 5:30. The conference is weakest at the girls 3200, but still has 3 sub 11 girls and 10 girls at 11:30 or faster.