NXR Heartland Predictions 2023

Good predictions, hopefully there will be another team come out of nowhere to make things more interesting.

Boys individuals

1. Clay Shively KS. Senior. Did not run at NXR last year, but ran a 8:50 in the 3200, and 4:01 in a mile.

2. Sam Scott MN. Senior. 4th returner. 8:57 in the 2-mile. Also a 2021 Griak champ and 2022 state meet runner up.

3. Robert Mechura MN. Junior. Won the open race in a 15:06. 8:59 in the 2-mile. Should have a really solid season.

4. Bode Erickson WI. Senior. 5th returner. 9:08 in the 3200.

5. Manny Putz WI. Junior. Top returner. No track results due to injury. Won the WI state meet last year.

6. Jack Witte NE. Senior. #2 returner from last year’s NXR. Ran a huge breakthrough race that day. Won the 1600 and 3200 at the NE state meet.

7. Aloysius Franzen WI. Senior. #3 NXR returner. Also the #5 returner from NXN. 9:12 in the 3200.

8. Grady Lenn WI. Sophomore. Did not run NXR. Last year was his first year of racing anything above 800. He ran a 15:44 during his first year of XC and a 9:09 in the 3200. Looking to be the top sophomore in the region.

9. Nolan Sutter MN. Senior. 10th returner. 3200 PR of 9:07. Made a huge jump from sophomore to junior year.

10. Ethan Zuber IA. Junior. Did not run at NXR last year but is looking to be the #1 Iowa guy. Finished as the fastest nonsenior in the 3200 and 1600 at the IA state meet. Also has a 3200 PR of a 9:11.

If Putz doesn’t race this season I think this would bump junior Juan Gonzalez into the top 10. He is the #7 returner and won the Nebraska XC state meet. He was also the runner up in the 1600 and 3200 to Jack Witte.

N Kifle ran 15:00 early last season on the NXR course. He ran 4:14 in track.

Kifle was inconsistent last year. He took 10th at Griak but took 17th at state and 110th at Heartland. Zuber beat him in both 1600 and 3200 at the state meet

One team to watch will be Fremont NE.
They returned their 1-3, but lost their 4-7.
They will need to find a 4th and 5th.
Last year they won the NE state meet with only 1 varsity returner from the year before

Would be cool to see how Mankato East MN does at NXR.
They won the Class AA state meet (smaller class than AAA), and they return almost everybody

Blue Valley Southwest KS is another one to watch
They return
Caul - 15:37 - 12
Buehler 1 - 16:01 - 12
Buehler 2 - 16:16 - 11
C Paschke (Micah’s brother?) - 10:09 3200 - 10
Reeves - 4:32 1600 / 16:57 5k - 12

Since Dowling Catholic and Minnetonka are mentioned as darkhorse teams here, I think Wichita Trinity from KS should be mentioned too. They placed highly at Griak last year, return almost everyone, and have an 8:50 guy Clay Shively. They didn’t run NXR last year but this year I think they should

Theres a team in Dowilings home state that looks to have more depth, but oh well end of year will tell!

Yes, Cedar Falls is another one to watch. They have a solid 1-2 punch and both of those guys are back, and gained a solid transfer who will be their #3.
They also have plenty of young guys that can step into the 4&5 roles.

I would look for the transfer to have a very likely chance to be their number 2

Cedar Falls IA might be competing for an NXN spot!

Clay Shively 14:42