Which HS distance runners had the best year?

If we are talking times - Simmons is clear first with his 13:25 5k. That is equal to a 3:54.0 mile, 8:24 two mile or 8:21 3200. Griffith second with his 8:31 2 mile / 3:57 mile. Patrick Loon ran 8:34 2 mile that would be 4th. Jourdon and Hill House 5th and 6th with their sub 4 clocking. Neil 7th with 4:00 / 8:36 2 mile.

Big Wins - I feel like all 3 runners - Griffith, Simmons, Jourdon won at-least 1 very big race. Griffith won footlocker. Jourdon won nxn (and that USA 1 mile race early season). Simmons won Arcadia. However, Griffith won more big races overall. He won Footlocker, Hoka, New Balance Indoor 3200, New Balance Outdoor Mile. He ran fast times many times throughout the season. Griffith 1st, Jourdon/Simmons tied here for 2nd, Seth Norder 3rd

Versatility - Griffith shows he can run everything from 1 mile - 3:57, 2 mile - 8:31 - 5k - XC. Simmons Seems to be only a 2 mile - 5k guy but he had that 4:01 at altitude. So he gets 2nd. Jourdon gets 3rd.

Consistancy - Griffith 1st then Simmons 2nd then Neil for 3rd.

Simmons has the 1 better overall performance but he isn't as consistent, versatile, and doesn't have as many big wins as Drew Griffith.

Zach Hillhouse sub-4 mile

Cooper Litkenhaus FTWR

Lutkenhaus

For the girls, it’s Elizabeth Leachman. NXN wasn’t great but she was Footlocker champ and NXR/FL south champ by a mile. All those national records too…she’s obviously very legit. Nobody else really compares in my opinion.

Also, this is really random, but I feel as though Isabel Allori from Colorado is the Rocky Hansen of 2024 distance track. Also 4th at NXN and 2nd at NXR SW. Very underrated runner and seems to be frequently counted out but always up there and running and competing well…

Eh maybe Leachman in XC, but Zealand did just beat her very convincingly at Brooks PR in the 2 mile, and Zealand also has the #2 all-time HS girls mile (held the record for exactly one heat until Sadie beat her for it). So it's hard for me to say no one compares. Zealand also beat her at NXN, actually (although neither of them did well).

I was thinking it was between Engelhardt and Zealand, with Leachman 3rd.

For the boys, I think my rank would be Griffith (the 2 mile performance was otherworldly and he won FL), Simmons 2nd, Jourdan 3rd.

alr we got to remember here that zachary hillhouse finished his junior season with a pr of like 4:26, albeit I think i remember him saying he had an injury or something, but going from 4:26 to sub 4 and not even doing that well at xc state a few months before is astonishing.

also danny's 4:01 was at byu at 4500 feet of altitude, which at the very least is the equivalent of sub 4, maybe 3:58ish

And we pretend hs distance doesn’t have a drug problem. Griffith also made a massive progression

"injury"...sure. Barely able to run sub 4:30 into running sub 4 a year later. Must have a good doctor.

For girls, it's straight up Engelhardt. No debating that for me, she was out of this world. Also big ups to the Carolina Cavaliers for setting what seemed like thirty seven national records at NBNI and NBNO.

Boys is where it gets interesting

Griffith's consistency was on another level. 8:31, 3:57, FL Champion. Dude's bad races were a 4:03 and an 8:40. Went 8:31, 3:59, and 4:01 within 4 days. Set two national records (Outdoor 1600 and Indoor 2 Mile)

Simmons wasn't always on, but when he was, he was insane. 13:25 was the performance of the year, and the 8:36 and 4:01 at altitude were crazy but he had some really bad races (4:18 fresh at Grand Prix and NXN). Also set 2 national records (Indoor and Outdoor 5K)

Jourdon had the two biggest wins of the year (Sub-4 Indoors and NXN), but was relatively quiet besides that. Beat Simmons in a 1600 once but time wasn't crazy. Bad races at Arcadia, Brooks, and solid but beaten at NON.

Similarily, Norder had big wins and really fast times at Brooks and NON, but was pretty unheard of besides that.

Hillhouse went Sub-4, didn't do much else though.

Lutkenhaus was insane throughout the year, 1:47 as a freshman is disgusting. Won some big races and just looked really good every time he raced.

Don't think anyone went sub-4:01 more than Shively. Poor dude but really, really good year, so consistent.

And people tend to forget about this, but Riley Smith ran 8:39, 1:50 went sub 4:06 three times in two days, and went undefeated throughout literally all of indoor, winning Millrose and NIN twice in the process.

So many had great years too, Tostenson, Hergenrother, Hilby, Brendan Herger came outta nowhere, Koon, Neil

I'd say Griffith, Simmons, Jourdon in that order.

What is going on in Utah? Hillhouse 3rd in the state in the 1600m and he's the only sub 4 miler. Steadman 4:02 1600m at altitude behind Simmons. The depth this year was off the charts, we could name 20 more hs kids that put down crazy times this year. These college rosters are about to be ridiculous soon.

I don't see how you can say "no debate." She was great but Leachman was at least as good and even better in my opinion.

Footlocker CC champion, #1 and #3 all-time in the 5000m (set both indoor and outdoor national records), #1, #2, and #3 all-time in the 3200m, #2 all-time in the 2-mile (behind Mary Cain), Nike Indoor Nationals winner in both 2-mile and 5000m, Nike Outdoor Nationals runner-up in mile, Olympic Trials qualifier

Englehardt did break the outdoor mile record, but it only converts to #5 when 1500/1600/mile are combined. Her best was still about a second slower than Wiley's time two years ago and four seconds behind Cain's.