Cain went a combined 4-0 against Efraimson and Cranny, and 0-2 against Baxter. Cain had a lower ROI over the years where all three (Efraimson, Cranny, Cain) ran. Efraimson and Cranny are both 1-2 against Baxter, but with the win coming this year. Efraimson, Baxter, and Cranny have better XC marks than Cain.
Despite Cain beating a younger Efraimson twice, and Cranny who really just exploded in XC this fall (going from a great regional XC runner to a great national XC runner - she was already a great track runner before).
So, yes, Cain has the head-to-head record against Efraimson and Cranny. But Efraimson and Cranny both have faster times, had better rates of improvement (in XC), and both did something Cain never managed (beat Baxter).
Times at 2013 was faster because of good conditions AND because of the talent in the field. If you look closely at the results, you'd see that the 2013 course ran very similarly to the 2009 course (and not much faster than the 2008 course)... and about 10 seconds faster than the 2011 course, where there was a little mud that year. The 2008 course was somewhere in between (faster than 2011, but a little slower than 2009/2013). And by look at the results, I mean look at what kids ran there vs. elsewhere (either in cross and on the track, take your pick), because yes there were more fast times this year (because this year was by far the strongest NXN yet).
I like how you conveniently ignored the part where I showed how Cain stacked up against All-Time New York/Northeast competition. Guess since that doesn't fit into your preconceived notion that it doesn't deserve to be addressed.
As for Barrett... I never said she didn't improve. She's a fantastic runner, and like I said/agreed, in any other year she'd be the highlight. But with Cain, Efraimson, Cranny and Baxter also competing this year she's not exactly the top story.
Barrett had the best weekend. No one is disputing that. But a 16:11 5k and 10:08y - and even her FLN title this fall - doesn't push her past Cain (4:24y, 4:04m, 1:59, 2:35, 9:38y, 9:02m, 15:45), Efraimson (4:32y, 4:16m, 9:00m, NXN Champ), Cranny (4:15m, NXN Runner-up, US JR XC Champ), and Baxter (2 NXN titles, NXN#3 this fall, Mt. SAC record, Woodward record).
But, since you bring it up... how Barrett's marks stack up in XC:
17:32.7 at VCP, a little slower than Cain and not Top-10 All-Time
17:30 CR at the PA State course
Fourth fastest winning time at FLN since it moved back to Balboa (behind Cuffe, Hasay, and Goethals) in 17:16.
And how that stacks up to Efraimson, Cranny and Baxter...
Efraimson ran 17:01.1 at WA State (CR)
Efraimson ran 17:27.1 at NXN-NW (CR)
Efraimson ran 16:50.1 at NXN (CR)
(Cranny's state meet is on a brutal course at altitude, so I won't bother to compare)
Cranny ran 16:59 at NXN-SW last year (CR) - and 17:03.9 in the mud this year
Cranny ran 16:53.8 at NXN (#2 All-Time)
Baxter ran 16:00 at Mt. SAC (CR)
Baxter ran 16:40 at Woodward (CR)
Baxter ran 16:57.8 at NXN (#3 All-Time)
For Barrett's XC performances to be better than Baxter: the NXN course would have to be 20 seconds faster than FLN (which it isn't); the CA State course would have to be 50 seconds faster than the PA State course (which it isn't); Mt. SAC's 2.93m course would have to be more than 90 seconds faster than VCP's 5k course (which it isn't). The courses that are the most similar of all those are NXN and FLN, and NXN isn't more than 5-10 seconds faster - and that's being generous.
In short: Baxter's bests are better than Barrett's bests in XC.
As discussed above, Cranny's NXN time is better than Barrett's best performance. Cranny's sub-17 at NXN-SW is about on par with Barrett's marks, maybe even a slight edge for Barrett, though the 17:02.9 in the mud this year was much more impressive (the course ran about 25 seconds slower, easily).
And I'd say that all three of Efraimson's marks are better outside of Barrett's FLN race, which is better than Efraimson's state meet performance.
That's not even going into Cranny's demolishing the field at US Jr Nats (6k), her sub-17 race at altitude. Or Efraimson's race at the Dillinger invite where she beat Emma Bates (among others). I think I remember something about Cranny winning an open race during the fall as well, though I can't remember how impressive it was... I remember that there were not any potential NCAA Champions in the field, but it might have been at least on Barrett's level as well.