There’s another 8th grader in MN Cameron Stocke that runs for Virginia HS who ran a 4:26 this spring and a 16:05 last fall. He ran a 16:12 and beat McArthur at NXR.
Lakeville North has 2 solid 8th graders also. One ran a 1:57/4:30 this spring and a 16:45 last fall. The other ran a 4:49/10:20 this spring and a 16:45 last fall. They were both in LN’s top 4 for XC. They also have another 8th grader who finished 2nd in the JV section 1AA meet behind their 8th runner (sophomore) and ended up as LN’s 9th runner. Their XC team will be pretty solid for the next few years. They have a good top 5 set for next fall already. I wouldn’t be surprised if they go to state next fall by taking second behind Farmington even though LN is graduating 4 seniors including their front runner. There are teams in that section that finished around LN and Farmington that are graduating lots of varsity seniors too.
Mankato East also has another 8th grader who ran a 4:42. They got 5th in the section 2AA meet and 3rd at conference in XC. They are returning all of their 1-6 and some more depth beyond that. Section 2AA Runner-ups Willmar will be moving out of that section next fall. If he does XC next year, Mankato East will have an even better chance win conference and section and go to state. If they do, it will mean they have come a long way since 2013 when they got last in many meets. This will be somewhat like Loudoun Valley, who finished in the bottom half of many races before 2013, and now are back to back NXN champs who will be going for a three-peat this fall.
Next year’s MN boys freshman class will be pretty solid. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s faster than MN’s sophomore class at the top.