These sites don't always research each and every person as well as they should. Some that are closer to the situations will see more than those with this wide view. I see it in the rankings all the time for my own team as well as those in our Section.
Boys rankings: https://dyestatxcrankings.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=46052&do=news&news_id=648421 Herriman is ranked a little too high here imo (although I do know they are the best in the Southwest) Riverton was someone close to them when they raced each other Carmel almost beat Jesuit LA Seems like Wayzata got really good. Better than last year. They put 5 under 15:50. Before the rankings were done they put 4 under 16:01. They should be ahead of Dowling Catholic Rocky Mountain is ranked a little too low here.
8 southwest teams in the top 23… a maximum of around 4 of them will make NXN
I doubt that there will be 2 on the boys side for SW I think it will be: 1 from CA (Newbury Park / Granada / San Clemente) 1 from SW (Mountain View UT / American Fork / Herriman (if they don’t underperform) 1 from MW (Carmel / Plainfield South / Zionsville) 1 from NW (Rocky Mountain / Jesuit / Crater)
there is absolutely no way Hinsdale Central should be #1. Carmel and Center Grove are on a whole different level than all other teams because of the transfers they got.
this sure aged about as well as their ability to find a 5th
First Three Nike Cross Regionals This Weekend Mark Return To NXN Qualifying For First Time Since 2019; State Meet Performances Give Added Clarity To RankingsBy Doug Binder, DyeStat EditorYes, Nike Cross Regionals this weekend...
there is absolutely no way Hinsdale Central should be #1. Carmel and Center Grove are on a whole different level than all other teams because of the transfers they got.
this sure aged about as well as their ability to find a 5th
To be fair at the time that pronouncement was made it was pretty accurate. However, this happens seemingly every year...Illinois teams get vastly underrated going into NXR and yet they always dominate the region. The popular reason is the higher ranked non Illinois teams ran poorly, but it happens too often and by too many teams for that to be a viable excuse. I can't pinpoint a reason either, there are very good coaches and programs in Illinois and with only four qualifying state sectionals the competition makes it tough to make it to state and state is even tougher. I think Illinois teams are just used to racing top competition.
Hinsdale Central closed the 4-5 gap at NXR and this is why they won. Shows how important it is to have a 5th.
The 1-point loss and a big 4-5 gap was a wake up call for them at state
Their 5th has never done XC until this year. But he did do track last spring and the spring before
Without a 5th they would have been in trouble
Actually you might say it was Gamboa who really lowered HC's score. He was 16th at sectional, 22nd at state but gets 13th at NXR. He's usually with Skora who went 16-21-52 in the same meets. Lowe went 39-42-49.
So assuming strength of competition Skora and Lowe placed further back in each subsequent meet which would make sense. However Gamboa really stepped up and improved his placing against tougher competition.
Hinsdale Central closed the 4-5 gap at NXR and this is why they won. Shows how important it is to have a 5th.
The 1-point loss and a big 4-5 gap was a wake up call for them at state
Their 5th has never done XC until this year. But he did do track last spring and the spring before
Without a 5th they would have been in trouble
Actually you might say it was Gamboa who really lowered HC's score. He was 16th at sectional, 22nd at state but gets 13th at NXR. He's usually with Skora who went 16-21-52 in the same meets. Lowe went 39-42-49.
So assuming strength of competition Skora and Lowe placed further back in each subsequent meet which would make sense. However Gamboa really stepped up and improved his placing against tougher competition.
Correction, Gamboa was 17th at sectional so he went 17-22-13.