Is Rocha the number 2 XC runner or is it Clinger?

Based purely on their body of work for this XC season, I would have to say Rocha had the #2 season.

I think Clinger will run the faster track times.

rocha>clinger

rocha has had a phenomenal season. really unbelievable plus he would wreck clinger. faster times across the board from 800-5000

They both beat Ben veatch but clinger was farther ahead of veatch so I would say clinger

Clinger wasn't farther ahead than Veatch by time. What are you talking about?

I'd say Rocha has the better XC credentials (minus that little NXN title, which is admittedly huge), but Clinger has the potential to run super fast this spring. He appears to be progressing better than Conner Mantz, which is scary.

Veatch was catching Clinger at NXN, while Rocha pulled away from Veatch at FL.

Fyi, Rocha ran a 50 sec. quarter last spring.

Rocha #2

Clinger #3

maxmad wrote:

Veatch was catching Clinger at NXN, while Rocha pulled away from Veatch at FL.

Fyi, Rocha ran a 50 sec. quarter last spring.

Rocha #2

Clinger #3

I guess we will truly never know. I wish that there was a National HS XC championship to decide that...

For what it is worth, the Flo50 season ending ratings has Rocha #2 and Clinger #3.

The Tully speed ratings had Clinger's NXN performance behind the top 4 runners at FootLocker. Those speed ratings proved fairly accurate in predicting the FL results, which is so hard to do because of most of the boys have never reached each other. But in the end it is just an educated guess.

Neither is definitive, but I think the majority of people would rank the top 4 the same as the Flo50. But another year goes by and we curse the fact they can't have 1 national championship race.

speed ratings go only so far. on the day in the particular conditions you face, you don't know what is going to happen unless there is total dominance in advance.

Fyyffyfvyvf wrote:

1 - Hunter

2 - Clinger

3 - Rocha

???

Is that right?

I would definitely put Rocha over Clinger.

Phillip Rocha

15:07 Balboa

14:42 Woodward

14:23 Mt SAC

Times are not suppose to matter...But

Rocha

14:32 at Stanford!

Also, 13:57 for 3 miles!

No way you wanted to put Clinger in a x/c race with Rocha. Clinger would be on him with 400 to go easily NO Doubt. Clinger is a very deceptive runner. A very calculating x/c runner..very. You think you have to much speed or quickness of foot..you don't. He is very good at running within himself and gentle closure. The kid is a freakin predator behind your champ and will be on him, every freakin time in the same position without a doubt. In a race, IMHO, like NXN, if I was Rocha's coach I would have told him this. Clinger will go out back like 7th early. Set up behind him. Recover, relax conserve best u can with your flow behind him. Don't worry at all about the leader. Clinger will hand carry you right to the leader's butt, no doubt. The race starts at about 350 meters to go. Stay on him and use your speed. Outgut him to the line. He will fight you to the tape, plan on it. Just my opinion.

TrackCoach wrote:

Fyyffyfvyvf wrote:

1 - Hunter

2 - Clinger

3 - Rocha

???

Is that right?

I would definitely put Rocha over Clinger.

Phillip Rocha

15:07 Balboa

14:42 Woodward

14:23 Mt SAC

Times are not suppose to matter...But

15:07.9

14:42.9

14:24.0

Casey Clinger and Phillip Rocha have raced each other already.

Casey Clinger, as a sophomore, beat Phillip Rocha, as a junior, at NXN in 2014. Clinger was 8th and Rocha 11th in that race.

I think Clinger would beat Rocha at the NXN course and Rocha would beat Clinger at the California course.

Results matter wrote:

... But another year goes by and we curse the fact they can't have 1 national championship race.

I was watching the FL webcast. I found it amusing that they started the webcast by saying: "We have the top 40 HS XC runners in the country here today". That hasn't been true since NXN started. This year, they may not have had the top 2 runners and 100% sure that they did not have the top 3 (so forget 40)...

People don't realize just how good Clinger is, and that's fine, he hasn''t been in the spotlight much and kind of gets forgotten up there in Utah. Let it be known, he will assume the spotlight next year and EVERYBODY will know this kid. As talented as he is, he is an even better racer. Uncanny. Reminds me of Centro Jr in high school, just stalking, stalking and then unleashing for the sprint-down finish. He's a very tough and deceptive racer. This from somebody who has seen him race quite a lot.