BOYS (final 2008 ranking in parentheses)
| GIRLS (final 2008 ranking in parentheses)
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1. (NR)
| Ferris HS, Spokane, WA - Led by 4:10/9:10 trackman Adam Thorne, coach Mike Hadway has everyone back—with the Saxons buoyed by the city’s auspicious running heritage.
| 1. (1)
| Fayetteville-Manlius HS, Manlius, NY - The 3-time NXN defenders return 4 of 5 while adding an outstanding soph to give the remarkable coaches Bill and John Aris another national favorite.
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2. (2)
| York HS, Elmhurst, IL - The Dukes lost state 3A by 1 point and NXN by 17 in ’08, and coach Joe Newton, now 80, vows to regain both honors with another blue-chip crew.
| 2. (2)
| Saugus HS, Saugus, CA - The state’s dominant team and NXN runner-up got even better after a brilliant track season and could break more course records under coach Rene Paragas.
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3. (17)
| Fayetteville-Manlius HS, Manlius, NY - Can one team sweep the nationals? Coaches Bill and John Aris have 4:07 miler Alex Hatz and all the Stotans back in an attempt to match their girls’ success.
| 3. (4)
| Saratoga Springs HS, Saratoga Springs, NY - The all-time national leader has everyone back from its NXN 4th-place team and adds to its legend under coaches Art and Linda Kranick.
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4. (8)
| Cedar Park HS, Cedar Park, TX - USA junior 10,000 champ Parker Stinson and a deep line-up give coach Timo Sheard the best team in Texas and a national threat.
| 4. (3)
| Tatnall HS, Wilmington, DE - With a team of only 14 girls, coach Pat Castagno has another national power and hopes of top-5 again at NXN after a record-setting track season.
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5. (NR)
| Arcadia HS, Arcadia, CA - Junior Ammar Moussa, 4:12/9:03 as a soph, has excellent back-up as coach Jim O’Brien looks to capture the brutally tough state Div I.
| 5. (16)
| Shenendehowa HS, Clifton Park, NY - After a sensational spring, coach Rob Cloutier’s squad should be in the thick of the NY hotbed with soph Liz Predmore leading the way.
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6. (NR)
| Mason HS, Mason, OH - Ohio’s best team in years is led by NON 2-mile runner-up Zach Wills, as coach Tom Rapp has 6 of 7 back while searching for a solid 5th man.
| 6. (5)
| Queensbury HS, Queensbury, NY - Such is the NY depth that the NXN 5th-place team with its top 4 back, led by Danielle Winslow, must work to keep up under coach Bob Underwood.
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7. (NR)
| Haddonfield HS, Haddonfield, NJ - With a 4:09-4:14-4:15 1600 trio, coach Nick Baker may have the best “stat” unit anywhere, but it will take cross-country chops to emerge as the state’s power.
| 7. (13)
| The Woodlands HS, The Woodlands, TX - Coach Noel Hansen has 6 of 7 back led by Pan Am Jr 5,000 champ Sarah Andrews, NXN runner-up, and will get an early look at Saugus in September.
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8. (NR)
| Christian Bros Acad, Lincroft, NJ - Seeking a 16th Meet of Champs title, coach Tom Heath’s Colts have great leadership in state 3200 runner-up Mike Mazzaccaro plus developing depth.
| 8. (12)
| Classical Academy, Colorado Springs, CO - State champ Kaitlin Hanenburg should lead coach Alan Versaw’s team to a 7th straight state 3A title and into top-10 national contention.
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9. (19)
| Wayzata HS, Plymouth, MN - Talented and balanced through 8 men, coach Bill Miles’ squad seeks to improve from the team’s 18th at NXN while handling tough in-state competition.
| 9. (14)
| Lincoln-Sudbury HS, Sudbury, MA - With plenty of big-game experience, coach Henry Phelan’s NE regional defenders have the talent to re-load and have an impact on the national scene.
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10. (11)
| Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque, NM - Coach Adam Kedge, who had the record-breaking decathlete Curtis Beach on his roster last fall, has towering Pat Zacharias leading the region’s top team.
| 10. (NR)
| Torrey Pines HS, San Diego, CA - With 6 of 7 back led by a pair of state contenders, coach Brent Thorne’s Div I runner-up team will wage a tough duel with state defender Dana Hills.
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11. (NR)
| Bishop Guertin HS, Nashua, NH - With the state’s 2-3-4 finishers from class L, all under 16 minutes at Derryfield Park, coach Scott Singleton has this season’s prohibitive New England favorite.
| 11. (15)
| Jesuit HS, Portland, OR - State champ Annamarie Maag leads coach Tom Rothenberger’s Lady Crusaders, who return 7 of 8 in pursuit of a record 8th straight 6A crown.
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12. (NR)
| Royal HS, Simi Valley, CA - Coach Ryan Luce’s perennial state power has 5 of 7 back led by Div I contender Travis Edwards and should duel Arcadia for the top spot.
| 12. (17)
| Magnificat HS, Rocky River, OH - Everyone’s back for coach Anjanette Aarabian’s runaway state Div I champs led by state 1600 winner Madeline Chambers and twins Abby and Clare Fischer.
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13. (NR)
| Henry Jackson HS, Mill Creek, WA - With a deep squad that could be a 4A spoiler for Ferris, coach Eric Hrushka has a pair of 9:20s trackmen leading a team hungry to show their stuff.
| 13. (10)
| Eden Prairie HS, Eden Prairie, MN - While the top runner has graduated the next 6 girls are back for coach Jeff Lindlief as the Heartland defender seeks another NXN top-10 finish.
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14. (1)
| North Central HS, Spokane, WA - The NXN defenders lose key scorers but still have two excellent harriers back and should win their 4th straight 3A title under coach Jon Knight.
| 14. (11)
| Dana Hills HS, Dana Point, CA - State Div I champs and 11th at NXN return four ’08 soph scorers for coach Rex Hall and will tangle with Torrey Pines while looking for high national placing.
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15. (3)
| Naperville North HS, Naperville, IL - The state 3A winner over York, and NXN 3rd-placer, has key gaps to fill but loads of top-drawer experience under coach Dave Racey.
| 15. (18)
| Geneva HS, Geneva, IL - The runaway state 3A winner and Midwest Regional defender is led by state runner-up Kelly Whitley as coach Bob Thomson has another stellar squad.
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16. (NR)
| Klein Oak HS, Spring, TX - Led by the 9:03-9:20 combo of Ryan Dohner and Bill Nation, coach Andre Andrepont’s boys will have to face Cedar Park and The Woodlands locally.
| 16. (NR)
| Midlothian HS, Midlothian, VA - Coach Stan Morgan’s dominant 3A champs come off an excellent track season among a trio of top teams along with 2A powers Hidden Valley and Blacksburg.
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17. (NR)
| St. Louis University HS, St. Louis, MO - Caleb Ford and Nick Seckfort return for coach Jim Linhares after an excellent track season to lead a tight pack of 7 that could surprise.
| 17. (7)
| Fort Collins HS, Fort Collins, CO - This “quiet” power that won state 5A by 93 and the Southwest Regional while taking 7th at NXN offers lessons in clutch-ness under coach Chris Suppes.
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18. (NR)
| Henderson HS, West Chester, PA - State 3A runner-up Will Keller heads a team with 16 of 17 boys back under coach Kevin Kelly and designs on national contention.
| 18. (NR)
| North Shore HS, Glen Head, NY - The latest in the NY juggernaut is coach Neal Levy’s Long Island squad, inspired by a great spring and led by soph Sammy Nadel, 17:15 5,000 indoors as a frosh.
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19. (NR)
| Columbus HS, Miami, FL - State 4A runner-up Armando Del Valle paces the best Florida team in years in defense of the state title and a shot at an NXN berth under coach Jorge Fleitas.
| 19. (6)
| Newton South HS, Newton Centre, MA - Coach Steve McChesney’s team, 6th at NXN and battling Sudbury week after week, has the young talent to replace key losses with hopes of state contention.
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20. (5)
| West Windsor Plainsboro North HS, Plainsboro, NJ - Last year’s NXN 5th-placer under coach Brian Gould returns national-class twins Jim and Joe Rosa but will have to fill key gaps to approach ’08 levels.
| 20. (NR)
| Lee’s Summit West HS, Lee’s Summit, MO - Coach Jesse Griffin is a math teacher, and for LSW the numbers add up: state class 4 champs by 64 with two 10:58 3200 runners and four 5:20s milers behind.
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21. (NR)
| Boerne Champion HS, Boerne, TX - Coach Dave Fulkerson’s state 4A champs led by Travis Barclay have everyone back and look to challenge the 5A powers for overall state supremacy.
| 21. (NR)
| Chiles HS, Tallahassee, FL - State 3A winner by 103 with 4 top-10 performers back within 56 seconds, the SE Region’s #7 team from ’08 looks to move up under coach Scott Gowan.
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22. (16)
| Loyola HS, Los Angeles, CA - With middle-distance sensation Elias Gedyon, the Div I X-C champion as a soph, leading a young team, coach Lalo Diaz is looking ahead toward 2010.
| 22. (NR)
| Dowling Catholic HS, W. Des Moines, IA - National contenders Katie Flood and Ashlie Decker provide a scintillating 1-2 punch as coach Jim Kirby’s team fills all varsity spots with impressive talent.
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23. (6)
| Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, NJ - The NXN 6th-placer and best team in school history under coach Kevin Kilduff has gaps to fill and can be counted on to come through down the stretch.
| 23. (8)
| Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake HS, Burnt Hills, NY - Losing 2 of your 3 marquee runners can be crushing in NY but coach Shaun Zepf’s NXN 8th-placers still have 7 solid performers in a gutty line-up.
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24. (12)
| Carmel HS, Carmel, IN - With coach Erhard Bell succeeding the great Chuck Koeppen, the Greyhounds return a trio of top performers with hopes of sustaining the winning tradition.
| 24. (NR)
| Xavier Prep, Phoenix, AZ - Three-time Foot Locker finalist Jessica Tonn leads a deep team that adds an all-state transfer (eligible for post-season) under coaches Dave Van Sickle and Jeff Messer.
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25. (NR)
| Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, IL - The 2007 NXN titlist under coach Paul Vandersteen has an all-senior top 5 with Chris Derrick’s brother competing for a varsity spot.
| 25. (NR)
| Kingwood HS, Kingwood, TX - Renewed after an off-year, coach Christie Simpson’s squad could make things tough for The Woodlands with a top 5 clocking 11:07 to 11:47 for 3200.
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