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SteveU's DyeStat XC Top 25
2008 Individual XC Rankings
By Steve Underwood

 

The annual DyeStat XC Top 25 series (formerly Foot Locker Favorites and renamed given additional options available now) are national and regional rankings of cross-country runners based on distance-running accomplishments to date, with an emphasis on XC and 3200/2M track results, rather than a projection of how the Foot Locker Finals or NXN Finals will turn out (predictions run later in the season). Early season rankings have significant basis in top returnees from last fall and those who made significant progress as distance runners in track.  As the season progresses, this season's XC results weigh continually heavier.

September 17, 2008 (rank through meets of Sept. 13)

CO, TX, and NM stars move up

  • Big early-season meets in Colorado, Texas and New Mexico have dictated many of the early-season changes in the boys Top 25 through Sept. 13 action.
  • New #1 - Denver North CO sr Joseph Manilafasha takes the top spot after the top performance at Liberty Bell
  • Big impact of Liberty Bell – With Colorado’s three Foot Locker Finals returnees all racing, and others from CO and New Mexico giving them a fight, the rankings picked up some newcomers and saw others drop.  New faces include Gareth Gilna NM, who was two seconds behind Bobby Nicolls CO in the D1 race there, and Dart Schwaderer CO, who handed Evan Appel CO his second loss in the D2 race.
  • Ripple effect – Earlier, Bryce Palmer of Eldorado NM had beaten Gilna, and with another big win last weekend, he enters the rankings strongly as well.  Two years ago, Eldorado grad Matt Tebo was one of the nation’s best.
  • Texas’ super sophMarcus TX soph Craig Lutz has two early-season victories over 2007 Foot Locker Finalist CJ Brown TX and has shown progress from a freshman year that saw him run 9:14 for 3200.  He makes the biggest entry at #5.  Three more sophs on the rise are Zach Wills OH and twins Joe and James Rosa NJ.
  • Illinois’ super freshman – Lincoln-Way Central IL freshman Lukas Verzbicas is making huge waves, thanks to a course record one week, and a win at Detweiller over Danny Pawola IL and Drew Shields IN the next.
  • More than solid – Also looking very tough in the early season have been Trevor Dunbar AK, Joash Osoro ND, and Andrew Kimpel WA.


Sept 17 - The Top 25

Athlete
Sept. 17 Rank (pre-season rank)

1. (5) Joseph Manilafasha, 2009
Denver North HS, CO


2. (1) Bobby Nicolls, 2009
Regis Jesuit HS, CO


3. (2) Chris Schwartz, 2009
Foothill HS, CA


4. (5) Doug Smith, 2009
Gill-St. Bernards HS, NJ


5. (NR) Craig Lutz, 2011
Marcus HS, TX


6. (6) Steve Sulkin, 2009
York HS, IL


7. (9) Zach Ornelas, 2009
Vista Ridge HS, TX


8. (14) Trevor Dunbar, 2009
Kodiak HS, AK


9. (NR) Bryce Palmer, 2009
Eldorado HS, NM


10. (NR) Gareth Gilna, 2009
Los Alamos HS, NM


11. (NR) Dart Schwaderer, 2009
Wheat Ridge HS, CO


12. (10) Solomon Haile, 2009
Sherwood HS, MD


13. (3) Evan Appel, 2009
Dakota Ridge HS, CO


14. (12) Brett Johnson, 2009
Ocean City HS, NJ


15. (16) Tyler Udland, 2010
Millburn HS, NJ


16. (15) Robby Andrews, 2009
Manalapan HS, NJ


17. (20) Joash Osoro, 2009
Bismarck HS, ND


18. (7) CJ Brown, 2009
Southlake Carroll HS, TX


19. (19) Reed Connor, 2009
The Woodlands HS, TX


20. (NR) Andrew Kimpel, 2009
North Central HS, WA


21. (NR) Lukas Verzbicas, 2012
Lincoln-Way Central HS, IL


22. (11) Thomas Porter, 2009
Mountain View HS, VA


23. (17) Graham Bazell, 2009
Atholton HS, MD


24. (18) Dominick Robinson, 2009
Campbell County HS, WY


25. (25) Bryan Tibaduiza, 2009
Galena HS, NV

Honorable mention - Omar Aden MA, Bryan Atkinson FL, Andrew Berberick CO, Joe Beveridge PA, Alex de la Garza TX, Ben Dejarnette VA, Jeremy Drenckhahn MN, Stuart Edmonds OH, Eric Fitzpatrick ID, Mac Fleet CA, Dave Forward NJ, Elias Gedyon CA, Kyle Gibson IL, Taylor Gilland NC, Sherod Hardt AZ, Francis Hernandez NH, Devin Huizenga ND, Elliott Jantzer OR, Patrick McGregor AL, Bill Matthews TN, Ben Miller MI, Robert Molke NJ, Michael Murphy MI, Kevin Palmer NM, Danny Pawola IL, Dakota Peachee NC, Kyle Pittman NM, Connor Revord FL, Wes Rickman CO, James Rosa NJ, Joe Rosa NJ, Kevin Rosaaen WA, Donny Roys OH, Jonathan Sanchez CA, Drew Shields IN, Walter Schafer CO, Cody Schmidt CA, Bryan Schrader AZ, Matt Sonnenfeldt TN, Charlie Sparks GA, Chris Stogstill NY, Tyler Stutzman VA, Jake Swearingen MO, Jimmy Tarsnane PA, Zack Torres CA, Tyler Valdes CA, Barak Watson ID, Joe Whelen NY, Zach Wills OH, David Wilson MA, Kevin Yarnell OH



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