| DyeStat Foot Locker Favorites
2007 Individual XC Rankings
By SteveU
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The annual Foot Locker Favorites series 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 will turn out (predictions run later in the season). While the rankings are named as such in acknowledgement of the Foot Locker Finals as the historic individual championship, they are intended more as national and regional individual rankings per se, since some top runners will choose to participate only in NTN Regional and National Events.
Thanks to Rob Monroe for research assistance on this year's rankings.
'Catagories' of Champions!
The Boys Preseason National Rankings
Without the clearcut favorites of 2006, forecasters have to choose between athletes who have made their mark in different ways this year
Who do you think has a better chance to be the best cross-country runner in the country? The top Foot Locker and NTN returnee who’s never broken 9:10 for 2M or 3200 meters? An 8:55.16 2-miler who’s tops among current preps but is just the 11th best returning runner from his region? Or maybe a Texan who ranks high among Foot Locker, NTN, and 2M/3200 returnees, but just not quite the best in either case?
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| Ben Johnson NM
| Colby Lowe TX
| Sean Keveren TN
| Luke Puskedra UT
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Coming into last year, you had studs with pretty darn good, across-the-board national credentials – Matt Tebo, Evan Jager, Craig Forys, and Mike Cybulski. They may not have all quite compiled the season records they had the potential for, but their spots among the favorites were unquestioned. It was the same way in 2000 when Dathan Ritzenhein, Alan Webb, and Ryan Hall entered their senior seasons.
But more often than not, that’s NOT the case on the boys side. Plenty of track and XC seasons are dominated by 12th-graders and the top returning guys in many given years don’t already have strong credentials. And some young guys who have great fall campaigns don’t back it up in the spring, while others don’t make that big improvement until their outdoor track season.
Hence, the mishmash of contenders for top national honors this year. As impressive as the top guns from the classes of 2008 and 2009 were at points either last fall, winter or spring, very few were consistent enough to tab them as surefire bets in the top 5 or 10 in the country.
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The Foot Locker Favorites TopList - 20 Deep
Athlete
| Last Year: Finals/Reg.
| Returning Finals/Region
| Comments
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1. Ben Johnson, 2008
Albuquerque Academy HS, NM
| 6th/2nd(NTN)
| 1st / X | Didn't put up super fast track times this past spring, but earns top dog status based on being both top NTN and Foot Locker returnee from 2006.
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2. Colby Lowe, 2008
Southlake Carroll HS, TX
| 10th / 7th
| 2nd / 4th
| #2 jr.at FLN and NON ran 8:59.79 3200 at hot state meet, but passed on post-season. 1st or 2nd-best Texan since soph yr, he has to raise game one more level to become national champion type.
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3. Sean Keveren, 2008
Brentwood HS, TN
| DNQ / 20th | DNQ / 10th | Just another solid junior in 06 XC, but made giant improvements in track. Primarily 1600 (4:15.88) as soph; as jr. he went from 9:19 3200, to 9:07, 9:06, then 8:55.16y at NON. How good can he be in XC? |
4. Luke Puskedra, 2008
Judge Memorial HS, UT
| DNQ / DNC | DNQ / DNC | Ended XC season after Rocky Mtn meet win, but 9-flat 2M clockings this past spring at Arcadia (1st) and NON (as a quasi-rabbit) make him a clear title contender.
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5. Kevin Havel, 2008
Arlington Heights Hersey HS, IL
| DNQ / 23rd | DNQ / 7th | Obvious talent with 14th at FL MW as soph & 9:10 3200, but he and fellow iL star Evan Jager had bad days at FL MW 06. Ran 9:00.30 3200 this past spring. Now looking for senior explosion.
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6. Donn Cabral, 2008
Glastonbury HS, CT
| 21st / 6th
| 5th / 2nd
| Of the 11 non-seniors at FL Finals last year, only Lowe ran better than Cabral (9:02.69) for 3200 (or 2M) in the spring. Donn was very consistent all year long.
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7. Chris Derrick, 2008
Neuqua Valley HS, IL
| DNQ / 18th
| DNQ / 5th | Like Keveren, Derrick made incredible improvements in the spring, dropping to 9:03.30, then 8:54.64 in the 3200 at IL State behind Evan Jager. Battles with Havel should be epic.
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8. Sintayehu Taye, 2008
Cushing Academy, MA
| 16th / 2nd | 4th / 1st
| The hard-to-track Taye again missed most of track season and again is top FL NE returnee. Will he come from nowhere and look great at Vanny again? Will he finally back it up in San Diego? |
9. Ryan Hill, 2008
HIckory HS, NC
| 26th / 1st
| 7th / 1st | The only regional winner to return, Hill underachieved at FL Finals and did not get that super-fast track time (though 9:07.16y is plenty good). He certainly has talent to win, though.
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10. Brandon Jarrett, 2008
St. Benedict's Acad., NJ
| 12th / 8th | 3rd / 3rd
| Running outside the NJ association, Jarrett's opportunities are more limited - maybe part of reason he ran "just" 9:09.48 3200 after super 12th in San Diego. Definitely has talent for top 5 or better. |
11. Rob Finnerty, 2008
Burnsville HS, MN
| DNQ / 16th
| DNQ / 4th | If it seems like Finnerty has been around forever, it's because he was 11th at FL MW as a freshman. Still shooting for first FL Finals, but has improved to 8:59.19y in the deuce. Staying healthy is key.
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12. Joey Bywater, 2008
Lake Stevens HS, WA
| DNQ / 12th
| DNQ / 1st
| Nation's fastest soph in 3200 in 06 at 9:03.97. Then followed with 12th at FL West last fall (top returnee), but couldn't quite top his deuce outdoors (9:07.50y).
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13. Mike Fout, 2008
LaPorte HS, IN
| DNQ / DNC
| DNQ / DNC
| Another of track's huge national surprises, dropping to 8:58.79y at NON. Ran 9:21 3200 as soph, looked headed toward high place in state XC before season-ending injury.
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14. Joseph Manilafasha, 2009
Denver North HS, CO
| 25th / 6th
| 6th / 2nd
| Evolved with stunning group of CO harriers (4) to FL Finals last fall as soph, but fell off national radar in track with 9:26 3200 best (albeit at altitude). If at 06 XC form or better, could be much higher.
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15. Evan Appel, 2009
Littleton HS, CO
| 29th / 5th
| 9th / 1st
| Like fellow Coloradoan Manilafasha, didn't make the national radar with track times, hitting 9:28 3200. But as one of 3 sophs to FL Finals last fall, and top MW returnee, he'll no doubt be a factor.
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16. Griff Graves, 2008
Abingdon HS, VA
| 28th / 3rd
| 8th / 2nd | Top VA talent hit 3rd at FL South, 28th at FL Finals, but then struggled with injuries in track. PR'd in 1600 (4:17.70), but not 3200. If healthy, could join ultra-elite. |
17. Kevin Williams, 2008
D'Evelyn HS, CO
| DNQ / 37th
| DNQ / 9th
| After solid jr XC season ending with 37th at FL MW, Williams emerged as the top CO distance runner in the spring, with 3200 wins at state (9:19), Great SW (9:10.97) and Golden West (9:04.12).
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18. Peter Dorrell, 2008
Blacksburg HS, VA
| DNQ / 17th | DNQ / 9th | A solid string of 9:11-9:15 2M performances during last winter and spring moved the consistent Dorrell up among a strong group of VA underclassmen.
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19. Doug Smith, 2009
Gill St. Bernards HS, NJ
| DNQ / 72nd
| DNQ / 27th | New Jersey has known about Smith's prodigal talent , but after FL NE disappointment, he showed US what he could do with national soph leaders of 9:04.52 3200 and 14:40.76 5k (2nd NON).
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20. Thomas Porter, 2009
Mountain View HS, VA
| 31st / 10th | 10th / 6th | Porter stunned at FL South by grabbing the last spot for FL Finals, the last of the 3 sophs who got in last fall nationally. Part of a "Big 4" in VA, it won't be easy to get back. Ran 9:19 3200 in spring.
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Honorable Mention - Riley Sullivan CA, Luke Lovelace SC, Maverick Darling MI, Ryan Prentice WA, German Fernandez CA, Scott Blair CA, Vince McNally PA, Jason Witt VA, CJ Brown TX, Lee Berube NY, Daniel Manco FL, Graham Bazell MD, Max Kaulbach PA, Matt Paulson NH, Matt Terry CT, Alex McGrath NH, Bobby Aprill MI, Tom Achtien IL, Bobby Nichols CO, Joe Miller OH, Taylor Gilland NC, Cody Hughes TX, Mohamed Abdalla CA, Mac Fleet CA, Kelly Lynch WA, Miles Unterrainer WA, Diego Estrada CA, Jeremy Acosta CA, Tito Medrano IN
(continued from above chart)
If you want the BEST returning guy from the end of last fall, who as a junior had the very best races at just the right time, then you need to consider Ben Johnson. For most of the 2006 harrier season, the Albuquerque Academy NM standout was a bit overshadowed by Matt Tebo in his state, even while leading his powerhouse program to NTN. In Portland, however, the nation took notice as he finished second to Steve Murdock and beat guys like Cybulski and Lowe. A lot of prognosticators still didn’t have Ben in their top ten at San Diego, especially since it’s a pretty tough double, but he stunned with his 6th-place finish, trailing only five seniors.
In track, though, Ben didn’t get to that ultra-elite level, time-wise. He did take 2nd to Donn Cabral CT at NSIC in 9:12.60y, but with no low-altitude trips in outdoor track, his best was 9:16.65 for 3200, and that was a defeat to Kevin Williams CO at Great Southwest. Still, the best harriers aren’t always whizzes on the track, and Johnson’s NTN and FL finishes last fall make him the man to beat.
Or maybe you want to look at that Texan we mentioned earlier. Southlake Carroll TX sr Colby Lowe is the only current runner who is a 2-time Foot Locker Finalist, taking 29th and 10th in his two trips to San Diego, the latter coming on the heels of a 4th at NTN. Although he didn’t compete in the postseason in track, he still racked up a season that included an 8:59.19 3200 for the 5A TX State title in the heat. Colby just seems to be a step away from being a national champion-type runner and he’s progressed from young prodigy to title contender. If you want someone who’s been consistent across the board, this #2 returnee is your man.
But maybe you aren’t super impressed with Johnson or Lowe. Maybe when you assess the harrier campaign, you look at the guys who did best on the oval just a few months earlier. And you remember how wowed you were by Sean Keveren.
Keveren, now a sr. at Brentwood HS, was a solid class winner in his XC state meet and 2nd overall, then was 20th at FL South. So when he hit 9:19 early in his track season, it was solid, but hardly spectacular. But a sudden drop to 9:07.99 3200 followed, then a 9:06.64 at state. It wasn’t quite enough to get in the fast heat at NON, but in a great battle with Girma Mecheso GA, he rocked distance fans with a huge PR and unprecedented 8:55.16 in the unseeded section of the 2M.
So we’ve established our three categories: Guys who made their name on what they did in XC last fall, guys who made their name on what they did in track this past spring, and guys who have a solid combination of credentials on both sides. Let’s look at some more individuals in each category who are strong contenders to at least be among the best 10 in the country:
The "Combo" Guys
- Judge Memorial UT sr Luke Puskedra ruled the post-season Rocky Mountain meet last fall, but passed up the Foot Locker meets. A win at Simplot, though, made it clear he was going to make a national splash in track and he took the biggest in-season deuce in the country with his 9:00.51 at Arcadia. Not quite ready to go for the win at NON, he sacrificed himself to set the early pace and still hung on for 9:00.25. He should battle for at least the FL West title.
- Arlington Heights Hersey IL sr Kevin Havel was close to making FL Finals as a soph (14th in FL MW), then last fall shadowed Jager as there was talk of an Illinois 1-2 in Kenosha. Both had bad days at FL MW, however, and missed a San Diego trip. Though he struggled with injuries in track, he still hit 9:00.30 for 3200. Many still feel he is the best runner in the Midwest and maybe more.
- Glastonbury CT sr Donn Cabral has gradually worked his way into the national consciousness with his performances. Having taken 6th last fall at FL Northeast, he’s the #2 returnee. Indoors, he defeated Johnson at NSIC, running to a 9:10.56. Outdoors, he stayed in the Northeast as well, winding up with a season’s best 9:02.69 at his state open.
The "XC" Guys
- No runner is more of a mystery nationally than Cushing Academy MA sr Sintayehu Taye. He has been FL Northeast runner-up the last two years – to his brother Ayalew in 2005, and to Craig Forys last fall. Both times he underachieved in San Diego, including taking 16th in 2006. Each of the last two springs, he’s done little or nothing on the track, due to injuries, but few will forget his 9:01 as a soph in Maine. Whether he’s come back from problems that plagued him last spring and can shoot for a national title is yet to be seen.
- Although he had a very solid track season, those outside the Northeast can be forgiven if they kind of forgot about St. Benedict’s NJ sr Brandon Jarrett during outdoor. He was down the list a bit in the 3200 at 9:09.48. But this is someone who’s racing opportunities are a bit limited by the fact that his school is not a member of the New Jersey state association, public or private. But he’s also the nation’s #3 returnee from Foot Locker Finals, as he was one of the top come-through performers in San Diego in 12th after taking 8th at FL Northeast.
The Track Guys
- As a Neuqua Valley jr. last fall, Chris Derrick was 3rd behind the hyped battle between Evan Jager and Kevin Havel, then a solid 18th at FL MW. Given that his soph 3200 PR was 9:37, you could be forgiven if you forecasted something around 9:15 for a nice junior year track improvement. What happened was a plunge that took him to 9:03.30 mid-season and then an eye-popping 8:54.64 in his IL State 3200 behind Jager.
- LaPorte IN senior Mike Fout was injured at the end of his junior campaign in XC, denying him a chance to compete at state or FL MW with the top dogs, but he got under 9:15 in mid-spring, down to 9:03.49 3200 at state, then got into the top elite with an 8:58.79 2M at NON. Suddenly, the Indiana media is mentioning him in the same breath as Rudy Chapa.
Given the lack of super-solid favorites this year, it would be remiss not to mention some more contenders for the top 10. Additional returning Foot Locker Finalists, who may not have impressed as much in track but are still great contenders, are Joseph Manilafasha CO, defending FL South champ Ryan Hill NC, Griff Graves VA, Evan Appel CO, Thomas Porter VA, and Luke Lovelace SC. Additional sub-9:10 (2M) and sub-9:07 (3200) performers from track, many of whom were close to qualifying for FL Finals last year, include Rob Finnerty MN (8:59.15 2M), Maverick Darling MI (9:05.21 2M), Kevin Williams CO (9:04.12 3200), top FL West returnee Joey Bywater WA (9:07.50 2M), last year’s top soph Doug Smith NJ (9:04.52 3200), Scott Blair CA (9:06.13 3200), and Ryan Prentice WA (9:06.58).
In case you haven’t had enough categories, here’s two more; actually, we’ll call them “factors” in these cases:
The California Factor – While there may not be a Californian among the 11 returning FL Finalists or the top 13 returning 2M/3200 runners, it’s folly to think there won’t be one among the 20 best harriers in the country. The lowest finish for the first California finisher at Foot Locker has been 15th and the nation’s largest state has produced an event-leading 8 champions.
Riverbank sr German Fernandez ran the #2 time at the CIF meet as a soph (a second faster than D1 champ and eventual Foot Locker champ AJ Acosta) in winning D4, but has mostly struggled with injuries since. He did, however, run the best underclassman 3200 time at CIF State Track, 9:08.05, and appears healthy and ready to fulfill his potential now. Powerhouse Trabuco Hills features the top CIF returnee from last fall, Riley Sullivan (15:21) , and the top overall 3200 runner from this past spring, Scott Blair (9:06.13), as its leaders. 3:50 1500 runner/4:08 miler Mac Fleet, just a junior now, is another big name to watch, as is Mohamed Abdulla.
The NTN Factor – Finally, with Nike Team Nationals expanding to regional qualifying meets, some of the nation’s top runners will possibly bypass Foot Locker meets to focus on NTN with their teams because of same-day schedule conflicts or just having too many big meets. Also, Foot Locker has not announced whether it will allow the top two NTN finishers residing in Foot Locker West states to qualify for the Finals as it has done in years past. Foot Locker West and NTN have always been held the same day.
From the Top 20 and others mentioned, these are athletes most likely to have potential conflicts:
- Johnson – His Albuquerque Academy team is ranked #1 in the Southwest. If his team qualifies out of the NTN SW Region meet Nov. 17, then he will have to hope Foot Locker allows NTN qualifiers again.
- Lowe – His Southlake Carroll team is ranked #1 in South. With the NTN SW meet and FL South not conflicting, he could do both, but it would potentially be four straight hard weeks of racing, coming right off his state meet.
- Cabral – With his NE#2 Gastonbury team almost certainly competing in NTN NE, the same day as FL NE, he will not try to make FL Finals.
- Derrick – With MW#3 Neuqua Valley, similar situation to Lowe, but would have week off Nov. 17.
- Bywater – With NW#8 Lake Stevens, could pursue Foot Locker if his team doesn’t make it to NTN from Nov. 24 regional.
- Porter - With SE#5 Mountain View VA, in similar situation to Cabral.
- Sullivan/Blair – With CA#2 Trabuco Hills, an NTN path is likely, though if they haven’t made it after Nov. 24 state meet, could run FL West.
Foot Locker Favorites Index
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