The Front-Runner
Austin Tamagno | Brea Olinda, CA | SENIOR
The No. 2 returner to Foot Locker Nationals behind Drew Hunter opted to race Nike Cross Nationals and enters the Portland championship as the favorite. Austin Tamagno, a University of Oregon commit, placed 19th at NXN in 2013 and fifth at Foot Locker in 2014. He is undefeated this year and more than that, he has hardly been pushed - his margins of victory in the past three races were 27 seconds, nine seconds and 25 seconds.
Tamagno's 14:45 effort to defend his California Division 3 state title stood as the second-fastest time of the day behind only No. 2 ranked Phillip Rocha, who undoubtedly benefitted from the presence of top harrier Eduardo Herrera.
No California boy has ever won Nike Cross Nationals, but Tamagno looks as though he could be the first.