The Illinois State Championship was fast and furious with Naperville North (IL) eking out a one-point win over the legendary York squad. It's that kind of production in big races that gets you noticed, and for its efforts, Naperville North jumps to No. 2 in the rankings this week behind the juggernaut that is North Central (WA). Fayetteville-Manlius enters the poll for the first time this season, checking in at #15.
There were no changes to the girls' top 15 this week, though Fayetteville-Manlius made a strong case for returning to No. 1, winning the NY Class AA Championship with just 22 points, especially considering the runner-up in that race was #8 Saratoga.
That's pretty much how it went last week with all of the ranked teams proving that they belonged, leaving little room for teams such as recently minted state champions Glastonbury (CT), Midlothian (VA) and Lee's Summit West (MO); all of which made strong cases to move into the fray had someone faltered.
Instead, the top teams were more dominant than ever. For instance #3 Collins Hill totaled just 19 points to win the Georgia 5A race. Tatnall, ranked 4th, scored a perfect 15 to win in Delaware, while #7 Mountain Brook took Alabama by 102.
With a majority of state meets in the books at this point, its time for the NXN Regionals, which kick off this weekend, to help determine which teams are among the best in the country.
MileSplit National CC Rankings (November 12)
(Previous rank in parenthesis)
BOYS
1.) North Central (WA) (1)
2.) Naperville North (IL) (5)
3.) Don Bosco Prep (NJ) (3)
4.) Albuquerque Academy (NM) (2)
5.) York (IL) (4)
6.) Shenendehowa (NY) (6)
7.) Dana Hills (CA) (7)
8.) The Woodlands (TX) (8)
9.) Danbury (CT) (9)
10.) Jamestown (VA) (10)
11.) Thousand Oaks (CA) (11)
12.) Jesuit (OR) (12)
13.) North Penn (PA) (13)
14.) Los Alamos (NM) (15)
15.) Fayetteville-Manlius (NY) (NR)
Under Consideration: Bismarck (ND); Buchanan (CA); Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (NY); Cedar Park (TX); Geneva (IL); Neuqua Valley (IL); North Allegheny (PA); St. Louis University (MO); Timpview (UT); West Windsor Plainsboro North (NJ)
GIRLS
1.) Saugus (CA) (1)
2.) Fayetteville-Manlius (NY) (2)
3.) Collins Hill (GA) (3)
4.) Tatnall (DE) (4)
5.) Geneva (IL) (5)
6.) Carmel (IN) (6)
7.) Mountain Brook (AL) (7)
8.) Saratoga (NY) (8)
9.) Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (NY) (9)
10.) The Classical Academy (CO) (10)
11.) Jesuit (OR) (11)
12.) Dana Hills (CA) (12)
13.) Newton-South (MA) (13)
14.) Lincoln-Sudbury (MA) (14)
T15.) Queensbury (NY) (15)
T15.) The Woodlands (TX) (15)
Under Consideration: Davis (UT); Dowling Catholic (IA); Emmaus (PA); Fort Collins (CO); Glastonbury (CT); Kingwood (TX); Lee's Summit West (MO); Magnificat (OH); Sioux Falls Roosevelt (SD); Midlothian (VA)