Analysis: The guys from El Paso Eastwood earned their first bid to NXN last year after winning the Nike Cross Nationals South Regional. The team scored 121 points to take the win over in-state Class 6A powerhouses Southlake Carroll and The Woodlands. The guys finished 22nd at NXN in conditions that they've never run in before. All of this came after just one year prior (in 2017) the team took third in a close race and just missed out on the bid. The Troopers had an impressive regular season as well, placing fifth as a team at Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, winning the Nike Desert Twilight Festival, winning the
UIL 5A - Region 1 Championship, and the Class 5A UIL State Cross Country Championship. The team returns three of its top five and five of its top seven runners, including their top two guys from the state meet in rising junior Sergio Leon Cuartas and rising senior Juan Olmos. That duo finished 11th and 12th at state and 28th and 33rd at NXN South. The team returns with speed ratings of 173, 172, 171, 167, and 163.
_.png)
- - -
MileSplit50 Boys Team National Rankings Countdown
| RANK | DATE -- TEAM |
|---|---|
25 | Aug. 20 -- Farmington (UT) |
24 | Aug. 20 -- Loan Peak (UT) |
23 | Aug. 20 -- Kamiakin (WA) |
22 | Aug. 20 -- Hersey (IL) |
21 | Aug. 20 -- Davis (UT) |
| 20 | Aug. 21 -- Jesuit (OR) |
| 19 | Aug. 22 -- Clovis North (CA) |
| 18 | Aug. 23 -- Bishop Hendricken (RI) |
| 17 | Aug. 24 -- Southlake Carroll (TX) |
| 16 | Aug. 25 -- La Salle Academy (RI) |
| 15 | Aug. 26 -- El Paso Eastwood (TX) |
| 14 | Aug. 27 -- Lewis And Clark (WA) |
| 13 | Aug. 28 -- Dublin (CA) |
| 12 | Aug. 29 -- St. Charles East (IL) |
| 11 | Aug. 30 -- Tahoma Senior (WA) |
| 10 | Aug. 31 -- Christian Brothers (NJ) |
| 9 | Sept. 1 -- Wheaton Warrenville South (IL) |
| 8 | Sept. 2 -- Corner Canyon (UT) |
| 7 | Sept. 3 -- Dakota Ridge (CO) |
| 6 | Sept. 4 -- The Woodlands (TX) |
| 5 | Sept. 6 -- York (IL) |
| 4 | Sept. 6 -- FM (NY) |
| 3 | Sept. 6 -- Newbury Park (CA) |
| 2 | Sept. 6 -- Great Oak (CA) |
| 1 | Sept. 6 -- Loudoun Valley (VA) |