A Dive Into The Deepest NXN Regional: NXR Northwest

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BOYS RACE

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Temperatures on Saturday near Boise could be perfect by the championship races.

Previous Placement: 

2018: 1. Kamiakin (WA); 2. Central Valley (WA); 3. Lewis And Clark (WA); 4. Camas (WA)

2017: 1. Central Valley (WA); 2. Kamiakin (WA); 3. Crater (OR); 4. Bozeman (MT)

2016: 1. Bozeman (MT); 2. Portland Summit (OR); 3. North Central (WA); 4. Skyline (ID)

2015: 1. Bend Summit (OR); 2. Bozeman (MT); 3. North Central (WA); 4. Crater (OR)

2014: 1. North Central (WA); 2. Bend Summit (WA); 3. Kamiakin (WA); 4. Gig Harbor (WA)

CONFIDENCE PICKS BY MILESPLIT: 

1. Ashland (OR); 2. Kamiakin (WA); 3. Franklin (OR); 4. Camas (OR)

Teams To Pay Attention To: 

• Portland Jesuit (OR): Jesuit has been beaten before this season, so there could be a figurative chip on this team's shoulders. It finished second to Franklin in Class 6A at state. Junior Ryan Schumacher led the squad with a 15:18.6 at state. 

• Kamiakin (WA): Both Kamiakin and Camas are nearly identical in depth and talent. But can either solidify a top-two place? If we're left to pick, we're going with Kamiakin, who won this region in 2018. The Washington team has been very good all season long, and sophomore Issac Teeples has hit another gear. He's joined by five seniors -- and we all know how much experience helps in these scenarios. The squad averaged 15:39 for 5K at its state championships, a race it won in Class 3A. 
• Ashland (OR): With its full squad, Ashland might be tough to beat. Holland, Arlo Davis and Reed Pryor have the potential to score in the top 20, which leaves it up to the final two to round it out. After a dominating display at state -- 15:25 average, the fastest of any team -- this squad could be the one with the momentum. 
• Camas (WA): Camas took the Class 4A title in Washington, running a 15:36 average -- 3 seconds faster than Kamiakin. It can match any squad at the regional, but displacement will be key. 
• Franklin (OR): Franklin had the second best effort at Oregon's state championships -- behind Ashland -- but it faced stiffer competition. And Franklin has been good all season, with a win at Warner Pacific and a second-place performance at Nike Portland, behind Tahoma Senior. This region could be up in the air, but it will be competitive. Franklin averaged 15:26 at state. 
• Bozeman/Hellgate (MT): Bozeman tied with Hellgate in its AA championship and won with a faster sixth. So the edge, at least between these two, goes to Bozeman. 

Top Returners From 2018: 

1. Evan Holland, Ashland (OR); 2. Nathan Green, Borah (ID); 3. Stetson Moss, Thunder Ridge (ID); 5. Wil Smith, Lewis and Clark (WA): 11. Jonas Price, Eisenhower Senior (WA); 20. Mitchell Athay, Idaho Falls (ID); 24. Patrick North, Lewis and Clark (WA).

Individuals: 

• Evan Holland, Ashland (OR): Holland is probably a sleeper contender to go after a national title after his fantastic, meet record performance of 14:30.40 at the Oregon state championships. He's the defending champion in this race and will look for his second straight qualification. He's run just five races this season, so his legs are fresh and ready to go. 
• Nathan Green, Borah (ID): Green's season hasn't gone perfectly. He was forced to drop out of one race; but since taking all of September off and reemerging in October, he's been the same old Green. He's won all five of his races and posted a career best of 15:00.24. 
• Issac Teeples, Kamiakin (WA): As a freshman, Teeples was a contributor on his team's NXN performance. This year, he's jumped into the position of No. 1 runner, winning four races and leading the squad over the rest of his efforts. He ran a career best 14:34.17 at his MCC League meet. 

• Jonas Price, Eisenhower Senior (WA): Price didn't have a great state race. He was eighth. But that was a blip on the rest of his season. He's won seven other races and went 14:50.10 in September for 5K. 
• Aidan Palmer, Franklin (OR): He won his Class 6A state championship with a tim eof 15:04.90 and posted a big win at the Warner Pacific XC Classic in a career best 15:03.40. He's on the right track to qualify for his first NXN. 
• Wil Smith, Lewis and Clark (WA): He's been undefeated since Sept. 25, winning eight straight races. He posted a career best 15:03.30 at his state championships. 
• Tristian Merchant, Anchorage Christian (AK): The Alaskan state champion will make his way to Idaho hoping to qualify for NXN. He's posted a best of 15:04.60.
• Ahmed Ibrahim, Parkrose (OR): He might be on the outside looking in, but Ibrahim has a shot. He was second at his Oregon state championship, behind just Holland, and has won eight races in 2019. He owns a best of 15:02.80 this season. 
• Peter Visser, Star Valley (WY): Wyoming's top male runner won his Class 3A championships in 16:01.30. Northwest will be a much different story, but if Visser's training has held up -- at elevation -- he's going to compete for a spot. 

Note: Stetson Moss is not entered at NXR Northwest. He's been dealing with inflammation in his achilles all season long, according to a report by The Post Register. 

Other Athletes To Watch: Stanford Smith, Kamiakin (WA);  Andrew Larson, Kamiakin (WA); Charlie Robertson, Franklin (OR); Quincy Norman, Forest Grove (OR); Reed Pryor, Ashland (OR); Luc Utheza, Camas (WA); Cooper Cortinas, Walla Walla (WA).