2022 XC Season Review: The Season's Top Sophomores

THE TOP 7 SOPHOMORE BOYS BASED ON TIME

MILESPLIT'S TOP SEVEN SOPHOMORE BOYS

As picked subjectively by the team

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* Manny Putz at the Roy Griak Invitational

Photo Credit: Teresa Brubaker / MileSplit

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1. Ty Steorts, Hurricane (WV)

Steorts opened up his season with a 14:56.40 at the Dutch Miller Invitational. From there, that set the tone for the rest of the season.

The talented sophomore scored five straight wins leading up to his victory at the WVSSAC State Cross Country Championship before he finished 11th at Champs South Regional. He finished his season at the Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Championships as he was the top underclassman to cross the finish line. He clocked a time of 15:14 for fifth. He was the only sophomore in our top seven to finish the year on the Honorable Mention of the MileSplit50. 

2. Manny Putz, Onalaska (WI)

Putz was one of the most accomplished sophomores this season. He won six of eight races, including a WIAA State Cross Country Championship title. 

He was the top underclassman at Roy Griak, crossing the finish line in fourth behind three experienced seniors. A week later, he dipped under 15 minutes for 5K -- for the first time in his career -- at the Steve Johnson/Dan Huston Invitational. He set a new lifetime best of 14:50 that day.

Putz ended his cross country season with an 11th-place finish at the Champs Sports Midwest Region Cross Country Championships.

3. Broen Holman, Sonora (CA)

Holman started out his season with a 14:17 three-mile personal best at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic. He pushed through the season with top finishes in 5K races, including a third-place finish at the CIF State Championships and a seventh-place finish at the Champs Sports Cross Country West Regional Championships. Holman was 22nd at the Champs Sports National Cross Country Championships, which was the top finisher by an underclassman. 

4. Keegan Smith, Knoxville Catholic (TN)

After his seventh-place finish at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Smith was the runner up at the Saturday Light Fever meet, where he set a new personal best of 14:53 for 5K. 

After that meet, he added another sub-15-minute 5K performance at the Northern Alabama Championships, where he was the third-fastest runner as he crossed the finish line in 14:54. He continued his season with a fourth-place finish at states and he was 13th at the Champs South Regional. 

5. Joe Barrett, Christian Brothers Academy (NJ)

Barrett was a key member of CBA's success this season. He added two victories to his resume this season where he became the Shore Conference and the NJSIAA Group champion (and surpassed a sophomore CBA record in the process).

His seventh-place finish at the NJSIAA XC Meet of Champions helped CBA secure the team title. He later finished 11th at Team Nationals Northeast Regional. 

* Tommy Latham competing at the GHSA State Cross Country Championships this fall

Photo Credit: Alex Burst / MileSplit

6. Tommy Latham, Marist (GA)

The Georgia standout finished 11th at the Southern Showcase and was third at the Wingfoot XC Classic. Latham set a new lifetime best toward the end of his season at the Annual Coach Wood Invitational, where he finished second with a 14:56.81. That was his only sub-15-minute 5K performance of the year. Latham was able to improve on his third-place finish last year at the GHSA State Cross Country Championship. This time, he brought home the title. 

7. Evan Noonan, Dana Hills (CA) 

The CIF state cross country champion made his mark this season. To kick off the year, he won the Mt. SAC Cross Country invitational and the South Coast League Finals with a new three-mile best of 14:21. He then won states with a 5K personal best of 15:04.23. At Team Nationals, he was 46th overall, becoming one of the top sophomores to finish. 

THE TOP SEVEN SPEED RATED SOPHOMORE BOYS

THE NEXT UP

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Josiah Tostenson, Crater (OR)

Brady Mullen, Jesuit (LA)

Benjamin Anderson, Mountain Vista (CO)

Eric Moore, Huntsville (AL)

Mason Haynes, Nation Ford (SC)

Trey Caldwell, De La Salle (CA)

Tamrat (Tam) Gavenas, Phillips Academy Andover (MA)

* Ella Hagen at the Liberty Bell Invitational

Photo Credit: Bobby Reyes / MileSplit Colorado

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Next up in our season-end review will be the sophomore girls.

Now that most of the girls had a full season of cross country and track under their belt, this season we saw impressive performances across the board.

Check out the standings below. 

THE TOP SEVEN SOPHOMORE GIRLS BASED ON TIME

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MILESPLIT'S TOP SEVEN SOPHOMORE GIRLS

As picked subjectively by the team

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* Abby Faith Cheeseman was all smiles after her finish at the Champs Sports Cross Country Championships

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2. Hanne Thomsen, Montgomery (CA)

Thomsen had six straight wins before becoming the top underclassmen to finish at Team Nationals with her 16th-place effort. At the start of her season, Thomsen won the Nike Portland XC with a 5K personal best of 16:49.20, winning by nearly 45-seconds. She defended her CIF State Cross Country Championships title. She finished the year at No. 14 on the MileSplit50.

3. Helen Sachs, Holland West Ottawa (MI)

Sachs put together quite the resume this fall. She earned titles at the MHSAA State Championships and the Team Midwest Regional, where she broke 17-minutes 5K and set a new best of 16:47.90. She racked up top place finishes at the Champs Sports Midwest Regional, where she was the fifth-fastest girl to cross the finish line. Sachs then finished 60th at Team Nationals. 

* Zariel Macchia at the Champs Sports Cross Country Championships

Photo Credit: Raymond Tran / MileSplit California

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4. Zariel Macchia, William Floyd (NY)

William Floyd's Macchia earned a handful of victories over the season, including the New York State Championship title. Before finishing second at the RunningLane Cross Country Championships, she was third at the Champs Northeast Regional. Macchia finished sixth at the Champs National Cross Country Championships with a 17:33.90, which is a new lifetime best. 

5. Sadie Engelhardt, Ventura (CA):

Engelhardt battled through illnesses throughout the year. Despite minor hiccups throughout the fall, she won the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic with a three-mile best of 15:42.60. She also set a new 5K personal best at the CIF State Cross Country Championships with a 16:57. After she claimed her first CIF cross country state title, she won the Champs Sports Cross Country West Regional. She continued on with her season to finish 10th at nationals. 

6. Alyssa Sauro, Williamstown (WV)

To kick off the 2022 season, Sauro opened up with a new personal best of 16:52.11 for 5K at the Autumn Classic. From there, she won six races in a row. Sauro held her own against the nation's best as she finished 10th at the Champs South Regional. In San Diego, she was ninth at the Champs National Cross Country Championships. 

7. Ella Hagen, Summit (CO)

Hagen caught many eyes after her second-place finish at the Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational in Colorado. She clocked her first sub 17-minute 5K and set a new lifetime best of the season with a 16:45.10. She continued to stand her ground against the state -- and the nation -- from that point moving forward. The Colorado Class 4A state champion continued into the post season, where she finished seventh at the Team Southwest Regional and 25th at Team Cross Country Nationals. 

THE TOP SEVEN SPEED RATED SOPHOMORE GIRLS

THE NEXT UP

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Sydney Drevlow, Hopkins (MN)

Juliet Frum, Northbrook (Glenbrook North) (IL)

Izzie Sullivan, Fayetteville-Manlius (NY)

Jessica Jazwinski, Hart (MI)

Lillie Bogdan, Frontier (NY)

Claire Stegall, Nolensville (TN)

Tessa Walter, Air Academy (CO)