Photo Credit: Hayden Luther/MileSplit Texas
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The 2024 cross-country season was one for the record books!
Over the last few months, records were broke, all-time lists were re-written, and statements were made over the course of the cross country campaign.
Along with the historic performances, there were also tens of thousands high school boys that ended the year faster than they started.
Back in August, Southlake-Carroll sophomore Nathan Calvert only had one 5k under his belt, a 22:14.48 showing at the Decatur Reunion Run. This fall, one of the Dragon's many talented runners lowered his PB down to 16:09.5, taking off just over six minutes from his previous best.
Onatrio's (Calif.) Michael Ortega was the next best improver, running 15:41.90 at the 43rd Annual Woodbridge Classic. The junior came into the season with a 21:30.1 PB to his name, and promptly took 5:48.2 off of that mark before the end of September.
Knoxville Catholic's Keegan Smith is the top overall performer this season, thanks to his huge win in 14:23.26 at NXR Southeast, good enough for a 16-second improvement.
RELATED: Most Improved: Top Girls In 5k Compared To Last Year
Take a look at the top 100 most improved boys in the 5k this season compared to a year ago.
| ATHLETE | 2024 | 2023 | DIFFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan Calvert - Carroll High School | 16:09.50 | 22:14.48 | ( 6:04.98 ) |
| Michael Ortega - Ontario (SS) | 15:41.90 | 21:30.10 | ( 5:48.20 ) |
| Zachary Youngblood - Central | 16:01.86 | 21:34.20 | ( 5:32.34 ) |
| Hans DeLaTorre - Moorpark (SS) | 15:46.90 | 20:46.10 | ( 4:59.20 ) |
| David Barton - Golden Gate HS | 15:44.72 | 20:30.80 | ( 4:46.08 ) |
| Brandon Hinojosa-Garcia - Millikan (SS) | 15:27.60 | 20:00.40 | ( 4:32.80 ) |
| Shareef Elfadil - Woodbridge | 16:02.40 | 20:34.40 | ( 4:32.00 ) |
| Milo HETHERINGTON - Archie Williams (NC) | 16:10.00 | 20:34.20 | ( 4:24.20 ) |
| Luke Norman - Sehome High School | 15:52.81 | 20:13.20 | ( 4:20.39 ) |
| Kenninisa Udo - Henry M Jackson High School | 15:59.54 | 20:19.53 | ( 4:19.99 ) |
| Alejandro Casaus - Rio Rancho High School | 15:10.82 | 19:24.70 | ( 4:13.88 ) |
| Isaac Johnson - Crescenta Valley (SS) | 15:44.90 | 19:49.60 | ( 4:04.70 ) |
| Josh Calixto - Big Spring | 16:08.01 | 20:09.53 | ( 4:01.52 ) |
| David Wilson - Ayala (SS) | 16:01.64 | 19:57.80 | ( 3:56.16 ) |
| Jacob Brigham - Bear Creek (SJ) | 15:57.00 | 19:46.79 | ( 3:49.79 ) |
| Grady Dieleman - G-M-G High School | 14:54.40 | 18:44.00 | ( 3:49.60 ) |
| Nico Aebischer - San Luis Obispo (CS) | 16:09.50 | 19:47.10 | ( 3:37.60 ) |
| Felipe Rivera - Laredo Alexander | 16:06.84 | 19:41.17 | ( 3:34.33 ) |
| Brayden Martin - Cheney Senior High School | 16:04.20 | 19:35.08 | ( 3:30.88 ) |
| Tyler Gantt - LaGrange (Lyons) | 16:10.53 | 19:32.23 | ( 3:21.70 ) |
| Magnuson Gage - Bellows Free Academy-Fairfax | 15:51.20 | 19:09.40 | ( 3:18.20 ) |
| Gabriel Knox - Hewitt-Trussville HS | 16:01.91 | 19:19.17 | ( 3:17.26 ) |
| Jackson Mathews - Desert Hills | 15:51.05 | 19:03.50 | ( 3:12.45 ) |
| Ethan Schniper - Mountain Brook HS | 16:09.28 | 19:19.31 | ( 3:10.03 ) |
| Grant Yount - Fishers High School | 16:05.20 | 19:14.30 | ( 3:09.10 ) |
| Andrew Smith - Johnson County Sports Association | 16:08.93 | 19:17.73 | ( 3:08.80 ) |
| Kyle Carpenter - Medina Valley | 16:08.90 | 19:16.46 | ( 3:07.56 ) |
| Joseph Esco - Effingham County | 16:09.40 | 19:14.08 | ( 3:04.68 ) |
| Peter Eierman - Justin-Siena (NC) | 15:10.80 | 18:12.70 | ( 3:01.90 ) |
| Isaiah Rojas - Napa (NC) | 15:18.90 | 18:18.30 | ( 2:59.40 ) |
| Caden Ellis - Unattached NC | 15:59.16 | 18:57.78 | ( 2:58.62 ) |
| Samuel Velarde - Ayala (SS) | 15:51.63 | 18:48.10 | ( 2:56.47 ) |
| Landon Warriner - McClatchy (C.K.) (SJ) | 15:52.00 | 18:45.00 | ( 2:53.00 ) |
| David Dubeck - Clarkston | 15:59.75 | 18:52.10 | ( 2:52.35 ) |
| Kai McGinty - Valor South Austin HS | 16:04.00 | 18:56.00 | ( 2:52.00 ) |
| Nathyurem Perez - North Valleys High School | 16:04.12 | 18:55.76 | ( 2:51.64 ) |
| Carson Boyer - Wooster | 15:30.43 | 18:18.00 | ( 2:47.57 ) |
| Jack Walsh - Millikan (SS) | 16:00.90 | 18:47.30 | ( 2:46.40 ) |
| Ryan Tait - Jesuit (SJ) | 16:08.60 | 18:54.10 | ( 2:45.50 ) |
| Thomas Barrera - La Serna (SS) | 16:07.40 | 18:50.00 | ( 2:42.60 ) |
| Hunter Schwab - Chaparral High School | 16:06.12 | 18:48.69 | ( 2:42.57 ) |
| Nathaniel Bateman - Duluth East High School | 16:11.20 | 18:53.30 | ( 2:42.10 ) |
| Brody Cleven - Millikan (SS) | 15:59.10 | 18:41.10 | ( 2:42.00 ) |
| Victor Cantellano - Tatum | 15:42.12 | 18:23.00 | ( 2:40.88 ) |
| Thomas Capelli - Oak Ridge (SJ) | 15:56.20 | 18:36.20 | ( 2:40.00 ) |
| Teddy Eichner - Vintage (NC) | 14:36.90 | 17:16.80 | ( 2:39.90 ) |
| Harrison Landry - Cherry Creek High School | 15:57.90 | 18:37.50 | ( 2:39.60 ) |
| Noah Orr - Little Miami | 16:07.55 | 18:46.40 | ( 2:38.85 ) |
| August Anderson - Carterville | 16:02.46 | 18:40.80 | ( 2:38.34 ) |
| Luke Warthen - Round Rock McNeil | 16:10.70 | 18:49.00 | ( 2:38.30 ) |
| Andrew Senf - Ward Melville | 16:08.80 | 18:46.71 | ( 2:37.91 ) |
| Leo Chester - Bishop Blanchet High School | 16:10.90 | 18:47.50 | ( 2:36.60 ) |
| Evan OWCZAREK - Rochester | 15:51.56 | 18:24.60 | ( 2:33.04 ) |
| Mattheus Dos Santos - San Clemente (SS) | 15:21.00 | 17:53.60 | ( 2:32.60 ) |
| Jack Dufour - Casa Grande (NC) | 15:04.30 | 17:36.70 | ( 2:32.40 ) |
| Erik Troester - San Clemente (SS) | 16:09.60 | 18:41.10 | ( 2:31.50 ) |
| Joshua Beck - Pleasant Grove | 15:56.44 | 18:27.14 | ( 2:30.70 ) |
| Jack Heffner - Vintage (NC) | 14:52.30 | 17:21.80 | ( 2:29.50 ) |
| Declan Smith - Peabody Veterans Memorial High School | 16:05.95 | 18:33.17 | ( 2:27.22 ) |
| Maverick Kelly - Petaluma (NC) | 16:11.00 | 18:38.20 | ( 2:27.20 ) |
| Tommy Gamlin - Chaparral High School | 15:45.06 | 18:10.00 | ( 2:24.94 ) |
| Walter Heiser - Napa (NC) | 15:32.10 | 17:56.60 | ( 2:24.50 ) |
| Finn Rigby - Christian Brothers (SJ) | 16:10.60 | 18:35.10 | ( 2:24.50 ) |
| Xavier Martinez - Rio Rancho High School | 15:51.10 | 18:15.59 | ( 2:24.49 ) |
| Eli Jarvis - Herriman | 15:09.85 | 17:33.90 | ( 2:24.05 ) |
| Carter Getty - Cherokee Trail High School | 15:53.30 | 18:17.10 | ( 2:23.80 ) |
| Jack Moore - Napa (NC) | 14:45.90 | 17:08.80 | ( 2:22.90 ) |
| Connor Ward - Mercer Island High School | 16:06.00 | 18:28.80 | ( 2:22.80 ) |
| Lucas Lindsey - Millikan (SS) | 15:42.60 | 18:04.80 | ( 2:22.20 ) |
| Samuel Otero - George Jenkins HS | 15:43.70 | 18:03.30 | ( 2:19.60 ) |
| David Salas - San Angelo Cornerstone Christian | 15:18.36 | 17:37.77 | ( 2:19.41 ) |
| Milo Mandolini - Sabino High School | 16:10.00 | 18:28.80 | ( 2:18.80 ) |
| Brandon Williams - Charter School of Wilmington | 15:56.00 | 18:14.70 | ( 2:18.70 ) |
| Kevin Hansen - Casa Grande (NC) | 14:56.00 | 17:13.70 | ( 2:17.70 ) |
| Jackson Peek - Raymore-Peculiar High School | 15:47.80 | 18:05.18 | ( 2:17.38 ) |
| Conrad Chern - Crystal Springs Uplands School (CC) | 16:07.20 | 18:22.11 | ( 2:14.91 ) |
| Graham Pumphrey - Columbus North High School | 16:08.50 | 18:23.10 | ( 2:14.60 ) |
| Kurt Perry - Riverton | 15:57.44 | 18:12.00 | ( 2:14.56 ) |
| Brayan HERRERA - Niwot High School | 15:49.43 | 18:03.40 | ( 2:13.97 ) |
| Drew Upperman - Webster Groves High School | 15:51.50 | 18:04.58 | ( 2:13.08 ) |
| Ethan Rounds - Panther Creek | 16:02.77 | 18:15.45 | ( 2:12.68 ) |
| Anthony Gonzalez - Laredo Alexander | 15:24.27 | 17:36.60 | ( 2:12.33 ) |
| Ethan Warnock - Viewmont | 16:09.87 | 18:22.00 | ( 2:12.13 ) |
| Michael Mascari - George School | 16:06.81 | 18:18.80 | ( 2:11.99 ) |
| Jack Hanner - Salem | 16:11.09 | 18:23.00 | ( 2:11.91 ) |
| Connor AMOS - Rosemount High School | 16:08.00 | 18:19.70 | ( 2:11.70 ) |
| Liam Hartmann - Brookline High School | 15:38.57 | 17:50.00 | ( 2:11.43 ) |
| Eli Schreurs - Unity Christian High School | 16:02.29 | 18:13.00 | ( 2:10.71 ) |
| Jackson Woolsey - Huntsville HS | 16:06.91 | 18:17.15 | ( 2:10.24 ) |
| Caleb Brown - Herriman | 15:40.66 | 17:50.70 | ( 2:10.04 ) |
| Eli Ewig - Vintage (NC) | 15:16.70 | 17:26.40 | ( 2:09.70 ) |
| Christopher Burns - Myers Park | 15:59.80 | 18:09.30 | ( 2:09.50 ) |
| Cameron Taylor - Cheyenne Mountain High School | 16:05.94 | 18:15.42 | ( 2:09.48 ) |
| Tritan Boucher - Skaneateles | 16:04.20 | 18:13.00 | ( 2:08.80 ) |
| Tyler Aguilar - Winter Park HS | 15:27.36 | 17:35.60 | ( 2:08.24 ) |
| Miles Prante - Hart (William S.) (SS) | 16:07.50 | 18:15.10 | ( 2:07.60 ) |
| G Perry - Riverton | 15:53.42 | 18:00.70 | ( 2:07.28 ) |
| William Laman - Astoria | 15:52.30 | 17:59.00 | ( 2:06.70 ) |
| Lucas Crockett - Millikan (SS) | 15:44.10 | 17:50.60 | ( 2:06.50 ) |
| Dylan Shugg - South Pasadena (SS) | 16:04.10 | 18:10.20 | ( 2:06.10 ) |