Things are just getting good.
More than 75% of the country has now completed its state championships, and teams are beginning to peak.
We've wiped the slate clean and rescored the nation based on performances from the past three weeks (excluding California).
The new data gives us a clearer picture of where things stand. As any championship coach will tell you, "The NXN starting line doesn't care what you did in early October."
The NXR Heartland was the first multistate invitational of the postseason, and as such, we saw season-best performances from athletes forced to compete in snowy conditions. Elsewhere, state meet matchups we've anticipated all year - including Colorado, Utah, and Tennessee - played out much closer than expected. It only goes to show that rankings can predict only so much. You have to bring your A-game on race day.