Oympus adds to intrigue of stacked Southwest

By Paul Schmitz of DyeStat

American Fork continues to roll through its schedule and took the Utah 5A state championship in convincing fashion. The team's 1-5 15:18 average was the fastest in meet history. The surprise of the day was 4A champion Olympus, which logged a 15:39 average that was second best on the day ahead of nationally ranked Lone Peak, Davis, Timpanogos and Ogden. The Titans move up into the national rankings but the margins are razor thin with many quality teams lined up in the Southwest region. 

In other Southwest news, Mountain Vista CO was nearly knocked off by Rock Canyon in the Colorado 5A Region 5 meet last week. MV managed a one-point victory without one of its top runners, Parker Mackay, who has not run since Oct. 1. It will be interesting to see if Mountain Vista runs its full lineup at Saturday's Colorado state meet.   

In California, Great Oak won the Mt. SAC Invitational Sweepstakes race over Claremont, West Ranch and Loyola. The defending NXN champions dominated the field by placing five in the top 18 and winning by almost 100 team points.  

Bozeman easily won the Montana state meet without No. 2 runner Orrin Clark, who has a knee injury. The Hawks don't have great depth at 6 and 7 but they should have enough to get out of the Northwest Regional even without a full line-up.  However, they will need Clark back in order to finish where they are currently projected at the national level. 

There is a separation developing between the top seven and the rest of the field. American Fork, Neuqua Valley, Great Oak, CBA, The Woodlands, Wayzata and Bozeman are the clear favorites to produce the three podium spots at NXN.  

Hats off to our team of the week, North Dakota's small-school Class B champion: New Town. The Eagles' 16:08 (5K) average was far faster than the Class A Champion, Century (albeit on a different course).  Century traveled to Minnesota earlier in the season and finished second to Wayzata at the Willmar Invite while breaking up Wayzata's pack with two of its runners. New Town is a school located on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and has a high school population of only 177 students with 14 boys on the team. 

The Top 30, 10/27

1. American Fork UT

2. Neuqua Valley IL

3. Great Oak CA

4. Chrisian Brothers Academy NJ

5. The Woodlands TX

6. Wayzata MN

7. Bozeman MT 

8. St. Xavier KY

9. Brentwood High TN

10. Olympus UT 

11. Solon OH

12. North Central WA  

13. Palmer Ridge CO 

14. Timpanogos UT

15. Colts Neck NJ 

16. Downers Grove North IL

17. Lyons Township IL

18. Corning NY 

19. Lone Peak UT

20. Dana Hills CA

21. Lake Zurich IL

22. Claremont CA 

23. Springville UT

24. Mountain Vista CO

25. Southlake Carroll TX

26. Loudon Valley VA

27. West Ranch CA

28. El Paso Eastwood TX

29. Wellesley MA

30. Crater OR

(tie) New Town ND