What teams do you guys think were the best and most dominant in HS XC history, and why?
I'm looking for the teams that had the best historic times, large margin of victories (unless their competition was also a GOAT), and wins at big meets, especially NXN and other nationals.
The two that come to mind for me are Newbury 2021 and Loudoun Valley 2018
F-M girls dominated not too long ago
Rudy Chapas team
Sent four individuals to Footlocker from the tough Northeast Regional that included the national champ Aislinn Ryan. Nicole Blood (1), Hannah Davidson (3), Lindsay Ferguson (5), Caitlin Lane (6). Won NTN with 51 points, second had 125.
CBA in 2011
The 2011 FM girls SWEPT the NY state meet with a perfect 15 points.
But it gets better -
The second place team in that race was saratoga who went on to place SECOND in the nation at NXN, only behind FM.
This is a little off topic, but the 2019 Beavercreek girls team top 6 all went D1 (Ewert, Williams, Roark, Pierce, Hobbs, Dailey). Is that unusual for top programs?
By 5 man average over 5k
1. Newbury Park ‘21: 14:14
2. Cheyanne Mountain ‘21: 14:49 (Runninglane ‘21)
3. Newbury Park ‘22: 14:54 (CIF State meet)
4. Jesuit Oregon ‘21: 14:58 (Runninglane ‘21)
5. American Fork ‘2020: 15:01 (Runninglane ‘20)
For real wrote:
By 5 man average over 5k
1. Newbury Park ‘21: 14:14
2. Cheyanne Mountain ‘21: 14:49 (Runninglane ‘21)
3. Newbury Park ‘22: 14:54 (CIF State meet)4. Jesuit Oregon ‘21: 14:58 (Runninglane ‘21)
5. American Fork ‘2020: 15:01 (Runninglane ‘20)
Nothing against all the advantages to a usually great Runninglane course, but comparing times there to other championship venues is not informative.
The '99 York team led by Don Sage won IL state champs with 24 points. They put 5 guys in under 14:45 for 3 miles.
That was before NXN so hard to compare to recent super teams but pretty solid.
So instead of starting another flame war regarding RunningLane, one could take spring 3200 times to use as an additional data point.
NP 21/22 top 5 3200 avg - 8:41.
CM 21/22 top 5 3200 avg* - 8:50-ish with altitude conversion.
Jesuit 21/22 top 5 3k avg - 8:29, so 9:02ish.
AF 20/21 top 5 3200 avg* - 9:10-ish with altitude conversion.
GnomeBe wrote:
Rudy Chapas team
Did Hammond even have 4th and 5th runners?
For real wrote:
By 5 man average over 5k
1. Newbury Park ‘21: 14:14
2. Cheyanne Mountain ‘21: 14:49 (Runninglane ‘21)
3. Newbury Park ‘22: 14:54 (CIF State meet)4. Jesuit Oregon ‘21: 14:58 (Runninglane ‘21)
5. American Fork ‘2020: 15:01 (Runninglane ‘20)
And I will vouch for that Cheyanne Mountain team as one of the best of all time. Almost any other year they would have won nationals, losing only to ‘22 Newbury Park and maybe that Loudon valley team.
They won NXR southwest, the deepest region in the country with with 53 points, which might be a record.
Farmington Utah was very good that year, even though they had a bit of an off day at nationals. There track pr’s were (altitude converted)
Peterson: 4:04, 8:51
Bennet: 4:05, 9:00
Halverson: 4:08, 8:59
Bradshaw: 4:17, 9:05
Austin: 4:22, 9:26
Neunschwander: 4:16, 9:32
My point being CM beat Farmington on 3 separate occasions that year, and by 28 points at NXR
For real wrote:
By 5 man average over 5k
1. Newbury Park ‘21: 14:14
2. Cheyanne Mountain ‘21: 14:49 (Runninglane ‘21)
3. Newbury Park ‘22: 14:54 (CIF State meet)4. Jesuit Oregon ‘21: 14:58 (Runninglane ‘21)
5. American Fork ‘2020: 15:01 (Runninglane ‘20)
Thoughts on the NPHS 2020 team? Weren’t they better than AFHS in 2020?
Well just for pure consistency I'm going with the Anderson Indiana squads. Won seven straight titles from 1946-1952.
Its pretty easily Newbury Park. 1-2-3-6 at Nationals and their 5th guy ran 8:52
CBA sitting their entire top 5 at the NJ state meet and still winning with their 6 through 10 was pretty sick.
WHAT?????? wrote:
Well just for pure consistency I'm going with the Anderson Indiana squads. Won seven straight titles from 1946-1952.
This is happening now -- North Allegheny has won the PA meet for five or six years in a row. PA isn't a small state, either. Their dominance is pretty wild.
What year was that?