Previewing and Ranking the Heartland

By Rob Monroe

When NXN/NTN first started, the Heartland was a region where the girls were much stronger than the boys, highlighted by dynasties such as Yankton and Sioux Falls Roosevelt in South Dakota, and Dowling Catholic and Iowa City West in Iowa. The region has had 20 girls teams compete at NTN/NXN, including six top-10 finishes and six more teams that finished near the top 10. The boys have had (based on states currently in the region) 18 teams compete at NXN including four top-10 finishes and three other teams that have come close. All but one of those top boys performances have come in the past five years while the girls have had only one two top-10 teams and two more near the top 10 in the same time frame. The tide looks to be changing again, as the girls depth has been improving and most of the highly ranked teams happens to be on the girls side, led by three strong programs from three seperate states.

The balance of power in the region also seems to be shifting, at least on the boys side, to different states. Since the beginning of the NXN Regional system, Minnesota has been by far the strongest state in the region, often including 7-8 teams in the region's top 10. This year, the depth in the state of Wisconsin has begun to overtake their larger neighbor as both states have four teams in the top 10, though Wisconsin has a fifth team in the top 15 while Minnesota does not. Another state on the rise is Nebraska, which had two teams in the top 11 at the regional meet last year and return enough to have two teams included in the top 15 and two more teams in the top 20.

 Rankings note: Any runner who was top-5 at any of the championship meets (NXN Nationals, NXN Regionals, and their State Meet) are counted as a "scorer" even if they weren't usually a top-5 runner. The same accounting is used for "varsity" runners.

BOYS

1. Wayzata (Wayzata, Minnesota)

                 2012 NXN-Heartland sixth place; Minnesota 2A State third place

                 Three scorers and four varsity runners return

2. Stillwater Area (Stillwater, Minnesota)

                 2012 NXN-Heartland fourth place; Minnesota 2A State Champion

                 Two scorers and four varsity runners return

3. Bismarck (Bismarck, North Dakota)

                 2012 NXN Nationals 17th place; NXN-Heartland Champion; N. Dakota A State Champion

                 Three scorers and five varsity runners return

4. Millard South (Omaha, Nebraska)

                 2012 NXN-Heartland 11th place; Nebraska A State Runner-up

                 Four scorers and six varsity runners return

5. Edina (Edina, Minnesota)

                 2012 NXN-Heartland third place; Minnesota 2A State Runner-up

                 Three scorers and four varsity runners return

6. Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

                 2012 Wisconsin Division 2 State third place

                 Five scorers and seven varsity runners return

7. Stevens Point Area (Stevens Point, Wisconsin)

                  2012 Wisconsin Division 1 State third place

                  Four scorers and five varsity runners return

8. Perham (Perham, Minnesota)

                 2012 NXN-Heartland fifth place; Minnesota 1A State Champion

                 Three scorers and four varsity runners return

9. La Follette (Madison, Wisconsin)

                  2012 Wisconsin Division 1 State Runner-up

                 Three scorers and four varsity runners return

10. Memorial (Eau Claire, Wisconsin)

                  2012 Wisconsin Division 1 State tenth place

                  Four scorers and six varsity runners return

11. Linn-Mar (Marion, Iowa)

                  2012 NXN-Heartland 12th place; Iowa 4A State third place

                  Five scorers and five varsity runners return

12. Shorewood (Shorewood, Wisconsin)

                  2012 Wisconsin Division 2 State Champion

                  Three scorers and five varsity runners return

13. Lincoln (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)

                  2012 NXN-Heartland eighth place; South Dakota 2A State Champion

                  Three scorers and four varsity runners return

14. Waukee (Waukee, Iowa)

                  2012 Iowa 4A State seventh place

                Three scorers and five varsity runners return

15. Scottsbluff (Scottsbluff, Nebraska)

                  2012 Nebraska B State Runner-up

                  Four scorers and four varsity runners return

GIRLS

1. Wayzata (Wayzata, Minnesota)

                 2012 NXN Nationals seventh place; NXN-Heartland Champion; Minnesota 2A State Champion

                 Seven scorers and eight varsity runners return

2. Arrowhead (Hartland, Wisconsin)

                 2012 NXN-Heartland fourth place; Wisconsin Division 1 State Champion

                 Six scorers and seven varsity runners return

3. Pleasant Valley (Bettendorf, Iowa)

                 2012 NXN-Heartland ninth place; Iowa 4A State Champion

                 Five scorers and six varsity runners return

4. Rapid City Central (Rapid City, South Dakota)

                 2012 South Dakota 2A State Champion

                 Five scorers and six varsity runners return

5. Bismarck (Bismarck, North Dakota)

                 2012 NXN-Heartland seventh place; North Dakota A State Champion

                 Five scorers and five varsity runners return

6. Eagan (Eagan, Minnesota)

                  2012 NXN Nationals 19th place; NXN-Heartland Runner-up; Minnesota 2A State Runner-up

                  Four scorers and five varsity runners return

7. Chanhassen (Chanhassen, Minnesota)

                  2012 NXN-Heartland 15th place; Minnesota 2A State ninth place

                  Five scorers and six varsity runners return

8. Dodgeville (Mineral Point, Wisconsin)

                  2012 Wisconsin Division 2 State Champion

                  Five scorers and seven varsity runners return

9. East Ridge (Woodbury, Minnesota)

                  2012 NXN-Heartland sixth place; Minnesota 2A State fifth place

                  Four scorers and five varsity runners return

10. Lakeville South (Lakeville, Minnesota)

                 2012 NXN-Heartland 14th place; Minnesota 2A State sixth place

                  Six scorers and eight varsity runners return

11. Forest Lake Area (Forest Lake, Minnesota)

                  2012 NXN-Heartland 13th place; Minnesota 2A State fourth place

                  Five scorers and seven varsity runners return

12. Edina (Edina, Minnesota)

                  2012 NXN-Heartland 12th place; Minnesota 2A State third place

                  Five scorers and six varsity runners return

13. Eden Prairie (Eden Prairie, Minnesota)

                  2012 NXN-Heartland tenth place

                  Five scorers and six varsity runners return

14. Dowling Catholic (West Des Moines, Iowa)

                  2012 NXN-Heartland third place; Iowa 4A State fifth place

                  Five scorers and seven varsity runners return

15. Neenah (Neenah, Wisconsin)

                  2012 NXN-Heartland fifth place; Wisconsin Division 1 State Runner-up

                  Three scorers and five varsity runners return