Previewing and Ranking the Northwest

By Rob Monroe

There have been three boys programs that have qualified for NXN Nationals every year since regionals began, and no team has done better at both qualifying for NXN and placing well at NXN than North Central WA. The Indians have also not lost the state meet or the NXN Regional meet in that same time frame, though at least one of those streaks may be in jeopardy this year. Nathan Hale comes into the season looking like they are every bit as strong as North Central, but the loss of one of their runners makes it seem like the 3A Washington title is, for now, North Central's to lose. But the same thing might not be said of the NXN Northwest Region title, which North Central has defended a couple times against threats from other elite programs in the Evergreen state, specifically GSL rival Joel Ferris in 2009 (Ferris beat North Central in the regular season to hand them their only in-state defeat in the last six years and went on to beat them again at NXN by finishing second in the nation) and Gig Harbor in 2011 (Gig Harbor and North Central hadn't raced head to head prior to NXN-NW, though at the state meet the teams looked virtually even based on the results). This year, a pair of elite transfers have boosted Gig Harbor to the top of the region, providing North Central its biggest challenge yet. North Central has also been dealing with injuries for the past year, including to senior Kai Wilmost, one of the nation's best runners. Behind these two powerhouse teams this year is a group of contenders hoping to gain At-Large attention if not to qualify as an AQ team in the Northwest. Central Catholic OR (qualified for NXN in 2007, invited to NTN in 2005, and arguably Oregon's best program over the last decade), Central Valley WA (arguably deserving of an invite in 2006, and a top 10 program in Washington over the last seven years), Nathan Hale WA (a fast-improving program that has made it to state four of the last five years out of one of the toughest districts in the state), and Kamiakin WA (qualified for NXN last year, placing 7th in the nation) are all in the mix.

On the girls side, the two teams that qualified for NXN last year start off the season as top-5 squads, though two region powers that have also qualified for NXN in the past look to take at least one of the spots to NXN, with a small school out in Montana threatening to finish at the top as well. Jesuit OR has been one of the strongest programs in the nation, qualifying for NXN four times and were invited to NTN each of the three seasons before regionals began, but haven't qualified since they finished fourth in 2010. This might be the year Jesuit returns to the NXN National Championship, or it might be the year that the fourth place NTN 2004 team Bellarmine Prep WA punches their ticket for a second time. The most intriguing team this fall could be little Corvallis (Montana), with an enrollment of less than 500 students but a strong track season with four runners running the equivalents of 11:35 or better at sea level for 3200m, and that's not including their returning #1 who was the state champion (and two of her teammates joined her in the top five) in 2012.

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. Gig Harbor (Gig Harbor, Washington)

            2012 NXN-Northwest ninth place; Washington 4A State third place

            Six scorers and six varsity runners return, plus two elite incoming transfers

2. North Central (Spokane, Washington)

            2012 NXN Nationals third place; NXN-Northwest Champion; Washington 3A State Champion

            Three scorers and three varsity runners return

3. Central Catholic (Portland, Oregon)

            2012 NXN-Northwest 11th place; Oregon 6A State Champion

            Six scorers and seven varsity runners return

4. Central Valley (Veradale, Washington)

            2012 NXN-Northwest eighth place; Washington 4A State Champion

            Five scorers and six varsity runners return

5. Nathan Hale (Seattle, Washington)

            2012 NXN-Northwest seventh place; Washington 3A State third place

            Three scorers and three varsity runners return

6. Kamiakin (Kennewick, Washington)

            2012 NXN Nationals seventh place; NXN-Northwest Runner-up; Washington 3A State Runner-up

            Three scorers and four varsity runners return

7. Laramie (Laramie, Wyoming)

            2012 Wyoming 4A State Champion

            Five scorers and seven varsity runners return

8. Garfield (Seattle, Washington)

            2012 Washington 4A State sixth place

            Four scorers and six varsity runners return

9. Bozeman (Bozeman, Montana)

            2012 NXN-Northwest Open Champion; Montana 2A State Champion

            Four scorers and six varsity runners return

10. Eisenhower (Yakima, Washington)

            2012 NXN-Northwest tenth place; Washington 4A State Runner-up

            Three scorers and four varsity runners return

11. Pocatello (Pocatello, Idaho)

             2012 Idaho 4A State Champion

             Four scorers and five varsity runners return

12. Seattle Prep (Seattle, Washington)

             2012 NXN-Northwest fourth place; Washington 3A State fourth place

             Three scorers and five varisty runners return

13. Rock Springs (Rock Springs, Wyoming)

             2012 Wyoming 4A State Runner-up

             Three scorers and five varsity runners return

14. Rocky Mountain (Meridian, Idaho)

             2012 NXN-Northwest 14th place; Idaho 5A State Champion

             Two scorers and four varsity runners return

15. Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma, Washington)

              2012 Washington 4A State 14th place

              Four scorers and five varsity runners return

GIRLS

1. Coeur d'Alene (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)

             2012 NXN Nationals 14th place; NXN-Northwest Champion; Idaho 5A State Champion

             Four scorers and six varsity runners return

2. Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma, Washington)

             2012 NXN-Northwest seventh place; Washington 4A State third place

             Four scorers and six varsity runners return

3. Jesuit (Portland, Oregon)

              2012 NXN-Northwest sixth place; Oregon 6A State third place

              Four scorers and five varsity runners return

4. Corvallis (Corvallis, Montana)

              2012 Montana 1A State Champion

              Three scorers and five varsity runners return

5. Camas (Camas, Washington)

              2012 NXN Nationals 13th place; NXN-Northwest Runner-up; Washington 4A State Champion

              Four scorers and five varsity runners return

6. St. Mary's Academy (Portland, Oregon)

              2012 NXN-Northwest fifth place; Oregon 6A State Runner-up

              Four scorers and five varsity runners return

7. Sehome (Bellingham, Washington)

              2012 Washington 2A State Champion

              Five scorers and six varsity runners return

8. Boise (Boise, Idaho)

              2012 NXN-Northwest ninth place; Idaho 5A State third place

              Six scorers and eight varsity runners return

9. Bozeman (Bozeman, Montana)

              2012 NXN-Northwest eighth place; Montana 2A State Champion

              Five scorers and seven varsity runners return

10. Tahoma (Maple Valley, Washington)

              2012 Washington 4A State Runner-up

              Four scorers and six varsity runners return

11. Henry M. Jackson (Everett, Washington)

              2012 Washington 4A State 12th place

              Four scorers and five varsity runners return, plus their #1 who DNF'd at state

12. Campbell County (Gillette, Wyoming)

              2012 NXN-Northwest 13th place; Wyoming 4A State Champion

              Four scorers and six varsity runners return

13. Sunset (Beaverton, Oregon)

              2012 Oregon 6A State fourth place

              Four scorers and five varsity runners return

14. Richland (Richland, Washington)

              2012 Washington 4A State fourth place

              Five scorers and five varsity runners return

15. Grant (Portland, Oregon)

              2012 Oregon 6A State Champion

              Three scorers and five varsity runners return