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National Boys High School Team Rankings - 9/28Published by
Great Oak moves to No. 2 with Roy Griak win By Paul Schmitz of DyeStat Loudoun Valley VA opened the season in impressive fashion and remains the top-ranked team in the country. Led by newcomer Sam Affolder, the Southeast region team won the competitive Oatlands Invitational, a 74-team field that included nationally ranked Green Hope NC. LV is not only strong at the top of the lineup but also demonstrated great depth as evidenced by a 45-second 1-7 split at the Loudoun County Championships on Sept. 23. Preseason No. 2 Wayzata MN and No. 3 Great Oak CA flip positions after the results of the Roy Griak Invitational in St. Paul Minnesota. It was a contrast in styles, as the Californians sprinted at the gun and had all seven runners in front of the entire Wayzata team early on. In typical fashion, Wayzata started out as a controlled pack and attempted to work its way through the field. The problem on the Les Bolstad Course that day was that almost any runner who attempted to make a move late in the race was zapped by the oppressive heat. Great Oak executed the right strategy and it led to a convincing 25-point victory. The good news for Wayzata is that most of the other top Heartland region contenders were also in the race and the Trojans were well ahead of them. Great Oak, meanwhile, will continue to face challenges in California, which is well represented in the Top 10. Fourth-ranked Loyola CA has shown incredible depth and moves up in the rankings. Sixth-ranked Eleanor Roosevelt CA is incredibly strong at the top of the lineup. Dublin CA, thanks to an impressive showing at Woodbridge, jumps from No. 50 to No. 22. Milton GA jumps up to No. 12 after scorching the competition at the 30-team Wingfoot Classic in Georgia. The top-five team average by Milton was almost a full minute faster than the second-place team in the field. The Top 30 1. Loudoun Valley VA 2. Great Oak CA 3. Wayzata MN 4. Loyola CA 5. Downers Grove North IL 6. Roosevelt CA 7. Timpanogos UT 8. Springville UT 9. Christian Brothers Academy NJ 10. Carmel IN 11. The Woodlands TX 12. Milton GA 13. St. Xavier KY 14. Jesuit OR 15. Green Hope NC 16. Burnt Hills Ballston NY 17. Desert Vista AZ 18. Fayetteville-Manius NY 19. Central Valley WA 20. Neuqua Valley IL 21. Mountain Vista CO 22. Dublin CA 23. Bozeman MT 24. College Park TX 25. Dana Hills CA 26. Crescenta Valley CA 27. Wheaton Warrenville South IL 28. American Fork UT 29. La Salle Academy RI 30. Staples CT |