Seven California teams in this week's Top 30

By Paul Schmitz for DyeStat 

Loudoun Valley VA of the Southeast region maintains the top position in the nation, but the teams that had the biggest effect on the rankings this week are from California. 

Preseason No. 50 Dublin CA jumped to No. 22 in the last rankings and now moves up to No. 16 after an impressive second-place finish to second-ranked Great Oak CA at the Clovis Invitational. Dana Hills CA moves up to No. 22 after a third-place finish at Clovis. St. Francis Mountain View CA and Crescenta Valley CA tied for fourth at Clovis and come in at No. 26 and No. 27 after St. Francis prevailed on the sixth-runner tiebreaker. 

The Southeast is the only Nike region that has never sent an at-large team to NXN.  With the ascension of Milton GA, preseason No. 25, and Green Hope NC, preseason No. 17, up to national No. 10 and No. 11 respectively, this looks like the year that drought will end.  Add those teams to the mix that includes top-ranked Loudoun Valley and No. 15 St. Xavier KY and the NXR Southeast is lining up to be one of the best races of the year.   

Downers Grove North slips out of the top 10 for the first time this year due to the absence of one of its top runners. DGN has the depth to make a bid for NXN even not at full strength and can contend for a podium spot in Portland if it can get back to full strength before the end of the season.   

Other National Notes: 

The Heartland continues to be in flux as regional No. 2 Edina was knocked off by No. 5 Stillwater and No. 3 Dowling Catholic IA was beaten by state rival Johnston. 

In the Northwest, Bozeman MT falls out of the top 30 after a loss to Central Valley WA.  Central Valley then lost to Lewis and Clark WA head to head. However, the team from Central Valley will keep the No. 3 regional spot and stays in the top 30 as it was missing a top five scorer in that loss. Lewis and Clark, the regional No. 5, elevates into the top 30 with a No. 29 debut.   

Expect many of the questions in the Northeast and New York to be answered this weekend at the Manhattan Invitational. How good is CBA? Will another NJ or NY team emerge as an NXN contender? The lineup in Manhattan includes many of the top five regional teams in New York and the Nike Northeast as well as No. 11 Green Hope NC.     

Top 30 

1. Loudoun Valley VA

2. Great Oak CA

3. Wayzata MN

4. Loyola CA

5. Springville UT

6. Roosevelt CA

7. Timpanogos UT

8. Christian Brothers Academy NJ

9. Carmel IN

10. Milton GA

11. Green Hope NC

12. Downers Grove North IL

13. The Woodlands TX

14. Desert Vista AZ

15. St. Xavier KY

16. Dublin CA

17. Burnt Hills Ballston NY

18. Neuqua Valley IL

19. Jesuit OR

20. Fayetteville-Manlius NY

21. Mountain Vista CO

22. Dana Hills CA

23. Crater OR

24. Central Valley WA

25. College Park TX

26. St. Francis Mountain View CA

27. Crescenta Valley CA

28. American Fork UT

29. Lewis and Clark WA

30. Haddonfield Memorial NJ