Loudoun Valley: Can Vikings Go Wire to Wire and Back to Back?

By Paul Schmitz of DyeStat

2018 Boys Preseason National Rankings

The Loudoun Valley boys cross country team from Purcellville, Va. held the No. 1 spot in the nation in 2017 from the preseason rankings all the way to the podium at NXN, and this year could be no different. The Vikings, coached by Marc and Joan Hunter, bring back a formidable lineup that should adequately paper over the losses they suffered to graduation. 

Led by seniors Sam Affolder, Jacob Hunter and Conner Wells, this trio is joined by a strong junior class led by Kevin Carlson and Kellen Hasle, with several other quality runners ready to step up.

The achievements of the 2017 Vikings place them among the greatest teams of the NXN era. In Portland, Loudoun Valley put up the lowest score in race history at 89, edging the 91-point score by Christian Brothers Academy in 2011. Even more impressive was the record-breaking margin of victory: 70 points. The next-best margin for a winning team at NXN was the 2015 Great Oak champions, who won by 49. 

The next tier of teams in the 2018 rankings are contenders for a podium spot with Loudoun Valley. This tier goes from No. 2 Fayetteville-Manlius NY down through No. 10 Kamiakin WA. These nine teams project very close together and all are within range of earning one of the top spots in Portland. F-M will be challenged by No. 8 Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake in New York. Both teams are heavy favorites to win their respective state classification meets and NXR NY could come down to the wire. 

Two California teams are in the mix at the top with Great Oak and St. Francis Mountain View projecting to improve on their sixth- and ninth-place finishes from 2017. Another state with two projected high finishers is Washington, with Central Valley and Kamiakin checking in at Nos. 7 and 10. Both qualified in 2017 as well and should improve on their finishes of 13th and 17th. 

Of the Nos. 2-10 teams, only Wheaton Warrenville South IL appears to have a clear path in its region. No other NXR Midwest team appears in the Top 20, but expect at least one more team from Illinois to emerge and join the mix before the end of the season.    

The next tier runs from No. 11 Bolles FL to No. 21 Claremont CA. Of this this group, watch for early results from the teams from Flower Mound TX and La Costa Canyon CA as potential rankings climbers. Flower Mound is headed by two All-Americans in Alex Maier and Jarrett Kirk. If Flower Mound can close the gap from 1-5 then it could soon join the top 10.  

The Preseason Top 50

1. Loudoun Valley VA

2. Fayetteville-Manlius NY

3. American Fork UT

4. Great Oak CA

5. St. Francis Mountain View CA

6. Wheaton Warrenville South IL 

7. Central Valley WA

8. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake NY

9. Christian Brothers Academy NJ

10. Kamiakin WA

11. The Bolles School FL

12. Dakota Ridge CO

13. Flower Mound TX

14. Dana Hills CA

15. Xavier CT

16. La Costa Canyon CA

17. Middleton WI

18. Bishop Hendricken RI

19. Wayzata MN

20. Newbury Park CA

21. Claremont CA

22. Ann Arbor Pioneer MI

23. Corning-Painted Post NY

24. La Salle Academy RI

25. Lewis and Clark WA

26. Weddington NC

27. Skyridge UT

28. Dowling Catholic IA

29. Haddonfield Memorial NJ

30. Mountain Vista CO

31. Hudson OH

32. Severna Park MD

33. Carmel IN

34. Dublin CA

35. Indianapolis Cathedral IN

36. Edmonds-Woodway WA

37. Rocky Mountain ID

38. Kingwood TX

39. Hinsdale Central IL

40. Davis UT

41. Niwot CO

42. Edina MN

43. Camas WA

44. Riverton UT

45. West Windsor-Plainsboro South NJ 

46. Stillwater Area MN

47. St. Thomas Aquinas KS

48. Cherokee NJ

49. Rock Canyon CO

50. Plymouth MI

Top 50 Teams By Region

Southwest: 8

California: 7

Northeast: 7

Midwest: 7

Heartland: 6

Northwest: 6

Southeast: 4

New York: 3

South: 2

Top 10 Teams By Region

California: 2

New York: 2

Northwest: 2

Southeast: 1

Midwest: 1

Southwest: 1

Northeast: 1 

Heartland: 0

South: 0