Class 2A Boys Preseason Cross Country Rankings

Seemingly everyone is returning in Class 2A this year on the boys side with 17 of the top 20 from last year’s state meet set to return.

Team Rankings

1. Berean Academy – Last Year: 89 pts – 2nd overall Returners: 78 pts – 1st
There is nothing not to like about this team. All seven runners return from last season’s state team. Not only do all seven return, but they are very strong one through seven. Numbers four through seven all finished within 12 spots of each other and were all in the top 45. Berean does not have a true frontrunner, but its depth cannot be ignored.

2. Stanton County – Last Year: 93 pts – 3rd Returners: 107 – 3rd
Stanton County had a great showing at the state meet last year led by a pair of top 10 finishers in Eric Ruth and Johnathon Carrisco. Both runners have shown great improvement from last year to previous high school years. Ruth was 53rd as a freshman, 14th as a sophomore and fourth last year. Carrisoco was 80th as a freshman and sixth last season. The same is true for its fifth runner with Chris Sierra moving up from 88th as a sophomore to 54th last season. Even the sixth man (fifth fastest return for Stanton County) moved up from 97th place to 81st place in one year. If Stanton County continues its recent tradition of improvements by leaps and bounds then there is no reason it will not be second.

3. Maranatha Academy – Last Year: 86 – 1st Returners: 90 – 2nd
Maranatha has a higher returner score than Stanton County, but top returner Brant Asbell had a tough state meet and got beat in the 3200 by several runners he had no trouble with at the state cross country meet. Stanton County got a great showing out of Ruth and that is what gives it the edge over the defending champion. There is also potentially a lack of depth. A solid five do return for Maranatha though.

4. Minneapolis – Last Year: 140 – 4th Returners: 108 – 4th
I like this team a lot. It took me a while to talk myself out of ranking it in the top three, but there is just too many questions about the back half the team. There is not a better one-two-three punch in the state than Garrett Daugherty, Collin Trickle and Dylan Hackett. They were all three top 15 at 2A state last year. Minneapolis was led by Daugherty and his meteoric rise from 52nd to fifth last year. The four through seven runners are an issue though. If Minneapolis can find two more runners to run sub-19-minutes at the state meet then I think it will be the state champion team this year in 2A.

5. Jackson Heights – Last Year: 168 – 7th Returners: 147 – 6th
Cory Keehn leads Jackson Heights as the returning individual state champion. The one and two are solid, but past that there is not much. Olpe could also be in this spot but it depends on whether Lance Sadler goes out for Cross Country or not this year.

Individual Rankings

1. Cory Keehn – Jackson Heights, Junior
Last season Keehn came got fully back from life threatening health problems and won the cross country title. He took second in the 3200 at the state meet, but has to be the favorite coming back after winning the title last year by 19 seconds.

2. Eric Ruth – Stanton County, Senior
Ruth has turned himself into a runner. He went from 53rd as a freshman, to 14th to fourth last year. Everything came full circle as he outkicked Keehn for the 3200 meter state championship this past spring. If it comes down to a kickers race then my money is on Ruth.

3. Cody Miller – Wathena, Senior
Continuing our theme of improving runners is Miller. He has gone from 30th to 19th and finally to third last year. I think he gets leapfrogged by Ruth, but still holds on for another third place finish. There is just so much experience returning in this class that it will be very interesting to see how things pan out.

4. Brady Johnson – Plainville, Sophomore
Last year Johnson took 12th, but continued to improve in his freshman season as he placed third in the 3200. Improvement like that over the winter for a freshman is impressive.

5. Garrett Daugherty – Minneapolis, Junior
When runners get a taste of the top after being a middle of the pack runner they generally do what they can to stay up there. Daugherty went from 52nd to 5 between his freshman and sophomore years. He has solid training partners up there in little Minneapolis.

Is there a runner or a team you think I omitted? Let me know what you think of the rankings by leaving a comment or e-mailing me at cparker@kwch.com.