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Midwest Region Boys Early Season Rankings 2024Published by
Downers Grove (North), Plainfield (South) and Plainfield (North) Keep Illinois A Step Ahead In The Midwest By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor Boys NXR Midwest Preview A trio of Illinois powers, led by a Downers Grove (North) machine that keeps turning out talented runners, should continue to hold sway over the Midwest region this fall. One of the most interesting meets so far in the early part of the cross country season came at the Plainfield Cross Country City Championship. Despite the fact that the city located southwest of Chicago has four high schools, this was essentially a dual meet between the powers at Plainfield (North) and Plainfield (South). Last year at NXR Midwest, it was the team from North earning the second automatic qualifying spot to nationals by one point over the team from South. At the City meet, South beat their rivals 22-34. There's no guarantee that pecking order will remain that way throughout the season, but it's an indication that the competition between them will be fierce. DGN, however, does appear to have a bit more firepower and is seeking its second consecutive Illinois Class 3A title with a team that returns three of its top seven but has a handful of talented JV runners to plug into this year's varsity lineup. At NXN, DGN split 28 seconds on it scoring five and placed seventh. Plainfield (North) was 15th. Those benchmarks are within reach again. A talented senior group at Rockhurst of Kansas City is worth watching as a potential spoiler and Barrington of Illinois brings back five, including Joe Bregenzer, to remain in the hunt for a top-two placing in Terre Haute. T.J. Hansen of Freeland MI is the top individual returner in the region and he was fourth last year and the only non-senior in the top seven. Andrew Walton of Fairfield Union OH and Ben Crane of Winnetka (New Trier) were also in the top 10. 1. Downers Grove (North) IL. The Trojans put five into the top 10 of the early season EIU Showdown, a sign that the seventh place team at NXN last year is back on the right path again despite losing four of its top seven to graduation. DGN won the NXR Midwest by more than 40 points last year and could get back to the top of that podium again. Senior Grant Schroder and juniors Philip Cupial and Will Surratt are the key returners but there is depth in the program that will sustain this team's dominance in Illinois. Seniors Owen Kelly, John Courtney, Brady Travers and Jack Loftus give this team enough firepower to match the 2023 squad. 2. Plainfield (South) IL. Missing out on a trip to nationals by one point to a cross-town rival stings. And it serves as motivation for this year's team from Plainfield (South). The lineup matches up well against North this year and senior Dylan Maloney could be a difference-maker up front. He won the Plainfield Cross Country City Championship by 28 seconds. Senior Riley Fink, juniors Austin Cory and Tyler Miller, and sophomores Alex Batsala and Dylan Buturusis are all going to be counted on because the margin between achieving the team's goals and coming up short could be razor-thin once again. 3. Plainfield (North) IL. Coming back from a 15th place finish at NXN last year, the Tigers return five of the seven runners responsible for a second-place finish at NXR Midwest last year. Already this season, this team has come within five points of Downers Grove (North) at the EIU Showdown and finished a bit behind Plainfield (South) at the Plainfield Cross Country City Championship. Junior Thomas Czerwinski and senior Quinn Davis are interchangeable at No. 1 and juniors Aidan Connors, James Maso and Gavin Hall make this team rock solid through five. Junior Aidan Kyrychenko has taken a big step forward from the JV and sophomores Dominic Frigo and Logan Dodson are also ready for bigger roles. 4. Rockhurst MO. A strong senior class, led by 4:08 miler Henry Acorn, is poised to lead the Hawklets this fall as they try to break up the Illinois dominance in the region. Andrew Davis, William Hayes, Kai Somasegaran and Justin Waldron are back from last year's state runner-up team. If this group of five can remain healthy then it is a threat to make some noise at the NXR Midwest regional. Last year, as Rock Run Club, the team was eighth in the regional. Junior Jacob Bond and senior Zackary Zumwalt are important pieces as well because depth beyond five remains a question mark. 5. Barrington IL. The Broncos return their top five from a team that finished 12th at NXR Midwest last year. Senior Joe Bregenzer, the 3A state champion on the track in the 3,200 meters, is the ringleader and recently won the Art Campbell Lake County Invitational by 42 seconds, covering 3 miles in 14:39.71. Seniors Mark McGinn and Ethan Scott and sophomore William Schneider all placed in the top seven of that meet and give the team a strong group up front. Sophomore Ryan Scott and senior Avery Erickson are also key pieces who will have a big say in the team success if they can stay with the front four. Barrington should take a big leap forward after placing 13th at state last year. WATCHLIST More news |
