Boys XC Preseason Rankings: #16

<p> <span style="font-size: 13.63636302947998px;">NCRunners is counting down the top 25 boys teams heading into the fall season. &nbsp;The full rankings will be released on the first day of official practice: Friday, August 1st. &nbsp;These are subjective rankings (not computer generated); they take into account returning team rankings, returning team averages, team rankings in the 1600 and 3200 from indoor and outdoor track, and a school&#39;s &quot;Improvement Rating.&quot; &nbsp;Improvement Rating is a custom metric developed by researching the improvement in a team&#39;s 5-person average from year to year, in comparison to that same team&#39;s ranking. &nbsp;Improvement Rating numbers and methodology will be released on the weekend of August 2nd.</span></p>

Pine Forest has a veteran team and a desire to prove that they can be as successful on the course as they have been on the track.

 

	Pine Forest (NC)
	1) Sam Maxfield		16:32.84	97
	2) Antonio Domena		16:34.05	100
	3) Peyton Smith		16:57.00	164
	4) Thomas Dunlap		17:09.22	217
	5) Nate Leahy		17:17.16	251
	Average Time: 16:54.05 Total Time: 1:24:30.27 1-5 Split: 44.32
	6) Chase Blackwell		17:41.86	368
	7) Cameron Reed		18:10.00	547

There is one danger with using spring results to project cross country improvement: some teams (and coaches) are simply better during track season, while others are stronger in the fall.  Pine Forest is in danger of being labeled a track-first team; they have excellent results with returning runners from track season, but this squad has yet to put it all together during cross country season.  The Trojans have the talent to be very good in 2014, and they have a solid record of year-to-year improvement, but this needs to be the year that the potential is realized.  That's not just because of the reputation of the program, either: Pine Forest has 3 seniors in its returning top 5, and the rest of the 7 are juniors.  With that kind of veteran squad, the future has to be now!  The 4A East is getting stronger (at least on the boys' side), and the 4A state meet is always a tough battle, but the Trojans' ceiling is high - 2nd in the regional and top 6 in the state meet are both in range with a great summer of training.  Those would be great results for a team that sat out the staet meet last fall.  Here's hoping that the friendly rivalry with Cumberland County foe South View helps lift Pine Forest to new cross country heights.

Important Data:

• 2013 XC Returning Ranking: 16th

• 2014 Outdoor Returning Team 1600 Ranking: 12th

• 2014 Outdoor Returning Team 3200 Ranking: 11th

• 5-Year Improvement Rating: 7.959 (13th)

• 3-Year Improvement Rating: 5.253 (20th)