Boys XC Preseason Rankings: #2

<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>

South View has enormous talent and great leadership, and the potential is there for a state championship and national ranking.

 

	South View (NC)
	1) Michael Staples		15:41.61	8
	2) Titus Grant		15:48.00	19
	3) Javier Alejandro		15:58.59	28
	4) Joseph Moody		16:18.99	56
	5) Rontrel Felton		16:33.19	98
	Average Time: 16:04.08 Total Time: 1:20:20.38 1-5 Split: 51.58
	6) Darian Torres		17:19.60	262
	7) Monquell LeSane		17:57.00	462

Nobody has more talent back than South View, especially with new addition Philip Hall leading the way up front - with him included there are 4 sub-16 runners returning, more than any other team in the state.  The only thing that can hold this team back is bad luck, and the Tigers have had an extra dose of that over the last few seasons.  Injuries affected this team during the fall of 2013 and throughout track season as well; those injuries affected the team's returning 1600 & 3200 rankings and even skewed its Improvement Rating.  It can be hard to overcome the injury bug once it strikes a few runners, but if South View is healthy then a 4A championship is within reach.  It will be interesting to see how Hall fits into a team that has been all about the pack-running in the past; will he hold back in early-season races to try to elevate his teammates' pace, or will the Tigers turn him loose, take the 1 point he almost always earns, and pack up behind him?  Either way, this team will be formidable, and if everything comes together then some national recognition could be in the cards.  With 4 seniors in the projected top 5, there really is no "Plan B" for South View, as their shirts say.

Important Data:

• 2013 XC Returning Ranking: 1st

• 2014 Outdoor Returning Team 1600 Ranking: 4th

• 2014 Outdoor Returning Team 3200 Ranking: 9th

• 5-Year Improvement Plan: 9.647 (7th)

• 3-Year Improvement Plan: 3.466 (26th)