NXN-Heartland Pre-Season Regional Outlook

Boys Region History at NXN (2007-2011) –

Auto-Qualifiers:

2011: 261 Arrowhead WI (#8), 296 Stillwater MN (#10)
2010: 266 Wayzata MN (#9), 396 Edina MN (#18)
2009: 297 Eden Prairie MN (#14), 312 Wayzata MN (#16)
2008: 307 Bismarck ND (#14), 341 Wayzata MN (#18)
2007: 403 Wayzata MN (#20), 414 Shawnee Mission NW KS (#21)

At-Large Teams:

(None)

2012 Boys Pre-Season Rankings:

1. Bismarck ND – 2011 NXN-Heartland third place squad and North Dakota A State Champion returns five of seven

2. Stillwater MN – 2011 NXN Nationals tenth place squad, NXN-Heartland and Minnesota 2A State Champion returns four of seven

3. Dowling Catholic IA – 2011 NXN-Heartland fifth place squad and Iowa 4A State Champion returns five of seven

4. Wayzata MN – 2011 NXN-Heartland eighth place squad returns five of seven

5. Edina MN – 2011 NXN-Heartland sixth place and Minnesota 2A State third place squad returns four of seven

Honorable Mention:  Arrowhead WI, Eden Prairie MN, Fremont NE, La Crosse Logan WI, Owatonna MN, Perham MN, Shawnee Mission NW KS, Stevens Point WI

 

Synopsis: The Heartland has never secured an at-large invite for their boys, but that might change this year as three strong teams battle it out for trips to Portland this fall. Bismarck dominated their state last year and looked pretty strong at the regional meet – some might say almost good enough to warrant consideration for an at-large invite – and bring back most of that group for another attempt. Stillwater won the NXN Regional last fall and finished tenth in the nation, but will need to develop a strong fifth to make the next step towards being a potential US Top-5 type of squad. Dowling Catholic graduated their front runner, Cole Decker, but return two others who finished in the top 55 overall at NXN-Heartland last year and three others who finished in the top 110 and had three runners under 9:30 plus another at 4:25 this spring.

 

 

 

Girls Region History at NXN (2007-2011) –

Auto-Qualifiers:

2011: 367 Neenah WI (#14), 480 Monticello MN (#20)
2010: 315 Eden Prairie MN (#12), 385 Dowling Catholic IA (#17)
2009: 326 Dowling Catholic IA (#12), 418 Elk River MN (#20)
2008: 261 Eden Prairie MN (#10), 438 Sioux Falls Roosevelt SD (#19)
2007: 318 Dowling Catholic IA (#14), 324 Yankton SD (#16)

At-Large Teams:

(None)

 2012 Girls Pre-Season Rankings:

1. Dowling Catholic IA – 2011 NXN-Heartland third place squad and Iowa 4A State Champion returns four of seven

2. Neenah WI – 2011 NXN Nationals 14^th place squad, NXN-Heartland Runner-up and Wisconsin Division 1 State Runner-up returns six of seven

3. Lakeville South MN – 2011 NXN-Heartland seventh place squad and Minnesota 2A State Runner-up returns six of seven

4. Wayzata MN – 2011 NXN-Heartland 11^th place and Minnesota 2A State third place squad returns all seven

5. Shakopee MN – 2011 NXN-Heartland eighth place and Minnesota 2A State fourth place squad returns six of seven

Honorable Mention:  Arrowhead WI, Bismarck ND, East Ridge MN, Eden Prairie MN, Iowa City West IA, Pleasant Valley IA, Roseville MN

 

Synopsis: An interesting trend in NTN/NXN history, an Iowa team has represented the Heartland every two years only to miss out on the third. In 2004, the inaugural year of NTN, Iowa City West finished tenth place. No team qualified in 2005, but in 2006, it was Iowa City High who was invited to participate. The rest of the history can be seen above: Dowling Catholic qualified in 2007, 2009 and 2010. Last year, no Iowa team qualified. If the pattern holds true, Dowling Catholic, the reigning champion of Iowa, should be in good position to return to Portland this December, and that shouldn’t hold any surprise as the third place team from last year was the deepest squad in the region and in addition to returning four scorers they add in a girl who ran the 3k in 10:31 this spring. Among the other teams, the Heartland’s top finishing squad in Portland last year, Neenah, should be back for more as they also return four scorers from last year’s team and also bring back Jessica Laabs, a runner who didn’t compete in the NXN races last year but ran under 16 for 4k at the Wisconsin state meet and ran 5:20 in track this spring. Expect Arrowhead, the defending Wisconsin Division 1 State Champions, and Pleasant Valley IA to challenge the above-listed Minnesota powers for top five finishes this November.