MileSplit's Foot Locker Power Rankings - Midwest Boys

The Midwest boys look strong this year, despite their last place finish at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships last fall.  Led by a quartet of seniors, who have run nine-flat or under for two miles, and a couple of juniors who have Foot Locker Nationals experience, the Midwest is ready to show their strength in cross country once again.

MileSplit's Foot Locker Power Rankings - Midwest Boys

1.  Mike Fout (Sr., LaPorte, IN) - If you look through the results of Foot Locker Midwest Regionals in 2006, you will not find Fout's name in the results.  You won't find his name either in the Indiana State Cross Country Meet results.  Fout was hurt off and on for the majority of his junior campaign, but when he was healthy he impressed.  Fout was perhaps the only harrier that could keep pace with Foot Locker All-American De'Sean Turner, and beat Illinois third-placer Chris Derrick early in the season.  Then injuries came.  A semi-healthy spring allowed Fout to get onto the track and come up big at the state meet, as he beat one of the fastest fields ever assembled in Indiana.  Then, Fout traveled out to Nike Outdoor Nationals, where he finished in the top ten and ran 8:58.  A healthy summer of training should pay off big for Fout and an early 14:58 (5K) puts him number one for now in the Midwest Boys Power Rankings.

2.  Kevin Havel (Sr., Hersey, IL) - A star since his freshman year in high school, Havel starts his 2007 season with a mission to win his first state title.  Last fall, no one in Illinois thought anyone would challenge Evan Jager at the state meet.  But as the race played out, someone did step up and challenge Jager, and that person was Havel.  His 9-flat 3200m track effort puts him right up there when compared to other returnees, however, Havel has always been viewed as more of a strength runner, more a true distance man.  A summer of some intense base building should bode well, as Havel makes one last run at winning the state title he was seemingly born to win.

3.  Chris Derrick (Sr., Neuqua Valley, IL) - Derrick is not only in line to make a run at a state and Midwest Regional championship, he also the lead runner on a team that could contend for a Nike Team Nationals championship.  That bit of extra motivation, and energy that surrounds his team, could very well push Derrick to being the best runner in the country.  His 8:54 effort against Evan Jager at the Illinois State Track and Field Meet will be the remembered as the gutsiest performance of the meet.  Derrick could have gone to Nike Outdoor Nationals, but chose rather to shut down his track season a little early and focus on cross country.  Derrick has all the tools to make one more jump to the best in the country, but will he?

4.  Rob Finnerty (Sr., Burnsville, MN) - Like Kevin Havel, Finnerty has been a stud both on the track and fields of Minnesota since he was a freshman.  Now he is a senior, and has a chance to make history.  Being the fourth returnee puts Finnerty right up there to challenge for a FLMW win, but what really sets him up well heading into the season was how he ended his track season.  While all the hype was on the Centrowitz v. Forys two-mile, Finnerty put together a sparkling performance of his own, completing a 4:10/8:59 double.  Not only do those times highlight his amazing speed, but also exhibits tremendous strength.  Minnesota has one or two guys make an impact every year at Footlocker, and this year should be Finnerty's year.

5.  Bobby Aprill (Sr., Dexter, MI) - Sometimes it is not about the speed of the runner, but rather the courage and strength they bring.  This applies to Aprill perhaps more than anyone else in these rankings.  Aprill was the DII state champion last year in Michigan and is the third returnee from FLMW '06.  All of this, plus a very strong training group, will help Aprill make a push for FL '07.

6.  Evan Appel (Jr., Dakota Ridge, CO) - It is always hard to get a grasp on the Colorado distance runners, since so much (if not all) of their racing is done at altitude.  Last fall, Appel came down to FLMW and shocked the field, as he finished in the top ten and was one of only three sophomores to compete at FL Nationals.  While his track was nothing to write home about, Appel still got the results he needed to carry over to what hopefully will be another December in San Diego.  He is the top returnee, so all eyes will be on him.

7.  Joseph Manilafasha (Jr., Denver North, CO) - Like Appel, Manilafasha came to Kenosha, WI and surprised everyone in attendance, qualifying for nationals while only being a sophomore.  This year he will not surprise anyone, as he returns as the number two returnee from FLMW.  Manilafasha is ranked this low only because his track credentials do not match up to the others ahead of him.  Again, altitude plays a role in this.  The Colorado gang looks to be set to deliver again at FLMW this year, and Manilafasha will be right up there leading the way.

8.  Kevin Williams (Sr., D'Evelyn, CO) - One of the only Colorado guys that went down to sea-level and tested out his track speed, Williams returns to the cross country fields this fall as the number nine returnee and has a nice 9:04 Golden West win under his belt.  Williams may have taken that next step in his training during the spring, as he beat nearly everyone he came in contact with all season long.  If Appel and Manilafasha compete the way they did at FLMW in '06, expect three Colorado men to make it to nationals.

9.  Maverick Darling (Sr., Ovid, MI) - Armed with multiple state championships, a fine 9:05 two-mile NON effort and the coolest name of any runner in the country, Maverick Darling is one of the favorites for certain this fall.  This spring Darling produced a splendid 4:15/9:14 double at the DIII Michigan State Track & Field Championships.  He also is the number six returnee at FLMW.  Darling may have flown under the radar last year in Michigan and the Midwest, but this year he will be one of the prime targets. 

10.  Tom Achtein (Sr., York, IL) - The Duke tradition continues, as Achtein returns to the grass courses of Illinois with a solid track season under his belt.  Achtein will be overlooked early on however, as York races minimally, and some of his PR's don't match-up against the other three of the Illinois Big Four in Kevin Havel, Chris Derrick and Mat Smoody.  Achtein is a strength runner though and will be out to prove he is the best in Illinois.  His first major test will be on September 22, where he faces both Havel and Smoody at the Palatine Invitational.

11.  Joe Miller (Sr., St. John's Jesuit, OH) - The leader of the pack this year should shine above the rest in Ohio.  Last season, Miller helped lead his SJJ trio to a state title and nearly a NTN birth.  While his two training mates, the Lemon Bros., have moved on, Miller is left to defend his turf.  While Miller put up solid numbers on the track, he tends to shine brightly during the fall.  Miller had a steady showing at Foot Locker Midwest last year and is the number eight returnee this year.

12.  Tito Medrano (Sr., Lafayette Jefferson, IN) - Many may wonder why Tito is ranked in the top twelve.  If you look at his results from the Indiana State Cross Country Meet last year he obviously is not worthy.  However, you cannot judge anyone by merely one race.  Tito had a solid fall, but faltered horribly at state, which is something that motivated him this spring.  He made up for his horrible CC state performance with an amazing state track performance, where he ran 9:07, in one of the best races all year in Indiana.  With some success on the track to carry over to cross country, Tito will be right up there challenging Fout when the big meets start up.

Others To Keep An Eye On:

Colorado

• Bobby Nicolls (Jr., Regis) - If you look at results from the regular cross country and track seasons, you may not think Nicolls is worthy to be on this list just yet.  However, you have to dig a little further, and realize that the junior-to-be ran 9:10 for the true two-mile at the Midwest Distance Gala in early June.  That type of time pushes him way up the board and should give him more confidence heading into his fall campaign.
• Charles White (Sr., Cherry Creek) - The transfer from New York finished up his first year in Colorado and seems to have adapted fairly well.  Not only can he call himself a state champion, but he also ran a great 4:09 mile at Nike Outdoor Nationals. 

Illinois

• Mat Smoody (Sr., Palatine) - All track season, Smoody continually impressed by putting up some wild performances.  In the midst of running 1:51 in the 800m dash and 4:13 in the true mile at the Midwest Distance Gala, Smoody kept building his strength, which should pay off this cross country season. 
• Danny Pawola (Jr., Neuqua Valley) - Perhaps the key to his teams' success, Pawola needs to take the same leap he made this spring again this fall.  With a couple 9:17 3200m performances behind him and a great summer, Pawola should be one of the best juniors in the nation.
• Steve Sulkin (Jr., York) - Young performers in the York dynasty usually make huge gains between their sophomore and junior years.  Sulkin was a great cross runner for the Dukes last year, and now that he is the number five returnee in Illinois, expect the small runner to come up big.

Indiana

• Michael Hoffman (Sr., Bloomington North) - The top returnee from last year's state cross country meet, will have his work cut out for him as Fout and Medrano made big leaps during track.  Hoffman has a 4:14 1600m effort to his name though, so he definitely has the wheels to hang with the top ranked guys.
• Andrew Shields (Jr., Fishers) - Along with being one of the top individuals in Indiana, Shields also will be leading a top ranked Indiana squad for the season.  The junior sensation had a great sophomore year, capped with a 4:14 mile effort at the Midwest Distance Gala.  Shields is the second returnee in cross country behind Hoffman.

Iowa

• David Allbaugh (Sr., Pleasant Valley) - Considered the top Iowa harrier this fall, Pleasant Valley will need that 1 at the top of the score card every meet if they hope to roll through the competition.  Allbaugh's specialty it seems are the longer distances, so he should be a force all fall.
• Blake Irwin (Sr., Pleasant Valley) - While known more for his track escapades than his cross country toughness, Irwin could have a breakthrough year.  His 1:52/4:16 state meet effort was one for the ages in Iowa.  Having a training partner like Allbaugh helps too.
• Isaac Wendland (Sr., Charles City) - Flying under the radar will work out to Wendland's advantage if he wants it to.  A lot of focus will be on the Pleasant Valley gang and their hopes to qualify for NTN.  Wendland can focus on himself and perhaps be a surprise come FLMW.

Michigan

• Jason Bishop (Jr., Dexter) - If you look strictly at track times, Bishop doesn't match up to some of the others on this list, but you have to realize that he is part of a spectacular program (Dexter) and has a nationally elite training partner (MW #5, Bobby Aprill).  That, along with his 9:24 3200m state effort, pushes him up the list.
• Addis Habtewold (Sr., St. Clair) - A consistent performer over the past two years, perhaps the most consistent in the state of Michigan, Habtewold should be gearing up for his last state title push.  He didn't finish that far off of the Dexter duo last year (Dan Jackson and Aprill), finishing third at state cc.
• James Lanciaux (Sr., Fremont) - The leader of one of the top teams in the land cannot be discounted.  He made a leap in his productivity during the track season and with all of the hype surrounding his Fremont squad, the excitement should carry over to his training.

Missouri

• Jacob Swearingen (Jr., Potosi) - Despite losing a few teammates that really helped push him into a great runner, Swearingen will once again be leading a tough-to-beat team.
• Adam Behnke (Sr., Lutheran South) - A stellar spring should leap Behnke into the state cross country favorite in Missouri.
• Rick Elliott (Sr., Kickapoo) - He may get looked over from time to time, especially last year with all of Potosi's great team efforts, but Elliott has been a consistent performer and should challenge for a state title.

Ohio

• Cory Leslie (Sr., Sandusky Perkins) - A big step in the right direction has vaulted Leslie onto the Keep An Eye On list.  His 4:09.98 mile at the Midwest Distance Gala and his 3:53.72 performance at USATF Junior Nationals, are great stepping stones to the fall.  Leslie is seemingly a similar mold to Sam Borchers.

South Dakota

• Brad Anderson (Sr., Yankton) - Another Yankton stud added to the mix this year.  Anderson will be the leader of this talented squad and will have to go head to head with some top talent, which should get him ready for FLMW.
• Bill Kogel (Sr., Sioux Falls Roosevelt) - Kogel and Anderson will have a few good battles this year before FLMW hopefully.  Kogel is experienced and will be looking for a state CC '07 title to add to his growing resume.

Wisconsin

• Andrew Perkins (Sr., Watertown) - The young speedster has grown into the wise racing senior.  Perkins has not had the same success on the fields as he has on the track, but that doesn't mean he won't this fall.  With a 4:11 indoor mile under his belt, and a big 1:50 800m win at the Midwest Distance Gala, Perkins keeps on improving in the speed department.  However, the question circling him is, can he get over the cross country hump?
• Joe Stilin (Sr., Milwaukee King) - Despite being the tenth returnee from FLMW '06, and an impressive 4:16/9:19 state meet double, Stilin will fly under the radar much of the season.  This season in Wisconsin is producing one of the stronger crops of top talent in the past decade.  Stilin is one of those guys that could come in on race day and surprise.
• Elliot Krause (Sr., Appleton North) - Some athletes in Wisconsin and Midwest might be intimidated by Perkins, but Krause sure isn't.  Last fall he finished in fourth place at the Wisconsin State Cross Country Championships, right behind Perkins.  This spring he came back and ran a 9:19 3200m PR, and should be able to use his senior experience to his advantage now.
• Jack Hackett (Sr., Port Washington) - 4:15/9:22 are the top times of Hackett.  Those types of times are spread all across the board this year in the Midwest, but another step up in training and competing could take him to places that are pretty special.