Pre-Season National Boys XC Team Rankings Countdown

The American Fork boys are one of the most esteemed programs in the state of Utah, as they enter the 2015-2016 academic year with six consecutive state titles and NXR-Southwest titles. Junior Casey Clinger is ranked Pre-Season US No. 5, as he is the No. 2 returning runner from NXN 2014. With personal best times of 9:03 for 3200m and 4:13 for 1600m this spring, Clinger will be able to provide a much-needed low stick score for the Cavemen. But what of his supporting cast?

Mckay Johns is nearly as consistent as Clinger on the track, running to personal bests of 9:05 and 4:12, though he returns as the No. 3 for 5k. The issue for the Cavemen may be depth - they have a solid top four, as all four return from an NXN run that saw them place fifth overall. Read on for an exclusive interview with 28-year veteran head coach Timo Mostert, who enters his 8th year at American Fork.

Top Returners from 2014 XC Season:



1) Casey Clinger14:56.102
2) Mckay Johns15:08.3010
3) Joe Simmons15:38.7095
4) Hagen Harmer15:53.00200
Average Time: 15:24.03 Total Time: 1:01:36.10 1-4 Split: 56.90

Top Returning 3200m Times from 2015 Outdoor Season:





1) Casey Clinger9:03.8410
2) Mckay Johns9:05.5213
3) Joe Simmons9:41.57134
4) Patrick Larkin9:53.28243
5) Hagen Harmer9:57.76291
Average Time: 9:32.39 Total Time: 47:41.97 1-5 Split: 53.92
6) Jason Manning9:57.86294


Top Returning 1600m Times from 2015 Outdoor Season:



1) Mckay Johns4:12.9711
2) Casey Clinger4:13.3712
3) Joe Simmons4:33.45250
4) Patrick Larkin4:33.81260
5) Jason Manning4:37.88351
Average Time: 4:26.30 Total Time: 22:11.48 1-5 Split: 24.91

Q&A With Coach Timo Mostert

How has summer training been going for your team? What does American Fork focus on during the summer months?

Training has been going well. We had our largest boys group ever at XC High Altitude Camp (33). Our major summer focus is getting a big base of over-distance. Our goal is 750 miles between Memorial and Labor Days, and it looks like we'll have a good bunch achieving that goal.

Who have you been most impressed or surprised with their improvement and/or fitness from their summer training?

All the returners have shown improvement of 20-60 seconds over last year at our mid-summer community 5k. Casey Clinger just got back from the Nike Elite Camp, which has excited the boys. We also have 3 Freshmen who have looked particularly good this Summer and show some promise.

Who are your team captains or leaders and what stands out about them as examples for the rest of their teammates?

This year's senior captains are Joe Simmons, Hagen Harmer, Jason Manning, and Tony Jeffs. They are all consistent, hard workers who have all learned from our previous senior captains how to lead the team by desire, by word, and by example . Joe, and Hagen went to NXN last year, and broke10:00, along with Jason, at altitude during track. Casey Clinger and McKay Johns were two of the Nation's top Sophomores last year, and are pulling the rest of the team in workouts to faster times.

What do you attribute as the main reasons for the success of your program?

A great Summer of training, and a smart combination of training and racing during the season and post-season. We also manage to get a group of boys who are willing to train consistently and support each other in their training and racing.

What is the key to having continued success on the high school level?

If you find something that works, keep it. If you find something doesn't work, change it. You also need great support from your parents and administration.

What have you learned in your time as coach of the American Fork team?

Success is contagious. If beginning athletes believe the workouts will actually make them better, you'll get them hooked and they can start contributing to the success of the team. The parade then keeps moving on.

What are some staple workouts the American Fork team does during the season?

We like doing longer repeats such as 6X800, or 5X1000, or 4X1200, or 3X1 mile, preferably on grass.

What are your core beliefs in your training plan and workouts for your cross country squads?

One name: Arthur Lydiard.

Any impactful freshmen or transfers to join the team this season?

As I mentioned, we have 3 freshmen who are looking good. They might not make varsity this year, but they'll be a big part of our success in coming years. Patrick Larkin is a move-in from California last January. He improved during track (4:33 and 9:51 at altitude) and continues to improve.

What do you view as the strength of your team this year?

Once again this year, we don't have large numbers: maybe 30 tops, so we have to rely on consistency in training and leadership from our returners.

Some early national rankings have been coming out and American Fork has been ranked highly - what do think this team is capable of this season?

The boys set their goals for the season at XC Camp. They definitely want to keep the streak of State and NXN Regional championships going (currently at 6 each). If we can stay healthy and make it back to NXN, we have as good a shot as any of our esteemed competitors for the National Title.