Hawaiian Five-Oh

Aron Taylor

Hawaiian Five-Oh’s Utah XC Analysis

 

By: David "Hawaiian Five-Oh" Taylor

 

***Update:  Due to Utah Classification Re-Alignments***

***Cyprus High will compete in 5A in 2009***

***Ogden High will compete in 4A in 2009***

Reference: http://uhsaa.org/realignment/Final11-20-08.pdf

 

 

4A Boys XC Preview:

 

The 4A boys cross country analysis is packed full of intrigue and surprise.  Who would of imagined that Ogden High’s movement into the 4A division would cause such a potential climatic event?  The race is going to be a clinic in pure cross country running.  About two decades ago I met a runner in northern Idaho who was a pure cross country athlete.  Meaning, in track he had literally no improvement from his freshman to senior year and he got beaten badly.  However, in cross country he won three straight state titles, convincingly, and placed 12th nationally (All-American) as a senior.  I never thought I would see another “pure” cross country runner like that again until last year.  Jacob Barton is that type of a kid.  Who would have thought he would run 15:35 at Sugarhouse?  There really weren’t any huge indicators all season that he would do that.  However, when it matter most he stepped up big time.  With that performance under his belt, and his potential fully displayed, my mind wandered back to the years of Judge Memorial’s Pat Smyth.  I can assume I am not the only one who expected a breakout track season, but it never came.  Sure he placed third at state; however find another athlete who ran even close to 15:35 who didn’t destroy the track season.  So what does that say?  I will tell you what it says, Mr. Barton does not enjoy running circles and because of that tends to be tactical, instead of exhibiting the freedom of spirit he displays on the grass.  Mr. Barton is a pure cross country runner.  Jacob Barton ran basically the same track season two years in a row, despite dropping over a minute on his cross country performance. 

 

Now Ogden High has been re-classified to 4A, giving Barton more sincere competition.  Here is the bottom line; Barton is going to win big this year.  The only question will be if he has the wheels to make nationals.  We will see. 

 

Bountiful High’s Clark Taylor has continued to be the dominate underclassmen, and seems destined to finish out his tenure in the 4A division as a State Champion, he should challenge.  With Wildcard Jamal Tongo being re-classified to 5A the race seems Barton’s for the taking.   

 

This spring’s surprise came from Shinano Miyazawa, heralding from perennial star factory Mountain View High.  Miyazawa had a mixed 2008 season with a 39th place finish at the BYU Autumn Classic and a 69th Place finish at the State Championships.  However, he went to work over the next six months and produced a shocking improvement in the state 3200 final.  What is even more interesting is that Miyazawa did not even compete in his regional 3200 event, so for many he was off the radar until he finished fairly close to Taylor and Jenkins in the State 3200.  Let’s put this in perspective, Shinano was almost a full 90 seconds behind Taylor at the State XC Championships.  Previously he had posted a 9:49.1 at the BYU Invitational.  Look for teammate Nick Harrison (22nd 2008) to push Miyazawa and Bruin crew this summer, who knows what may happen!

 

 

4A Individual Projections

 

Top Returner from 2008 State XC:

Jacob Barton/Ogden H.S. 1st /15:35.2 (top overall returner) (3A in 2008)

2009 State Track: 3rd 3200/9:54.1

 

Top Returner from 4A State XC:

Clark Taylor/Bountiful H.S. 5th /15:57.7

2009 State Track: 4th 3200/9:44.8

        

Other Key Players:

Adam Jenkins/Orem H.S.

2008 State XC: 9th , 16:08.0

2009 State Track: 5th 3200/9:44.87

                           8th 1600/4:31.25

 

Braden Perry/Box Elder H.S.

2008 State XC: 20th, 16:35.7

2009 State Track: 9th 3200/9:54.69

           12th 1600/4:36.75

 

Shinano Miyazawa/Mountain View H.S.

2008 State XC: 69th, 17:21.3

2009 State Track: 7th 3200/9:50.92

      

Joseph Christensen/Springville H.S.

2008 State XC: 35th 16:52.6

2009 State Track: 6th 3200/9:46.82

                          

Brayden Mickelson/Mountain Crest H.S.

2008 State XC: 10th 16:08.8

2009 State Track: 10th 3200/10:01.78

                           11th 1600/4:36.16

 

 

H5O Pick:

Jacob Barton