Utah All-time XC Boys Teams
| Murray Dynasty '80-85 | Mountain View Dynasty | Bingham & Mountain View 1999 | Alta Hawks '08 | American Fork '09 |
For the past several years the questions has been raised, who are the great teams in Utah Cross Country history. While it is easy to consider the dominant Mountain View teams of the 90's and the Bingham rivalry that ensued, Utah has a rich 30 year history of dominance in this sport. As we delve back in time, we find something remarkable occurred in the early 80's as well with Murray High that would compete well against any Mountain View or Bingham Program. Finally, we rank the top 10 cross country programs in the past 30 years.
The Murray Dynasty: 1980-1985 *Utah's First National Program
In 1980 Murray high burst onto the scene at the Utah State Championships with a 3A State Championship victory scoring 58 points. In that meet, led by Dave Andreason's runner-up finish in 15:06 over 5000 meters the men from Murray began a dynasty. Followed by teammates Kevin Deford in 15:22 and Cory Bringhurst in 15:23 it is easy to assume the 1980 Murray high team was simply one of the best. According to Utah Coaching Legend Jeff Arbogast this Murray team was and is the greatest team he ever witnessed with 5 legitimate sub 16 minute 5000 meter runners. Powerful words from the man who coached who we believe to be the best team in state history.
To put the 1980 performance into perspective, before 1980 the course record was 15:11 set in 1978 by the great U.S. distance runner Ed Eyestone. In that 1978 race Eyestone won by a wide margin as second place was 16:04. For further proof of this extraordinary team performance legendary East runner Jeff Creer, an 8:57 two-miler, only ran 15:22 in 1976 over this course winning by a wide margin of 30 seconds. Murray high would go on to win 5 straight state cross country championships producing some unbelievable performances. On paper it would seem that Murray was a powerhouse of unequalled parrallel during the early 80's, one would assume that had there been a NXN event several of these Murray teams would have been top 5 nationally. XC Legacy ranks the 1980 team #3 Nationally.
| Year | Team Average | Final Season Result |
| 1980 | 15:33 | State 3A Champion; #3 Nationally Ranked |
| 1981 | 16:10 | State 3A Champion w/ 30pts; #15 Nationally |
| 1982 | 15:47 | State 3A Champion w/ 36pts; #11 Nationally |
| 1983 | 15:51 | State 3A Champion w/ 40pts; #11 Nationally |
| 1984 | 16:04 | State 3A Champion w/ 30pts; #19 Nationally |
| 1985 | 16:08 | State 3A Champion w/ 29pts |
Mountain View Dynasty: 1990-2005
Years of Utah cross country history have established a basis of comparison, statistical breakdown and extraordinary performances. In the early 1980's Orem high had a few teams who were stacked with 4-5 guys who could all run under 16 minutes for 5000 meters. However, we have the great Dave Houle Mountain View dynasty that lasted well through the 90's and early 2000's.
In 1990 Dave Houle led the Bruins from Orem, Utah to an impressive 14th pace ranking in the renowned Marc Bloom Harrier National Rankings. A precursor to things to come as the Bruins would go on to win multiple National Championships. More importantly the great teams from the Houle era have established marks that stand as benchmarks for teams looking to show the nation just how good they can be, and are.
In 1998, the UHSAA comissioned several Utah coaches to develop a new Utah State Cross Country Championship course. A definitive championship course emerged in 1998 that would stand the test of time as the standard for a new State Championship era. In that year Houle produced perhaps his best team. That 98' Bruin squad covered the 5000 meter course in a total team time of 81:15. The 98' Bruins would go on to be ranked #1 Nationally by the Harrier National Rankings. The standard had been set and a mark had been established in the tops of the mountains.
In 1999 Houle produced what has been considered one of the greatest teams in National history. In the year, the Bruins ran an unbelieveable 80:24 over the sugarhouse course. That team would finish ranked by many as national champions and in the mind of many national prognisticators considered with the 93' Mead, 99' York, 95' Bingham, and 08' North Central team as one of the top 5 teams in National prep cross country history. But no Houle team would be as impressive as his 1994 bruin squad.
Mountain View & Bingham: The Greatest
1994 Footlocker West Regional
Led by Jeff Arbogast the Miners from Bingham ran 78:06 over the 5000 meter Woodward Park course at the Footlocker West Region Championships. With Corbin Talley coming in at 15:09, Jeff Hopkinson 15:42, Ryan Bullock 15:43, Lee Lorenz 15:55, Curtis Moore 15:57, and Alexander Speed 16:05. The superb team performance would be ranked #3 all-time on the 5000 meter course behind Meads 77:22 and Thousand Oaks 77:59 team performances in 1993. Not only an epic performance at Footlocker the Miners also avenged a State Championship loss to Mountain View. Before 1994 there were only two teams in prep history to record faster times over the course, since that year only three teams have bettered the 78 minute barrier with Bingham's total team time of 78:06 still regarded as an all-time great team performance. The total team time of 78:06 is the fastest team time ever ran by a Utah team on the Woodward Park 5000 meter course. Consider that in the history of the Footlocker West course only 5 teams have run faster, all of which have been considered in the top ten nationally all-time programs.
In this race Bingham avenged the state championship loss to Mountain View. Mountain View completed the Woodward Park course with a total team time of 79:01. The bruin's were led by Dula Parkinson 15:12, Zack James 15:14 with the latter three producing an obvious off day coming in Wade Allen 16:09, Ryan Andrus 16:10, and Andy Farrer 16:16. With Allen coming in #3 for the team it was clear this was not Mountain View's best performance as Allen is usually the #5 man on the team. Lets look at the Mountain View state performance.
1994 Utah State Championships
This year Bingham would finish 2nd to the Dave Houle led Mountian View Bruins at the old Utah State Championship course in truly an epic battle of the top two programs in the nation. Running a total team time of 77:10 to Mountain Views 76:33 the Miners brought in all five runners in the top 20 with four in the top 10 while the Bruins had all five runners in the top 15 with the top four also in the top 10. Led by Talley's 15:03 the Bingham Miners filed in four runners in the top ten with Curtis Moore 5th in 15:15, Lee Lorenz 8th in 15:30, Ryan Bullock 9th in 15:31, and Jeff Hopkinson 17th in 15:51. On the other hand, Mountain View had the top two finishers with Zack James running an impressive 14:54 for the victory and Dula Parkinson finishing 2nd in 15:01. Rounding out the top five were Ryan Andrus 7th in 15:03, Andy Farrer 10th in 15:32, and Wade Allen 15th in 15:43. Mountain Views 76:33 remains as the best total team time in Utah history. With Bingham's route of Mountain View at the Footlocker West Region Championships it is clear these two teams are even.
| Mountain View 1994 | Coach Dave Houle | Bingham 1994 | Coach Jeff Arbogast | |
| Zack James | 14:54* | Corbin Talley | 15:03* | |
| Dula Parkinson | 15:01* | Curtis Moore | 15:15* | |
| Ryan Andrus | 15:23* | Lee Lorenz | 15:30* | |
| Andy Farrar | 15:33* | Ryan Bullock | 15:31* | |
| Wade Allen | 15:43* | Jeff Hopkinson | 15:42** | |
| 15:18 Team Average | Alexander Speed | 16:05** | ||
| *State Meet | **Footlocker West | 15:24 Team Average |
| Dave Houle: Mountain VIew | Jeff Arbogast: Bingham |
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In a tale of two highly competitive Hall of Fame bound coaches, Jeff Arbogast and Dave Houle were gems in the State of Utah distance running. Perhaps no other year featured the expertise, the precision, and the programs that the 94' Bruin/Miner rivalry produced. Combining for over 70 State Championships between the two of them in over five sports, it is no wonder both were elected into the NFHS Hall of Fame.
During that epic season while Mountain View won the Orem Invitational and State meet Bingham would win the Vale Invitational, Murray Invitational, and Footlocker West. While it is clear Mountain View did not have their best team performance at Woodward Park, what is clear is that these teams are the consensus #1 & #2 teams in Utah State history.
Being defined as the greatest team in state history serves as a benchmark for great teams to come. It demands individually epic performances against nationally ranked programs. Finishing the season is just as important as having an undefeated season. While it is obvious that National Championship programs are considered in the list it by no means discredits a team from recognition for not achieving such. During the 80's and 90's national rankings were determined by a paper polling system. National rankings as determined by one man covering the national spectrum, so it is clear these rankings may not always be accurate. For example, the 94' rankings listed Bingham #4 with Mountain View #3 behind Kingwood, Texas at #1 and Thousand Oaks, California #2. Upon further research both the Kingwood and Thousand Oaks teams never produced a spread across a 3 mile course, let alone at 5000 feet elevation comparible to the Miners and Bruins squads. What remains a constant was that due to the evenness of these two programs the fact they battled back and forth each week was why they were ranked behind Kingwood and Thousand Oaks.
Co-National Champions?
The 94' Mountain Views top three of Dula Parkinson, Zack James, and Ryan Andrus were superior to the Houser twins and Lewis Jones led team from Kingwood. While the Bingham miners were just as close, upon further reflection one could argue that Mountain View and Bingham could have legitimately claimed Co-National Champion team status. It would seem the only team capable of defeating Bingham was Mountain View and so it goes vice versa. Bingham Miner Corbin Talley claims the 94' team was vastly superior to the 95' National Champion Miners squad. It is clear these two teams were superiorly coached with Bingham's Jeff Arbogast and Mountain View's Dave Houle both elected into the High School Hall of Fame.
In a head to head comparison of top times for each of the top four teams nationally for 1994 Bingham came out ahead with a 27-28 duel meet scoring victory over Kingwood, TX. In the same scoring format if you take Thousand Oaks, CA CIF state performance on Woodward and compare it head to head with Bingham's team performance on Woodward Bingham defeats Thousand Oaks 23-32 in duel meet scoring. In the same scoring format, if we take the Harrier National Championship Kingwood and compete them against the Mountain View, Bingham, and Thousand Oaks squads we come up with the following National Ranking with Mountain View coming in #1 with 37 points and Bingham coming in second with 41 points, Kingwood 3rd with 46 points and Thousand Oaks 4th with 86 points. It was clear in the hypothetical race combining best individual performances from State and Footlocker that both Kingwood and Thousand Oaks could not match the team depth of either Mountain View or Bingham. Just using statistics we can say unequivocally that the Harrier rankings were controversial. Based upon final meet performance it is clear that Bingham holds the upper hand, with this in mind, we rank Mountain View and Bingham the 1994 Co-National Champions.
| 1. Bingham | 1994 | Footlocker West Team Champions 78:06 team time |
| 1. Mountain View | 1994 | State Meet Champions 76:33 team time |
| 3. Murray | 1980 | 3A State Champions; 15:33 team average |
| 4. Bingham | 1995 | Harrier National Champions |
| 5. Mountain View | 1999 | Harrier National Champions |
| 6. Murray | 1982 | 3A State Champions; 15:47 team average |
| 7. Mountain View | 2002 | Harrier National Champions |
| 8. Mountain View | 1998 | Harrier National Champions |
| 9. Bingham | 1996 | Harrier #3 Nationally Ranked |
| 10. Mountain View | 1996 | Harrier #4 Nationally Ranked |
Released early this morning by the Utah High School Track Coaches Association Alta tops the list. Utah State 5A Champions and Nike Cross Nationals Southwest #4 Alta HS boys have solidified themselves as Greatest Utah boys cross country team on the state course. Mountain Crest girls finish #2 all-time with Davis #3.
Every year as featured in several National events total team time is a significant factor in determining team strength and depth among top ranked National teams. The all-time team time for the Utah state course has signified National dominance of once great teams. For the last 11 years the heralded 1999 Mountain View boys squad have held the record at 80:24. That 99' team have been mentioned as one of the greatest teams Nationally of all-time ranking up there with Mead, WA and York, IL.
Mountain Views team time of 80:24 has been the mark of excellence. To put the team time top five list into perspective, before 2008 Mountain View HS held the top five fastest team times in history. Of those five teams you include three National Champions in 98, 00, 02, Nationally ranked #2 in 1999 the year they established the Utah State Team Tim Record, and NTN Finalist Nationally ranked #5 in 2004 and 2005. It would be interesting to note how they would be compared to the 95' Bingham boys team that won the National Championship under the helm of Coach Jeff Arbogast.
At the 2008 State Championships Alta scored a 80:20 team time. With a 22 second spread Alta is a true team powerhouse, not only packing well but running superb times. What this means is that there has never been a team as dominant as the Alta in Utah before...they are not alone. All year Alta and Timpview boys squads have traded off that top ranking with the American Fork Cavemen close behind. At the state championships Timpview won the 4A division in 80:35 good for #3 All-time with those great Mountain View programs. American Fork finished in 81:22. With these teams running rampant over the state the region has to be wondering, whats going on in Utah?
On the girls side no team has been better than the 1999 National Champion Bingham girls squad's total team time of 93:49. The NXN SW#4 Mountain Crest girls came close this year with the second fastest total team time of 95:00. Five more teams would break onto the top ten list. But what gets interesting is that at the 2008 State Championships Mountain Crest posted the second fastest team time ever and yet finished second to David, UT girls team in combined division scoring. Davis, the third fastest team in Utah State history posted a 95:12. Gratefully top teams in Utah will have their shot at a National Championship.
Utah State Championships Course Map (courtesy UHSTCA Vice President Timo Mostert)
Boys New State Course (1998- )Top Team Times (5 runner cumulative)
80:20 Alta 5A-1 2008
80:24 Mountain View 5A-1 1999
80:35 Timpview 4A-1 2008
80:36 Mountain View 4A-1 2002
81:15 Mountain View 5A-1 1998
81:17 Mountain View 5A-1 2005
81:22 American Fork 5A-2 2008
81:22 Mountain View 4A-1 2004
Alta Defies Skeptics, Locks NXN Berth!!!
Southwest Region
Regional Meet: November 22, 2008 at Tempe AZ
Colorado - Utah - New Mexico - Arizona - Nevada - Wyoming
Two teams and five individuals will qualify for NXN national finals December 6, 2008 at Portland OR
At MilesplitUT, the depth, strength and potential for Alta was never overlooked. In the NXN Southwest Region Championship preview Alta was pushed heavily as one of the top programs to come out of the State of Utah. Alta qualifies for the Nike Cross National Championships with a 2nd place performance at the Southwest Region Championships. Read our Pre-race Preview again.
Following the Utah State Championships, talk stirred throughout the State about just how good Alta truly could be. On the state course they smashed a ten year old record. We pointed out that the top three times over the Utah State course were established by teams who would eventually go on to be crowned national champions. If Alta was overlooked in pre-race prognostication it was the result of a hyper focus on the AZ-NM teams, something that Utah teams are accustomed too.
Saturday on the famed Kiwanis Park course, the NXN Southwest Region Championship took place.
Top teams throughout the Region travelled to compete for two automatic team berths and five individual berths to the Nike Cross National Championships. While the skeptics were surprised, few in Utah were surprised by the performance of the Alta Hawks. Alta ran neck and neck with pre-race favorite Albuquerque NM finishing 2nd in team scoring with 172 points behind Albuquerque's 156. By order of finish Albuquerque NM edged Alta 26-29 in duel format scoring, what this means, Alta is a true team and will be a force to be reckoned with at the Nike Cross Nationals. If history is any indication of what is to come Alta has solidified themselves as a true contender with previous SW qualifying teams consistently finishing in the top ten at NXN. Alta Pre-race Preview
The Coach: Rob Murphy
The Team: Jack Webster 15:56.44; Garrett Jones 16:14.82; Kyle Moffet 16:16.91; Brian Howell16:19.60; Parker Snydergaard 16:28.59; Blake Bartholomew 17:07.26; Zach Evans 17:25.58
In our pre-race previews we approached the NXN Southwest Championships with a three pronged preview featuring Alta, Timpview, and the youngest team to compete at NXN Southwest Championships, American Fork. American Fork may have surprised the skeptics with their fourth place finish at the 2008 NXN Southwest Region Championships. The Cavemen never doubted themselves, posting one of the top team times in Utah State history at the State Championships. The Cavemen were less than 3 seconds difference from Cibola. The Cavemen will sit on the fence waiting for a potential NXN at-large berth. Consolation, they return everyone for the 2009 season which should place them as early pre-season favorites for the 2009 NXN event. Utah placed four boys teams in the top 8 with Timpview 7th and Davis 9th. The American Fork Cavemen finished 39 seconds behind #1 Albuquerque NM in team total time. Conclusion: The Southwest Region teams are tight and very close, both Cibola NM and Cavemen UT are early at-large berths teams. American Fork Pre-race Preview
NXN Boys Championship Results
1. Albuquerque NM 156 Team time: 80:58
2. Alta UT 172 (81:16)
3. Cibola NM 190 (81:20)
4. Cavemen UT 195 *39 seconds behind Alb in total team 81:37
On the girls side the Utah top three teams of Davis, Mountain Crest, and Park City finished in the top 6 in team scoring. Davis led the way with a 3rd place showing and will await a possible NXN at-large berth, with Mountain Crest UT 5th and Park City UT 6th. Davis finished the 2007 season ranked #9 Nationally, what is clear, Davis is much improved upon that 2007 team. This will bode well with the NXN selection committee. Utah Girls Pre-race Preview
NXN Girls Championship Results
1. Fort Collins CO 61
2. Titans CO 125
3. Davis UT 146
New to the Nike Cross Nationals system is the implementation of an individual component. The top five indiividual finishers, not competing on a national qualifying team, would qualify to compete at Nike Cross Nationals. Timpview UT sensational senior Jonathan Nelson led most of the race only to be edged by .75 seconds to Wheat Ridge CO standout Dart Schwaderer. Nelson, the Utah 4A individual state champion, was pegged at least by MilesplitUT as a pre-race individual favorite. Nelson ceased to disappoint with a tremendous showing caping off an incredible season with a berth to Nike Cross Nationals. Nelson will compete over the heraled Portland Meadows course for the NXN Individual National Championship. (Photo by Margot Kelly, Arizona Milesplit) Timpview Pre-race Preview
NXN Boys Individual Results
1 SCHWADERER, Dart Wheat Ridge 15:14.98
2 NELSON, Jon Timpview 15:15.73
3 MEDDLES, Wade Falcon Cross 15:20.87
4 PITTMAN, Kyle Los Alamos XC Club 15:24.25
5 JOHNSON, Kevin Falcon RC 15:26.51
NXN Southwest Regional - Utah All-Time List
Kiwanis Park, Tempe, Az. 5000m.
Boys:
14:48 Luke Puskedra Judge Memorial 2007
15:15 Jonathan Nelson Timpview 2008
15:44 Spencer Gardner Springville 2007
15:49 Ben Johnson Orem 2008
15:55 Seth Gutzwiller Davis 2008
15:56 Jack Webster Alta 2008
16:02 Travis Fuller Mountain View 2007
16:03 Austin West American Fork 2008
16:07 Neal Ferrin Mountain Crest 2007
16:10 Nathan Fletcher Timpview 2008
16:10 Robby Lee American Fork 2008
16:10 Darren Ott Orem 2007
16:11 Seth Gutzwiller Davis 2007
16:11 Ben Felix American Fork 2007
16:11 Ben Johnson Orem 2007
16:13 Elijah Rono Wasatch Acad. 2007
16:14 Garrett Jones Alta 2008
16:16 Kyle Moffett Alta 2008
16:19 Brian Howell Alta 2008
16:19 Adam Jenkins Orem 2008
16:20 Nick Harrison Mountain View 2008
16:23 Ryan Bradshaw American Fork 2008
16:24 Derek Day American Fork 2008
16:24 Kevin Kemp Timpview 2008
16:24 Jason Palmer Orem 2007
16:26 Ryan Bradshaw American Fork 2007
16:27 Jonathan Nelson Timpview 2007
16:28 P. Syndergaard Alta 2008
16:28 Bry. Willoughby Orem 2007
American Fork Cross Country 2009
UHSAA State Championships: American Fork Record Setting
UHSAA State Championships| 5A Division | 4A Division | 3A Division | 2A Division | 1A Division |
| BOYS ALL-TIME STATE TEAM TIMES | GIRLS ALL-TIME STATE TEAM TIMES |
over 50! Austin West places first in 15:23.4 which breaks the state meet junior class record previously held by Tony Jones, Hurricane, who ran 15:24.4 in 2001. West's time is also #4 all-time over the famed Sugarhouse 3-mile course, one of the most difficult in the nation. Teammate Clayton Young breaks the sophomore class record with an incredible 15:43.6, the previous mark of 16:02.4 was held by Austin West set in last years state championship. Ben Saarel of West breaks the freshman class record set in 2002 by Jared Rohatinsky (16:21.90) with a superb 16:13.7 clocking.
American Fork UT Prevails at NXN SW Championships | Mountain View UT Boys 3rd