XC 2024 Preview: Boys Individuals

Team practices are underway and the first duel meets are right around the corner, but it's not too late to make some bold predictions about who will be the top XC runners in Mercer County this fall!

I've organized my predictions into three all-county teams of 7 runners each. Athletes within each team are listed alphabetically, so don't scrutinize the order too much. While these XC rankings are based mostly on XC performances (unsurprisingly), I also put decent weight on recent track PRs, especially in the 3200m.

Of course, this list doesn't include incoming freshmen or transfers, who could easily shake things up right from day one. If there's anyone new I should know about, or if you think I missed a rising star, drop a comment below! 

The picture for this post is AI-generated, but nothing else is, I promise. Click here for the girls’ preview.

First Team

Luke Ferrer
West Windsor-Plainsboro North, Class of 2025

Last year, Ferrer displayed a truly impressive range of endurance and speed. During XC, he placed 3rd at the Mercer County meet and went on to qualify for the NJ Meet of Champions. During outdoor track, he posted PRs of 1:58, 4:25 (top returner in Mercer County), and 9:41. I except that he’s upgraded his goal for this XC season from qualifying for the Meet of Champions to seeing how high he can place there.

Nischal Karthikumar
West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Class of 2025

Karthikumar is the #2 returner from last year’s Mercer County XC Championship. He raced sparingly on the track last year, but he’s certainly shown that he has talent, running 4:47 as a freshman. If he’s competing this fall, watch for him near the front of the pack.

Tarun Kovoor
Notre Dame, Class of 2025

Last XC season, Kovoor ran 16:53 to take 3rd in the CVC XC Championship merge, not far behind Shravan Pradeep. He also boasts impressive PRs at the shorter distances (1:59 and 4:33), so don’t bet against him if it comes down to a kick.

Kevin Lang
West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Class of 2025

Lang might not have the history of XC success to make the pre-season First Team – he was 38th at Mercer County Champs last year and hasn’t yet broken 18:00 – but I’m bullish on him for three reasons: (1) he ran impressive PRs of 4:36 and 9:51 during outdoor track, (2) last year was his first year of running, and (3) he’s got super fast teammates to train with.

Shravan Pradeep
West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Class of 2025

 After a strong XC season last year – 2nd at CVC Colonial Division and 7th at Mercer County – Pradeep stepped it up a notch during track season. He dropped a 9:31 to win the 3200m at the Mercer County Outdoor Championship, and he boasts a 1600m PR of 4:32. He just missed out on qualifying for the last XC Group Championship, but I don’t expect that to happen again.

Burke Thompson
Hightstown, Class of 2025

 Thompson is a wild card. He’s always been a major force on the track, running a 4:41 1600m as a freshman. This past outdoor season he ran a 9:39 3200m and a 4:26 1600m, making him Mercer County’s second fastest returner in both events. Despite this stellar track record, he’s chosen to play football for Hightstown each fall. Will he do that again, or will he go for glory on the XC course?

Max Whittle
Notre Dame, Class of 2025

Last year, in his first XC season, Whittle finished 9th at the Mercer County Championship. Add his recent track PRs of 9:50 and 4:34, and he looks set to reprise another strong XC season.

Second Team

Silas Allevik
Hopewell Valley, Class of 2027

Allevik was one of the top freshman in Mercer County last year, winning the CVC Valley race and placing 16th at the Mercer County XC Championship. He followed it up with a quick 4:31 1600m during outdoor track.

Subomi Allison
West Windsor-Plainsboro North, Class of 2025

Allison’s forte is the 800, where his 1:55.9 at last year’s Group 3 State Championship makes him one of the top returners in New Jersey. But don’t count him out in the longer stuff. He’s run a 4:28 1600m and a 10:05 3200m, so it’ll be interesting to see how his speed translates to the XC course this fall. 

Jordan Andrade
West Windsor-Plainsboro North, Class of 2025

Andrade finished 15th at last year’s Mercer County XC Championship, and he boasts all-around solid track PRs of 10:13, 4:34, and 2:00.

Felix Farrugia
Princeton, Class of 2025

Last XC season, Farrugia stepped up as Princeton’s 5th man at Sectionals to help them just barely qualify for the state championship. During outdoor track, he ran a 9:57 3200m, making him one of only 8 returners who have gone sub-10.

Taksh Gupta
Lawrenceville School, Class of 2025

Gupta was injured last XC season, but he bounced back during track season to run PRs of 9:53 and 4:33. He has a history of success on the XC course, having placed 9th at the Mercer County Championships and 4th at the Prep State Championships as a sophomore.

Joseph Maddalon
West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Class of 2025

Maddalon joined the sub-10 club this past outdoor season with a 9:58 3200m at Sectionals. Last XC season, he might have had an off day at the Mercer County Championship (37th overall), but he had excellent races at CVC (5th overall) and Group 4 Sectionals (41st overall). 

Jacob Newman
Hun School, Class of 2026

Newman was the top sophomore at last year’s Mercer County XC Championship (8th overall), and he’s a strong candidate to be the top junior in Mercer County this year. He also ran a 9:59 3200m as a freshman.

Third Team

Finnegan Curley
Hopewell Valley, Class of 2027

Curley was one of Mercer County’s best freshman last year, along with his teammate Silas Allevik. Curley got 19th place at last year’s Mercer County XC Championship and then ran a 10:09 (#9 returner) in outdoor track.

Aditya Deshpande
West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Class of 2025

Deshpande did not race much last XC season, but he’s a top-10 returner in the 3200m (10:08) and also ran a 4:38 1600m.

Dylan Patel
Peddie School, Class of 2025

Patel’s focus on the track has been the mid-distance events, with impressive PRs in the 1600m (4:26) and 800 (1:58 indoors). But he’s shown potential in XC also, running 17:13 to finish 4th at last year’s MAPL Championship.

Baker Pott
West Windsor-Plainsboro North, Class of 2026

Pott’s track PRs of 1:56 and 4:31 show that he’s got speed, and his 6th place finish at last year’s Prep XC State Championship (top Mercer County runner) shows that he’s got stamina.

Tanay Samnani
Robbinsville, Class of 2025

Samnani finished 14th at last year’s Mercer County XC Championship. He did not race much during his junior track season, but he holds PRs of 4:47 and 10:36 from sophomore year.

Ethan Song
West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Class of 2026

Song didn’t do track this past year, but he had a strong XC season, finishing 8th in the CVC merged results and 13th at the Mercer County Championships.

Collin Vickery
Hopewell Valley, Class of 2026

Vickery had a very solid sophomore year, finishing 12th at the Mercer County XC Championship and running 4:43 during track season.