How to Use XC Scoring to Predict Track Relay Times?

May 08, 2023

As we head into the final two weeks of the regular season for most teams, let's check out a way to try and sneak a look at any potential surprise attacks in the relays. Most teams take the relays seriously but there is a chance that a team is sandbagging working on the individual events instead.

If we take the power of the MileSplit database and XC team scoring with track events we can get some potential unique insights into the relays.

Cross Country is scored with 5 runners counting as a team by lowest score based on placement. Let's take the XC team scoring, knock team scoring down to 4 instead of 5. Then let's change the event from the 5000m to a 400m. Change the rank order to average as well instead of score or split.

Doi some adjusting to the url as shown below:

https://ky.milesplit.com/teamscores?gender=m&season=CC&year=2023&eventCode=5000m&leagues=449&returning=0&scorers=5&rankBy=average&teamSquad=V

https://ky.milesplit.com/teamscores?gender=m&season=Outdoor&year=2023&eventCode=400m&leagues=449&returning=0&scorers=4&rankBy=average&teamSquad=V

Using Individual 400m Races ranked 400m average

RANK	TEAM	TIME	SCORE
1	North Oldham (KY)		270
	1) Brendan Ruggles	48.82	1
	2) Zach Gross	50.25	7
	3) Luke Whitlow	51.67	28
	4) Micah Steineker	55.31	234
	Average Time: 51.51 Total Time: 3:26.05 1-5 Split: 6.49
	5) Zac Mortenson	55.42	248
	6) Charlie Bastyr	56.56	368
	7) Freddie Jones	57.38	457
2	Trinity (Louisville) (KY)		148
	1) Camran Mitchell	50.06	6
	2) Noah LeBoeuf	51.25	24
	3) Logan Tenkman	52.16	38
	4) Jackson Heim	53.28	80
	Average Time: 51.69 Total Time: 3:26.75 1-5 Split: 3.22
	5) John Bryant	53.39	86
	6) David Renz	54.57	175
	7) Matthew Federico	57.18	436
3	St. Xavier (KY)		219
	1) James Burnett	49.19	2
	2) Clinton Bass	52.97	68
	3) Kyle Stepteau	52.97	68
	4) Christian Coleman	53.32	81
	Average Time: 52.11 Total Time: 3:28.45 1-5 Split: 4.13
	5) Cooper Brown	54.16	129
	6) Joey Raybourne	54.18	131
	7) Joshua Naber	54.25	140
4	Eastern (KY)		280
	1) Sinceer Ellison	49.99	4
	2) Connor Gaesser	51.06	20
	3) Trevor Rowles	53.80	109
	4) Andre Clarke	54.29	147
	Average Time: 52.29 Total Time: 3:29.14 1-5 Split: 4.30
	5) Theo Breckenridge	55.49	258
	6) Samuel Maddox	56.37	341
	7) Eli Frazier	56.42	349
5	Cooper (KY)		222
	1) Austin Liversgowdy	50.94	16
	2) Preston Winiger	51.91	33
	3) Elijah Harrison	53.00	70
	4) Landon LaCroix	53.65	103
	Average Time: 52.38 Total Time: 3:29.50 1-5 Split: 2.71
	5) Cole Henry	54.58	177
	6) Reagan Nichols	56.39	345
	7) Nnamdi Ajaezu	57.03	413

Top 5 4x400m Relays in Kentucky

RANK	TIME	TEAM	MEET DATEPLACE
1	3:26.30	North Oldham	Johnny Conn Invitational1st F Apr 15, 2023
2	3:27.84	McCracken County	Area 1 Championship1st F May 6, 2023
3	3:28.21	Trinity (Louisville)	Oldham County Sundown1st F May 4, 2023
4	3:28.53	Male	Volunteer Track Classic1st F Apr 28, 2023 - Apr 29, 2023
5	3:29.50	Eastern	Oldham County Sundown2nd F May 4, 2023

Quick Links for each of the Relays

4x800m Relay

4x400m Relay

4x200m Relay

4x100m Relay