The Nike Team Nationals event featured the 22 best teams of each gender selected via a series of regional qualifying events. This year, the top 22 teams were joined by the 90 fastest individuals from non-qualifying teams. Nike Cross Nationals is the only national cross-country championship for both teams and individuals.

The nine regions represented are: Heartland, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest, South, Northeast, Southeast, California and New York. There are also four at-large teams.  The championship meet of Nike Cross Nationals was held in Portland, Ore. on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008.

Dr. Jones is the Medical Director for the Nike National Indoor and Outdoor High School Track and Field competitions.  Below are some pictures of him at the National meet in December 2008.

Representing Raleigh, North Carolina was Broughton Highschool.  Below is info on the team:

Broughton (NC)
 
Competing as: Capital Distance
 
Credentials: Ranked 3rd in Southeast headed into the meet, North Carolina 4A State Champion (’07 & ’08), NXN Southeast Regional Runner-up
 
Varsity: Burk Staub, Deaton Jones, Brady Lawrence, Blake Askin, Jeff Shirley, Reidy Jones, Pierre Malherbe, Hayden Parker (alt.)
 
Signature Moment(s): Finished 3rd at the highly competitive McDonalds X-Country Festival at Maymont. This meet put them on the map. Won the 4A state title easily with a low score of 59 points.
 
Word on the street: The team has high goals for themselves and understand that others may not see them as a top 10 team. However, as captain Deaton Jones said, "Setting high goals is what has got us to where we are in the first place."