(Photo by Jessica Sprecker)
For the past few years, the 3A title has run through an area just south of Salina. To win a title in 3A, boys or girls, you need to beat both Southeast of Saline and Smoky Valley. Last year, no girls team could topple SE Saline, but Wichita Trinity's boys bested both en route to a team title. Consequently, they are the team to beat in 2022. All seven runners return for Trinity, including 5 state medalists with a 38-second pack time.
Southeast of Saline and Smoky Valley aren't slouches, either, though. The Trojans lost 3A legend Dylan Sprecker, but gain the best incoming freshman in all classes in Brayden Walker. It's safe to say that the purple buzzsaw will continue to terrorize the competition this year. Smoky Valley graduates three seniors, but a solid core of returners led by Tytus Reed will keep them in podium contention again this year.
West Franklin and Wichita Collegiate are both just one missing piece away from being in the conversation as well. Both are elite at the front, with Hunter Bailey & Kyle Haner for West Franklin, and Will & CJ Meyer for Collegiate. Each lacks a 5th runner to score well, though, and will need to rely on freshmen and newcomers to fill the gap.
Hiawatha, Scott City, and Council Grove all have solid returning rosters as well. However, each has a major flaw: The Redhawks never seem to run well outside of Big7 courses, the Beavers lack a true front runner, and the Braves have put together a string of mishaps at regionals. If any of these three can solve that, they'll be in contention at Rim Rock.
Individually, things look very similar to last year. 2021 champion Dylan Sprecker has moved on, but the next twelve athletes from last year's state meet are back for more. Lakoddah Downes of Council Grove has the top returning time of 15:59, but Trinity's Clay Shively is the man to beat. Shively defeated Downes at state a year ago, and proceeded to dominate on the track, pushing even Dylan Sprecker to the brink and nearly breaking the 3A state mile record. Shively is joined by teammate Jacob Hobson as returners from last year's top-10. Them, along with Downes and Marysville's Silas Miller make up a star-studded junior class. Miller had a breakout year in 2021, running 80 seconds faster at the state meet than the previous year. CJ Meyer and Will Meyer of Collegiate will also be in contention, as well as SE Saline seniors Damion Jackson and Levi Allen. Lawson Beymer of Lakin and Tanner Ulbrich of Girard also return after top-10 finishes last year.
For the girls, the individual race is a similar story. 2021 champ Jentrie Alderson has graduated, but nine of the next ten will return. 3A girls has shuffled around quite a bit on the individual side recently, but Prairie View sophomore Bree Allen is a safe bet to do well. She led her team to a 3rd place finish last year, taking the silver medal individually in 19:30. Behind her is Olathe-Heritage's Hannah Thong (19:31), West Franklin's Emma Bailey(19:51), Fredonia's Campbell O'Dell (19:38), Alayna Cossaart of Minneapolis(19:39), and Council Grove's Jordyn Picolet(20:11).
On the team side, Southeast of Saline is heavy favorites to repeat. Ashley Prochazka and Abby Commerford both have individual title aspirations, and they have three more returners who ran under 21:30 last year. Two teams that finished last year strong were Prairie View and Cheney. Prairie View, led by Bree Allen, doesn't post the fastest times but tends to compete well anyway. Cheney, on the other hand, struggled early last year but finished well when state came around.
West Franklin, runner-up last year, returns 4 from last year's team. They desperately need a fifth runner to surface, but they were in this same situation last August and found somebody, so I wouldn't be surprised if that happened again and the Falcons make another deep run in October. Lastly, Sabetha and Wichita Trinity each have legitimate podium dreams as well.
A phrase often spoken by Kansas XC and track fans is that "3A Never Disappoints". It's rang true for years, and this 2022 shouldn't be any different!