2023 KSHSAA 1A State Cross Country Preview

Somehow, the 2020 State Meet at Sand Plum Trail in Victoria seems like a lifetime ago. Back then, Lincoln's Jaycee Vath was wrapping up her cross country career as a 3-time state champion. Third place in that race? A previously unknown freshman by the name of Emma Weiner. Seven months later, Weiner defeated Vath in the 1600 for the 1A title. She was the usurper.

A few years and four state titles later (one of them even with a broken foot), Weiner now stands on the opposite side of the story. Now a senior, she is challenged by a star freshman in Ellei McCrory. Virtually unknown before this fall, McCrory enrolled at Northern Heights and asked if she could join the cross country team. The Wildcats gladly accepted, just happy to have a 7th runner on the team. After the first day of practice, they realized there was something special at hand.

Today, McCrory is 8-0 with wins at Wamego & Rim Rock, has run under 19:00 on six different courses, and holds the best 1A time from regional weekend. The statistics are all on her side except one: Experience. Emma Weiner has played that role this story before, and won't take a freshman lightly. She has five state titles, and isn't going to let someone else walk away with it. At the very least, they'll have to run away with it.

1A Team Computer Rankings    |    1A Individual Computer Rankings

Team-wise, it's the three regional champions in the running for the title: South Gray, Northern Heights, and Crest. The Rebels are a slight favorite, as the defending champions and best performers on regional weekend. They will need another big race from #4 runner Jenna Simmons to separate from Crest and Northern Heights. Beyond the podium is an interesting race, too. If any of the top three are to trip up, five other programs will be clamoring for that spot. A big day from any individual runner can make a big difference when 4th-9th place could be separated by just 10 points.

The boys' race has a more clearly-defined favorite: Quinter. They have finished 3rd, 2nd, and 1st over the past three years, and have progressed over the course of this season. Most notably, they defeated Skyline and Ness City at the Meade Regional, which are also in the running for the podium. Skyline came within 8 points, 39-31, so an upset isn't completely out of reach for them. Nor is Beloit-St. John's out of it either. The Sabetha Regional champs have quietly put together a solid year, and were runner-up at 1A State last year, ahead of Ness City (3rd) and Skyline (9th).

The individual race has become very interesting. Nobody has separated themselves in this battle this year. Brendan Ellis of Ingalls, last year's champion, has graduated. However, the next sixteen finishers from last year's race are back.

Evan Pearce of Wallace County was the odds-on favorite to win back in August. He was 4th in cross country last year, but defeated Ellis to win the 3200 on the track. He also had five individual wins this season, including the Northwest Kansas League. However, a 30-second loss last weekend doesn't help his cause.

Broxton Gall of Ness City was runner-up last year as a freshman. The Central Prairie champion defeated Pearce last weekend at regionals for his third win of the season. At the Wamego Invitational, though, he lost to Pearce by nearly a minute.

Grady Buessing of Axtell is also a potential favorite. The Twin Valley champion has won 3 races this year, and was the 800 and 1600-meter champion on the track last spring, defeating many of the same runners he'll face this Saturday.

Lebo's Caleb Durst bested Buessing at regionals, though, and was 5th last year as a sophomore. The Lyon County champ started the season with an injury, but looks to have put that behind him with 3 remarkable performances in October.

The third regional champion, Blake Yoder of Hutchinson-Central Christian, could also make a run for gold. The Heart of the Plains champion was 3rd at 1A state in 2021 and ran a 16:35 at Wamego in September. That was 12 seconds faster than Pearce, although they ran in different races.

Lastly, a wild card could be Kiowa County's Samuel Martinez. This gutsy runner always seems to be in the mix. He had a memorable 3200 battle against Pearce last spring, and came just shy of him once already this fall. He was also ahead of all the returners except Gall last year at state, placing 3rd.