2023 KSHSAA 6A State Cross Country Preview

For the girls, the biggest story is Anjali Hocker-Singh. The senior out of Olathe North has four 6A titles to her name... 3 of which came on the grass. She looks to become part of the exclusive 4-peat club this weekend.

Putting the pressure on Hocker-Singh will be Washburn Rural's Payton Fink and Junction City's Lorna Rae Pierce. Fink has had the better of Pierce lately, but Pierce had a slight upper-hand at Rim Rock. Either way, both of these girls are formidable foes. Amy Gotfredson (Olathe South), Bree Newport (Olathe West), and Lida Padgett (Shawnee Mission East) have all performed well this season, too, albeit behind Hocker-Singh.

Final Coaches Poll    |    Class 5A Preview

Olathe West is the best girls team in Kansas right now. Since last year, though, Olathe North has closed the gap a little, and so has Washburn Rural. All three teams should fit comfortably on the podium, with Shawnee Mission East, Junction City, Manhattan, Olathe South, and Mill Valley all in that next group. Right now Olathe North and Washburn Rural can both match Olathe West through 4 runners, but West's 5-6-7 are a knockout punch. North & Rural will both need a miracle from their fifth runner to pull of what would be the upset of the decade.