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Alabama State Meet Preview XC 2015 - Arthur Mack - DyeStat

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DyeStat.com   Nov 13th 2015, 4:16pm
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Mountain Brook eyes potential 7A sweep

 

By Arthur L. Mack for DyeStat


 

Saturday's Alabama High School Athletic Association's state cross country championships at the Oakville Indian Mounds Park in Oakville could very well see some heavy favorites take team titles — provided, of course, there are no big surprises.

 

This season has gone down as one of the most competitive in history. Not only has there been some quality team competition in each classification, but plenty of outstanding individual performances, too.

 

Temperatures are predicted to be in the low 50s at race time, which will guarantee some fast times on an already fast course.

 

Let's take a look at what to expect in each classification:

 

CLASS 7A: Auburn, led by Paul Barlow and Jack Rogers, is the defending state champion in the boys division, but Mountain Brook, led by senior Drew Williams and sophomore Charlie Slaughter, has to be a slight favorite. The Spartans have dominated every race they have been involved in this season, and if things work out to plan, could very well come out on top.

 

Look for Hoover and Mobile Baker to be strong contenders in the top five. Baker, led by Jay Day, could very well be the spoiler in the meet — that is, if its other runners have great performances.

 

Individually, Oak Mountain's Cole Stidfole, who has the state's fastest 5K time this season (15 minutes, 20.45 seconds at the Jesse Owens Classic), is favored to win individual honors. But it could be one heck of a race, as Barlow has a seasonal best of 15:39.05, Williams 15:43.50 and Day 15:43.76.

 

The Class 7A girls is different. Mountain Brook appears to be the overwhelming favorite in this race, and could very well be on track to win its 13th straight title. The Spartans won 11 straight as a Class 6A school, and won the inaugural Class 7A title last year.

 

Mountain Brook is led by senior Frances Patrick, who has a seasonal best of 18:27.38, and junior Anna Grace Morgan, who has a seasonal best of 18:29.10. If Mountain Brook's other runners run well, a 13th straight title is not out of the question.

 

The biggest competition could come from Huntsville, which has two outstanding runners named Abbey — junior Abbey Zane and freshman Abbey Weitenbeck. Both have gone under 19 minutes this season, and could very well give Patrick and Morgan a battle in the individual race.

 

Another runner to watch is Mobile's McGill-Toolen Catholic's Grace Jensen, who has come on strong as of late and could lead her team to a top five finish.

 

CLASS 6A — Look for the Homewood boys to make a strong statement.

 

The Patriots, led by Sean Conboy and Will Stone, thoroughly dominated their sectional meet, scoring 17 points. Homewood is capable of running in a tight pack, and that could certainly work to their advantage.

 

If Homewood falters, then Opelika, led by Ben Garner, could take team honors. Or, it could be Scottsboro, led by Britton Roland, that will make things interesting. Even Spanish Fort, led by Jack Morgan, has a shot.

 

Individually, look for Dillon Dean of Ozark's Benjamin Russell and Southside-Gadsden's Hunter Nails to be among the individual favorites

 

On the girls' side, it could shape up to be a battle between defending champion Birmingham John Carroll Catholic, Florence, led by seventh-grader Mary Claire Ridgeway (who won her sectional race in 19:36.52), or perennial favorite Scottsboro, led by juniors Karsyn Whitehead and Ashley Lynch.

 

Keep your eyes on Pelham's Mary Grace Strozier, who is considered the favorite for individual honors and who has a season-best of 18:26.39.

 

CLASS 5A — If past results in previous meets and sectional competition — not to mention home course advantage — are any indication, Lawrence County has the potential to sweep the boys and girls team titles. 

 

On the boys side, LCHS is led by seniors Zachary Duclos and Kyle Bailey. The Red Devils have performed well in several meets, and if they are able to run in a tight pack, could very well score low enough to win the meet.

 

But Lawrence County faces challenges from two Huntsville schools — St. John Paul II Catholic, led by senior Ben Coakley and freshman Noah Flynn; and Randolph, led by freshman Parker League — as well as Mobile's St. Paul's Episcopal, led by Brett Erickson.

 

Montgomery's Alabama Christian Academy's Sheldon Britton is the favorite to take individual honors

 

In 5A girls, St. Paul's Isabel Valenzuela looks to defend her individual title. The Saints have a young team, but so does Lawrence County, led by eighth-grader Emily Daniel, who won her sectional race in 19:05.24. Look for a battle between Valenzuela and Daniel, as both are considered favorites to win individual honors.

 

Huntsville Randolph, led by sophomore Zoe Evans, could very well pull the upset if either St. Paul's or Lawrence County has a bad day.

 

CLASS 4A: Westminster Christian Academy of Huntsville, led by Ryan Ford, is one of the favorites in 4A boys. Ford has a seasonal best of 15:30.59, and could be favored to win the race.

 

Then, there's Northport Northside High, led by James Patrick Brinyark, and Montgomery's LAMP (Loveless), led by Parker Lynch. Expect a close battle between Westminster, Northside, and LAMP for the team title.

 

The runner everyone will have their eyes on in the girls race is Montgomery-Catholic's Amaris Tyynismaa, who ran a seasonal-best 17:42.54 and has a lifetime best of 17:03.04, set at last year's state meet. It appears she could not only defend her individual title, but lead her team to a state title as well.

 

Of course, perennial powerhouse UMS-Wright of Mobile, along with Wilson High of Florence — led by the sister act of Cele Moon and Phoebe Moon — could have a say in the team competition.

 

CLASS 3A — Look for a battle in the boys race between Montgomery Academy, Mobile's Cottage Hill Christian Academy, Tuscaloosa's American Christian Academy, and Lauderdale County.

 

Montgomery Academy seems to be a slight favorite, based on a solid from its top three runners at sectionals — Will Franklin, Jack Bargainer, and Griffin Payne. But Cottage Hill Christian, led by Tyler Bennett, is no slouch either.

 

Individually, Daphne's Bayside Academy standout Ash Midyett has a shot of winning the individual race.

 

On the girls side, it's anybody's guess as far as the top five. Besides Brewton's T.R. Miller, led by Allie Nelson; Montgomery Academy, led by Tara Katz, and Cottage Hill Academy — who has one of the state's top runners in Caroline Cumbest — there's American Christian, led by Becca Billman, and Jacksonville's Pleasant Valley High, led by seventh-grader Trinity Roberts.

 

Look for Nelson, Cumbest, Katz and Rainbow City's Westbrook Christian freshman Mary Reid Goodwin to battle for the individual girls' championship.

 

Class 1A-2A: If past meets are any indication, Cullman's St. Bernard and Cold Springs should lead the pack.

 

St. Bernard's boys have dominated 1A-2A for most of the season, and with a strong pack led by Steven Mami and Casey Guthery, could dominate the state meet as well. Cold Springs, however, is a powerhouse in 1A-2A, and have two solid runners in C.J. Lang and Kramer Crider.

 

Hoover's Shades Mountain Christian's Dylan Pausic is considered the individual favorite.

 

On the girls side, St. Bernard, led by Leahrose Mami and Ivy Edge could make it a red-letter day for the Saints, especially if its male counterparts win a title. There's one small problem — Westminster at Oak Mountain, which has a solid crew of its own led by Maddie Hoaglund and Sarah Kate Lipperd — could present the Saints with a big challenge.



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