Region 5

Site (host): Masterson Station Park (Lafayette)

BOYS

The top challengers:

1. Maddox Donovan. Nicholas County has a rising star in this sophomore, whose official seed time (16:17.70) isn't even his best time in season; he ran 16:11.14, the third fastest in the state, two weekends ago at the Area 7 Championship.

2. Collin Shay. The junior out of Gallatin County has posted sub-17 minute times twice in his last four meets, including a PR of 16:54.61 in the Haunted Woods Classic.

3. Jessup Smith. His seed time, 17:08.73, was earned as a freshman; the Trimble County star has run just twice in 2022.

Fast facts: Grayson Miller, who's listed second on the seed list due to an entry error, does have the third fastest in-season time in the region this fall (17:20.10). ... Ty Balser (Model) and Cole Roberson (Lexington Christian) also have sub-17:30 times in 2022.

GIRLS

The top challengers:

1. Kinley Kunkel. The Trimble County senior is looking for her first win here after consecutive runner-up finishes. Her seed time (19:25.05) is the best in the region this year and the third fastest in all of Class A.

2. Rebecca Kainer. Also of Trimble County, Kainer's best time (19:42.31) came as an eighth grader in 2019.

3. Kenzie Barber. Her seed time (20:14.55) is the second fastest in the region this year. She's a freshman at Frankfort and won last year's meet.

Fast facts: Lillian Samford, the third-place finisher last season, is seeded seventh (20:47.62). She is the third member of her team, Lexington Christian, on the seed list, behind Annie Sewell (20:33.35) and Anna Dawahare (20:42.00). The Eagles have six of the 10 fastest seeds.