Region 4
Site (host): Masterson Station Park (Lafayette)
BOYS
The top challengers:
1. Jon Eades. As a junior, he finished second to Lexington Catholic senior David Reinhart with a time of 16:53.64. He outpaced that time in each of his last four competitions, including a PR of 16:25.91 in the Hillbilly Run on Sept. 24. That's the best time in the region this season by nearly a minute, and the region's only top-30 mark across Class 2A.
2. Malcolm Robertson. He PR'd with a 16:35.88 in the middle of last season, but the Highlands junior has run a sub-17 minute time just one other time (also last year). He's competed twice this season, finishing a season-best 17:31.12 at the Ryle Invitational on Sept. 3.
3. Bryce Watkins. The Bourbon County junior had a tough go at the KTCCCA Meet of Champions (19:56.60), but before that he'd been sub-17:30 in four consecutive races and sub 17:50 in his seven prior races this season. He's seeded with a 17:17.07.
Fast facts: Lexington Catholic junior John Reinhart, who based on last year's performances likely would've challenged for the region title, has not competed in 2022. ... Lexington Catholic does have a top-five contender in Asher Feddock, a freshman who's ninth on the seed list with a time of 17:59.30; in September he ran 17:39.88, the fourth fastest time in the region this fall.
GIRLS
The top challengers:
1. Maddie Strong. Prior to this year's KTCCCA Meet of Champions, Strong hadn't run a sub-19 minute 5K since 2019, when she earned her PR (18:40.88) and won the region. The junior did that last weekend, posting the fastest time by any girl in the region and the fifth fastest time in Class 2A this fall (18:55.51).
2. Bethany Simpson. Until Strong's effort, the junior out of Bourbon County owned the region's best in-season time (18:57.40, sixth best in Class 2A). Her PR (18:48.70) also came in 2019, and in the region meet.
3. Caroline Beiting. The only other runner on the seed list with a sub-19 minute seed time, Beiting got her top time (18:57.67) last year at the Mason County Invitational. The Lexington Catholic sophomore recently approached it when she ran 18:59.36 at the Area 6 Championships/Chick-fil-A Invitational earlier this month.
Fast facts: Last year's order of finish at the top - Beiting (19:27.62), Simpson (19:36.72), Strong (19:48.95). Cate Conklin, a junior at Lexington Catholic, was the only other runner who finished with a sub-20 minute time in this meet last season (19:57.24).