Region 5
Site (host): Cave Lake Park (Wayne County)
BOYS
The top challengers:
1. Caden Miracle. Bell County's superstar owns the second fastest time of any high school runner in Kentucky this season, and the fastest by a KHSAA-eligible competitor. His 15:07.70 was the fastest by four seconds against a loaded field in the Trinity/Valkyrie Invitational. He'll aim for a second straight region title before a repeat bid for the state crown.
2. Andrew Dundon. The East Jessamine junior PR'd twice in the last few weeks, most recently putting up a 16:29.60 in the Jesse Owens Classic on Oct. 1.
3. Nate Moore. A sophomore and also of East Jessamine, Moore posted the three best times of his career over an eight-day stretch. That included a PR of 16:40.38. Hist slowest time this season (18:04.45) is nearly two minutes better than his best a year ago, which came in the region meet (19:44.96).
Fast facts: Miracle won last year with a time of 15:54.83; the next best time was 16:48.08, posted by Corbin senior Sean Simons. ... John Hail finished third last season with a time of 17:15.74. The Corbin senior is seeded fifth with a slightly faster time (17:06.84). ... East Jessamine's Mac Kosin (16:47.31) and Wayne County's Nathanael Turner (16:45.02) are the only other runners with sub-17 minute times in 2022.
GIRLS
The top challengers:
1. Abigail Bastin. The Lincoln County riser won the meet as an eighth-grader last season (20:39.46). Her average time in eight races this season is almost a minute and a half faster at 19:10.54. She's seeded with a 19:15.90, but her fastest time this season is even quicker (18:31.30 in the Cougar Prowl Invitational on Oct. 8). That's the second fastest time in all of Class 2A.
2. Alexis Dotson. Her best time this season - 20:03.73 in the Haunted Woods Classic on Oct. 8 - was near her PR time recorded in last year's KHSAA State Championships (19:53.10). She finished second last season with a time of 21:08.13.
3. Clayra Darnell. The Mercer County senior recorded her PR (20:30.67) as a freshman in that season's KHSAA Championships. She ran fourth here last season with a 22:00.59, and before last weekend had posted sub-21:30 times in three consecutive races.
Fast facts: Peyton Ledford, a sophomore at Harlan County, finished third last season. She's won four consecutive meets and enters with a PR of 20:42.78 earned at the start of the fall. ... It's unlikely to field a top-three finisher, but Corbin is in position to win its third straight team title. Redhounds own five of the top 12 seed times and three of the 12 fastest times in the region this fall.