Class 3A Boys State Preview

Saturday will feature the most exciting day in KY cross country, the State Championships. All season our athletes have been building towards this point where everything is on the line. We will see great heartbreak, but also exceptional happiness. Without further ado, let's take a look at the KHSAA State Championships Class 3A Boys Championship race.

On the individual side of things, this is one of the deepest races in recent memory. The first guy that needs mentioning is the fastest guy in Class 3A this season, Lincoln Herald. The Grant County Senior has run very well this year with a 15:24 average and a season's best of 14:53. However, that sub 15 performance came back in September and his more recent performances haven't shown that kind of form. When he is on, he is one of the best runners in the State and should be firmly in contention to win an individual State Championship. Another one of the favorites to win the individual championship is Charley Townsend of North Oldham. The Senior has been on an absolute tear this season with a blazing 15:20 average. Last Saturday, Townsend broke the 15 minute barrier turning in the fastest Region performance across the state with a 14:58. He will definitely be one to watch on Saturday. Another key piece to that individual title claim is Paul Van Laningham. Laningham has a season average of 15:31 with a season's best of 15:02. However, he also has a win over Herald and has looked very good this season. He also finished in the Top 4 of the state race a season ago. Some of the other major players in this race include George Roger Clark's Cooper Wasson, Trinity's Eli Oetken, Lafayette's Xavier Richardson, Male's Caden Cull, Marshall County's Kobey Yates, and Woodford County's Ryan Hendrix.

On the team side of things, this race will come down to 2 teams who are only separated by 22 points off projections. That battle is between the reigning State Champions, Trinity, and the up and comers, Lafayette. On paper, Trinity looks like the odds on favorite. They have been the fastest team all season with a 15:37 team average. They are projected to place 5 in the top 30 and 7 in the top 40. They have a front runner in Eli Oetken who will be in the individual title hunt. Everything looks like Trinity will have this in the bag, and yet, they also have a very real question. If you look at their performances this season, they have only really dominated on flat courses. Every single member of their top 7's season's best came at either E.P. Tom Sawyer Park or Seneca Park. Both courses are extremely flat and notorious for being fast. On the hillier courses they've seen, they haven't run nearly the same times and their tight 5 man pack has been found farther apart. That leads us to Lafayette. Lafayette is projected to put 5 in the top 40 and 7 in the top 55. They also have an athlete in Xavier Richardson who will be contending for that individual championship. In terms of their season, most of their season's best came on difficult courses in Bourbon County and Masterson Station Park. While Masterson Station is considered a fast course, it is considerably more hilly than Seneca or Tom Sawyer. They are not without flaws however. This season, they have only really put together one race where their entire team was on at the same time. In order to beat Trinity on Saturday, they are going to need their entire team to perform at their best. Other teams to look out for in this team title race are Oldham County, North Oldham, Cooper, and Paul Laurence Dunbar. Each of these teams has a dynamic front runner with significant help behind them. In terms of which of these teams will find their way onto a podium, it will likely all come down to their 5 runner. Oldham County's 5 is projected to finish 70th whereas North Oldham's, Cooper's, and Paul Laurence Dunbar's 5's are projected to finish 119th, 108th, and 103rd respectively. 

Milesplit Team Predictions