As the 2023 Arkansas High School cross country season creeps closer, the team at MileSplit Arkansas is preparing for the fall by providing preseason coverage across the state's six divisions.
To cap off our six week run this preseason, we take a look at some of the fastest runners in Arkansas who run in Division 6A.
Girls
The 6A girls division is going to look a lot different in 2023, except at the top where Haley Loewe remains the runner to beat.
Last season's state champion returns hoping to replicate her season from last fall, which included five victories, one coming at the Chile Pepper Festival, and a 3rd place finish at the elusive Garmin MileSplit TX XC Invitational.
Loewe, last fall's Gatorade Arkansas XC Girls Runner of the Year, raced to a personal best time of 17:20.50 at the Chile Pepper Festival, which was the fastest time in the state in 2023 and the fastest time run by a girl in Arkansas in the last decade.
Loewe is entering her senior season and will be surrounded by several other girls in 6A that will push her to new heights, while also vying for podium finishes this fall themselves.
Everly and Devyn O'Daniel, as well as Hannah Hansen and Ember Chariton are all ranked inside the top 7 returners in the 6A girls division this season and will complete an incredibly intimidating Bentonville team this fall that will be the clear favorites to repeat as state champions.
At last season's Arkansas State Cross Country Championships, the five all finished 11th or better enroute to their state title and all five will have a chance to win an individual title in November.
Lilly Beshears from Har-Ber High School finished second at last season's state meet and established herself as one the state's brightest stars on the track this past spring.
The freshman found success across the board, running 5:00.61 in the 1,600m and 10:59.34 in the 3,200m while competing against some of the best competition in the nation in events such as the Texas Distance Festival and Jesuit-Sheaner Relays.
While Beshears appears to be a legitimate threat to the "Bentonville fives" championship aspirations, it is possible the rising sophomore could end up being the next casualty in Arkansas to club track and may opt to skip this fall cross country season (unconfirmed), which would be a big blow to the girls 6A division as the rising sophomore is the biggest threat to Loewe's quest to repeat as state champion.
All eyes will be on Beshears and Har-Ber High School to begin the season.
Boys
James American Horse enters this fall the favorite in the 6A boys division coming off a 3rd place finish at last season's state meet and is the quickest returner in the division.
The Bentonville star gained a significant amount of experience against some of the best competition in the country last season finishing the cross country season with a personal best of 15:21.30 at the Chili Pepper Festival, to go along with his podium finish at the Arkansas State Cross Country State Championships, and competing at the Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Championships.
The rising senior set personal bests in all three distance races this spring and is positioned for another breakout season in 2023 as the two runners who finished ahead of him at last fall's state meet both graduated.
Matthew Shelly is another name to keep an eye on this season after a stellar spring track season.
The rising junior is the second fastest returner in 6A from last season and posted impressive performances at the 6A State Championships in the 1,600m and 3,200m this spring, which makes him another name to watch as the season unfolds and the biggest threat to American Horse winning his first cross country championship.
Just like the girls division, Bentonville brings loads of talent into 2023, making them the favorites to win a team state title this fall.
Eli Seavey is among multiple runners from Bentonville who could challenge his teammate in his pursuit of an individual state title.
The rising senior ran a 15:49.20 at the Chile Pepper Invitational last season and is the fourth fastest returner in 6A from 2022, adding him to the laundry list of runners who will challenge for a spot on the podium in November.
Owen Kelley and Nate Rogerson are two more Bentonville underclassmen from 2022 who will be names to watch entering this cross country and should assert themselves as some of the best runners in 6A this fall.