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The boy's varsity race at the Lake Hamilton Cross Country Invitational features a matchup we have been waiting for all season: it's Joseph Bariola, who announced his verbal commitment to the University of Missouri on Tuesday, finally going head-to-head against James American Horse.
For a moment, it seemed like Bariola and American Horse were going to avoid each other all season until the two both raced at the Chile Pepper Festival. Bariola finished 3rd, while American Horse finished 7th, but this time the two will not have to navigate their way through 400 other runners and instead, will have a full 5000 kilometers to duel one another.
It should make for a terrific race.
Don't forget about Owen Kelley, American Horse' teammate from Bentonville. Kelley has finished less than a second behind his teammate on several occasions this season and now with added company up front, this could be the week Kelley unseats his teammate.
Eli Seavey, Matthew Shelly, and Payton Brack, all from Bentonville, are three more names to keep an eye on this weekend as well as all three are capable of finishing alongside their two teammates at the front.
Brandon Waller from Cabot has quietly put together a great season up to this point, collecting three wins in three races, which includes a 15:40.70 personal best at the Wampus Cat Invitational last month in Conway.
River Hardman has also looked good up to this point in the season and should play a factor in this race too, having run a 15:57.00 at the Chile Pepper Festival and winning the Little Rock XC Classic earlier in the season.
Bentonville will be the team to beat in the boys race as the Tigers' A-squad has lost just once this season. After winning in Texas twice at the Milesplit TX XC Invitational and Lovejoy XC Fall Festival, the team finished runner-up at the Chile Pepper Festival and can use Lake Hamilton as an opportunity to get right after their first setback of the year.
Cabot and Russellville have looked incredibly strong through the first five weeks of the season and are rounding into form with less than a month until the state championships in November. This will be a great opportunity for these two squads to showcase their fitness on the highest stage.