As the 2024 cross country season nears. Milesplit Arkansas will spend one week previewing one of the six classifications in the state.
In Class 2A, there's a competitive group of girls in the front that will compete to crown a new state champion later this fall, while Quitman returns their entire top 5 from last season and is looking to win their 6th straight state title in 2024.
Take a look at the athletes, teams, and storylines to watch for in Class 2A girls this season. We will feature 3A next week, while 4A, 5A, and 6A will begin Monday, July 29th.
2024 ARKANSAS CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEWS
BOYS: 1A | 2A | 3A | 4A | 5A | 6A
GIRLS: 1A | 2A | 3A | 4A | 5A | 6A
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Contenders:
Olivia Prothro (Mountainburg, right) high-fives Kalee Mounts (Dierks, left)
Last season's 2A state champion Bella Tedder has graduated which means there's an opening at the top of Class 2A.
Kalee Mounts and Olivia Prothro are two girls capable of filling the void left by Tedder.
Mounts and Prothro finished 2nd and 3rd at last year's state meet and are two of the three fastest returners in Class 2A this season. Mounts capped off her sophomore season by finishing 7th in the 1,600m at the 2A state championship while Prothro finished hers by racing in all three distance races, finishing as high as 4th in the 1,600m.
It's safe to say these two will be in the mix all season long.
Clare Pohlmeier will be another name to keep an eye on this season. The junior enters her first season in 2A as Ozark Catholic makes the move from Class 1A.
At the state meet last fall, Pohlmeier was considered one of the favorites to win the 1A state race but would go on to finish 2nd. This year, Pohlmeier comes into the season off the heels of a 1A state championship in the 3,200m and the second-fastest returning 5K time in 2A.
Despite having little racing experience against her new competition, Pohlmeier should be considered one of the biggest threats to the vacant throne in Class 2A.
Joining the top three returners includes several other girls capable of winning a state championship later this November in Hot Springs.
Carlee Mounts is the fourth-fastest returner in 2A this season and finished 4th at last season's state meet. The pair of sisters from Dierks form one of the best 1-2 punches in the division while sharing the unique experience of racing alongside family.
Madilyn Varvil, Paislee Davis, and Savannah Duncan all finished in the top 8 at last year's state meet and are back for another season this year. The trio helped lead Quitman to a 5th straight state championship last fall and all three of these girls are capable of finishing even better in 2024.
Though she has never competed in cross country, Riley Hopson is also a name worth mentioning. The sophomore from Yellville-Summit won the 800m and 1,600m at the 2A State Championships this spring and even competed at the Arkansas Meet of Champions.
If Yellville-Summitt participates in cross country this season, one would have to imagine Hopson would be in contention to win her first state championship.
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Teams to Watch:
Nobody has it better than Quitman.
The Bulldogs won their fifth straight state championship last fall and return their entire top 5 from a season ago, which includes three top 10 finishers and 5 in the top 15. There's no question that Quitman is the team to beat in 2024.
Considering their firepower up front, Dierks is one team capable of dethroning the defending champs. To go along with Carlee and Kalee Mounts, the Outlaws return five from their top 6 last season.
Most notably, Aspen Pugh is back, who finished 17th at last year's state meet and is the 12th fastest returner in Class 2A this season. To pull off an upset against Quitman, it would take a significant improvement across the Dierks lineup which is certainly not out of the picture.
Bigelow finished 3rd at the state meet a season ago and return their top 8 finishers from that race this fall. Bella Johnson is the leader of this team and her finish at the state meet will heavily dictate where the Panthers place.
Perhaps the biggest wildcard in this race will be Ozark Catholic, who makes their heavily anticipated debut in Class 2A this season. Last year, Ozark Catholic finished 3rd at the 1A state meet and much like the rest of 2A, they also return their entire roster.
Quitman will be the favorite to defend their state championship in 2024, but there appears to be multiple teams that could unseat the Bulldogs in 2024.