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Contenders:
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One season after putting their top five runners in the top six at the 6A state meet and qualifying to Nike Cross Nationals last fall, Bentonville would still appear to be the class of 6A in Arkansas.
The Tigers return Matthew Shelly and Owen Kelley, who finished 1st and 2nd at state, as well as Ryan Fernstrom (9th) this season and all three will once again be chasing podium positions and an individual championship.
While he did not race cross country last season, Tishan Abeyagunawardene would immediately become another championship winning contender this year for the Tigers if he were to lace up the spikes for his senior season. Abeyagunawardene finished 3rd at the 6A State Championships in 3,200m this spring and his status is one of the biggest question marks heading into the fall.
Harper Jones would round out the Tigers preseason Top 5, with Phoenix Smith not too far behind. While Jones owns the 10th fastest returning time in 6A this season, he specializes in the 400m and 800m. This spring, Jones won the 400m 6A state championship and competed at New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the 800m.
Very few teams in the country would be able to survive losing three runners at the caliber of James American Horse, Payton Brack, and Eli Seavey, but the Tigers, including Carter Beasley who is the 25th fastest returner in 6A, remain seven-deep and have multiple runners capable of winning a state title in 2024.
Rogers enters this season with at least three runners capable of finishing on the podium at the state meet this season.
Noah Gorden finished 7th and is the fastest non-Bentonville returner from the state meet a year ago. Gorden set personal bests in the 1,600m and 3,200m this spring, giving the rising junior plenty of reason to be optimistic about the upcoming season.
Noah Brothers and Henry Woods are also back for the Mounties and will also be competing for podium spots in November. Brothers finished 15th at the state meet last year and Woods is the 9th fastest returner in the classification.
Alan Gallardo-Lopez and Nate Rogerson lead a sneaky Fayetteville team this season and should be among one of the best duos in the Natural State. Gallardo-Lopez ran a 15:03.47 in Texas last season, which is the fastest returning time in the state. Rogerson is not too far behind, running the fourth fastest time in 2023. Both will challenge for the individual title this season.
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Myson McFall is stepping into the No. 1 position for his first season in Cabot and is riding a wave of momentum entering the new year. After opening the season in a 17:18.00 last fall, the rising senior dropped 1:16 over the course of the season and finished 10th at the state meet.
Evan Smith and Rhett Moss might be the 1-2 punch nobody is talking about. After leading their team to a sixth place finish at the state meet last season, the two lead one of the most talented rosters in the state and will be racing for podium spots as well.
And if you're looking for consistency, look no further than Asher Found who finished 17th at the state meet last season and 6th in the 3,200m on the track this spring. The rising junior from Catholic High has time on his side and looks to be ready for a big third season on the grass.
As a freshman, Luke Mbekenya finished 12th at state last season and will be looking to make more magic in 2024. Mbekenya had a very strong track season and a breakout campaign could be in store for the rising sophomore from Bentonville West.
Other Individuals to Watch: Hudsyn Boles, Hudson Copeland, Andrew Porta, Ashton Alder, Cael Underkoffler
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Teams to Watch:
Bentonville is searching for their 8th straight cross country state championship this season, and as we eluded to earlier, they looked poised to make a run for another title in Hot Springs in 2024.
Rogers returns a lot of talent and will be one of many threats to the Tigers this year. The Mounties experience may be their greatest strength this fall and will be hoping to use that to their advantage come time for the postseason.
Ft. Smith Southside looks like they will be the team playing spoiler this year. The Mavericks return a good amount from their team a year ago and the emergence of Joe Griggs, the team's projected No. 5 runner, could compete to unseat one of the state's powerhouses.
As always, Fayetteville cannot be counted out. To go along with their top two, the Bulldogs return Johnathan Mbugua who will also be racing for a podium position this November. There will be a group of four runners the team will be counting on to step up into their No. 4 and 5 positions to help push this team forward in 2024.
And you can't forget about Har-Ber and Bentonville West. While both teams have to replace crucial pieces from their team's a season ago, these programs have proven in the past they are resilient and perform best when they're counted out. Expect big things from the two schools in the NWA.
Other Teams to Watch: Bryant, Cabot, Catholic High
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