A lot of people just look at the top runners in cross country, but I love the fifth runner. This position is one of the most important runners on the team. Let's take a look at a few of the boys fifth runners so far this season. At Brookhaven, their number five is at 19:05 and helps the team rank number one in this early season. For number two Saltillo, it is 18:30, which offsets some of the faster Brookhaven runners times. Tupelo Christian has a problem with a 21:14 which puts the number one ranked preseason team at a distant third place.
Brookhaven has to get the fifth runner under 19 minutes if they want to hold off hard charging Saltillo, and TCPS is in need of a fifth man. Now TCPS can win State in Class 1A, but to have a chance at an unofficial State team championship they have to find that fifth man.