5K PR: 16:04
Grade: Sophomore
Classification: MHSAA 6A
2021 ranking: Not ranked
Accolades: 2022 MHSAA 6A 3200m Bronze Medalist | 2021 MHSAA 6A Cross Country Bronze Medalist | 11th place at 2021 Mississippi XC Meet of Champions
Starting us off in the 2022 Mississippi High School Boys Top 3 individuals is a name that we know very well, and that is the superstar out of Tupelo High School, Taylor Brown!
After just missing out on the 2021 All-MileSplit Mississippi Cross Country team, Brown ran with a chip on his shoulder in the 2022 indoor and outdoor track season, throwing down times such as 4:28 in the 1600m and 9:45 in the 3200m... as a freshman!
Brown earned his first-ever podium finish at the 2022 MHSAA 6A Track and Field Championships, placing third in the 3200m in a tactical 9:49. He also garnered a 5th-place finish in the 1600m.
Last cross country season, Brown finished a phenomenal third place at the 2022 MHSAA 6A Cross Country Championships in an absolutely loaded field, running a PR of 16:04 in the 5K to do so. He also earned two wins and five Top 5 finishes in his 2021 cross country campaign.
It is clear that Brown is indeed a very talented distance runner, and it will be exciting to see how he builds off the momentum that he created during his freshman track and field campaign.
5K PR: 15:54
Grade: Junior
Classification: MHSAA 3A
2021 ranking: No. 6
Accolades: 2021 All-MileSplit Mississippi XC Team Member | 2021 MHSAA 3A Cross Country Runner-up | 3rd fastest Mississippi Sophomore of all time in XC
Rounding out this week's drop in the 2022 All-MileSplit Mississippi Cross Country preseason rankings is the No. 2 returner to the 2022 cross country season according to PRs, and that is Saint Patrick High School's, Jack Hewes!
CROSS COUNTRY RANKINGS: 2022 Mississippi High School Boys Returner List
In our personal opinion, Hewes is a little bit of an underdog in the Mississippi High School Boys distance running scene... Yet, we truly have no idea why he is.
Part of the reason for that is that Hewes was in the same classification as 2022 Saint Stanislaus graduate Keegan Leverett, who is debatably one of the best high school male distance runners in Mississippi history.
However, Hewes is clearly one of the best distance runners in the state.
To back that statement up, Hewes is one of two returners that has broken 16 in the 5K, and he has done so twice. As a matter of fact, one of them was a win that he soloed in the blue division at the 2021 Watson High School Meet.
RESULTS: 2021 Watson High School Meet (Blue Division)
If that doesn't scream talent, Hewes is also the third fastest Mississippi sophomore in Mississippi High School Cross Country history, according to MileSplit records.
ALL-TIME RANKINGS: Mississippi Sophomore Cross Country List
Lastly, Hewes also secured outdoor PRs of 4:33 in the 1600m and 9:50 in the 3200m, as well as earning three medals at the 2022 MHSAA 3A Track and Field Championships.
RESULTS: 2022 MHSAA 3A Track and Field Championships
Much like Leverett did in 2021(and we called that one too), we think Hewes is going to surprise the state this year in cross country.
You heard it here first.
Stay tuned for No. 1 next week!