High School Boys Individual
2021 champion: J.J. Lincoln (Saltillo High School) | 17:59
Meet record: Brock Kelly (Tupelo Christian Prep School) | 16:38
Course record: Brock Kelly (Tupelo Christian Prep School) | 16:38
No. 1 seed: Lukas Dykes (Mooreville High School)
Three athletes enter this meet with a personal best under 17 minutes in the 5k. These are the on-paper favorites, but upsets are always brewing.
Lukas Dykes of Mooreville has the fastest seed time with a 16:41. He ran this impressive time last year at the 2021 MHSAA 4A Cross Country Championships where he placed third.
RESULTS: 2021 MHSAA 4A Cross Country Championships
This will not be Dykes' first time racing this season, as he did have a rust buster race last weekend at the New Albany XC Classic.
The historic speed that Dykes brings to the table could make him a dark horse in this twilight race on Thursday.
Next up is Starkville High's, Giles Jones.
Giles Jones, Starkville High School
This will be the Starkville junior's first competition of the season so it will be hard to judge where he can race, but if he is anywhere near the shape he was in last year, Jones will be contending for the win.
Jones ran his PR at the 2021 Watson High School met, where he crossed the line at 16:50. He backed that up in outdoor track by ending his season with a 1600 time of 4:46, running that at the 2022 MHSAA Division 1-6A Championships.
RESULTS: 2021 Watson High School Meet | 2022 MHSAA Division 1-6A
The Starkville stud could be the one to run away with it on Thursday.
However, Jones will have Parker Shannon from Saltillo standing in his way from doing so.
Parker Shannon, Saltillo High School
Shannon had quite the season opener at the 2022 New Albany XC Classic, finishing as the third-fastest Mississippian of the day (Behind Gabe McElwain and Graham Weiss).
RESULTS: 2022 New Albany XC Classic
While he did place third, he was the second Mississippian to finish. With a time of 16:55 to open up the season, it will be intriguing to see where Shannon's wheels can take him throughout the fall.
Another significant mark on Shannon's resume is his 4:36 1600m at the 2022 MHSAA 5A Track and Field Championships.
RESULTS: 2022 MHSAA 5A Track and Field Championships
Shannon's teammates can also play a big role in the race this Thursday. Saltillo likes to pack run and they definitely have the depth to do so. Some team tactics could potentially bleed into the individual race.
Finally, if Shannon does not place first, it would not surprise us if another Saltillo runner took the win.
Here is our pick: On paper, we're thinking the individual race will come down between Shannon and Jones, with Dykes or Saltillo's Jace Stanley as a potential dark horse. Shannon just handily beat Stanley and Dykes at the 2022 New Albany XC Classic, breaking 17 in the 5K for the first time in his career, so we know he is fit. It is also very hard to ignore that 4:36 1600m Shannon has to his name.
With all of that being said, while we do think that Jones and Stanley will definitely place inside of the top four, the facts all point to Shannon taking his first-ever win on grass.