2022 MileSplit Miss. XC Stock Market: Edition No. 3


JaQuavion Bryant (Pearl High School)

Shooting up the stock market after achieving his first-ever sub-16 5K as just a sophomore, Pearl's JaQuavion Bryant has asserted himself as one to look out for. 

The Pearl sophomore popped onto our radar after his 16:27 5K performance at the 2022 City Auto Brooks Memphis Twilight, a monstrous PR of 26 seconds, before dropping his PR another 28 seconds to 15:58 at the 2022 Clinton Arrow Invitational

READ NEXT: Meet Recap - 2022 Clinton Arrow Invitational

Bryant placed 27th at the 2021 MHSAA 6A Cross Country Championships but is primed for a top-five finish at this year's MHSAA 6A Cross Country Championships. 


Allie Grace Mcgehee (Cathedral Unit School)

A talented sophomore from Natchez, Miss., Allie Grace Mcgehee has made huge jumps in her first-ever cross country season. 

In her first race of the season, Mcgehee ran 13:29.7 at the 2022 Cathedral Twilight XC Meet. She then followed that up with a 17:46.8 4K at The Opener. 

Mcgehee competed in her first ever 5K and stopped the clock in a 21:58.8 at the 2022 MRA Cross Country Invitational. One week later, the Cathedral sophomore dropped a full one minute and 12 seconds off of her PR to run 20:46.8 at the 2022 Simpson Academy Invitational and is now ranked inside of the top 10 in the entire MAIS. 

RANKINGS: 2022 MAIS High School Girls 5K List

That said, Mcgehee went from running 7:09 mile pace for 4K to 6:42 mile pace for 5K in just 23 days. 

If that doesn't scream stock shooting up, then we don't know what does. 


Grayson Taylor (Oak Grove High School)

A distance runner that has played a vital role in the No. 1 high school boys' team's success is 16:59 5K runner Grayson Taylor. 

READ NEXT: Mississippi High School Boys XC Team Rankings: Edition No. 2

At Taylor's season opener, he PR'd by a full three minutes and 35 seconds, going from 20:58 to 17:23 in just one race. 

RESULTS: The Opener

Just two weeks later, he broke the 17-minute 5K barrier at the 2022 Saltillo Invitational

Let's throw in some statistics: Taylor's 3200m PR is 11:04.9, which equals 5:32 mile pace. His 5K PR is now 16:59, which is 5:28 mile pace. This means he has been running faster than his 3200m PR... for one more mile...  on grass. 

Grayson Taylor is a star in the making, and we can't wait to see how he continues to excel under good coaching in a successful program. 


Reese Johnson (Madison Ridgeland Academy)

Someone who is seemingly improving every race and could also be featured in our Future Stars series, Madison Ridgeland Academy's Reese Johnson has been putting on a show during her 2022 cross country campaign. 

Johnson, just an eighth-grader, has hit a PR in four out of the five races she has competed in this year. She has dropped a total of 64 seconds off her PR that she set at the beginning of the year, and 97 seconds off her 2021 5K PR. 

Johnson currently has the fourth-fastest time in MAIS 6A so far this season and looks ready for a top-five finish at the 2022 MAIS 6A Cross Country Championships. 


Braxton Rea (Madison Central HS)

Braxton Rea, a sophomore from Madison Central, is discovering his talents as a cross country runner this season. 

On Aug. 26, 2022, Rea 5K's PR was 18:44, set at the 2022 Jaguar Trails Opener. That time was four minutes and 45 seconds faster than his 2020 5K PR, which was the last time he competed. 

Fast forward four weeks later to Sept. 24, 2022, and he has now dropped his 5K time further down to 17:18.4. That is a full 90-second improvement over the year, and six minutes and 11 seconds faster than what Rea ran in 2020. 

That is an astonishing improvement from the Jaguar sophomore, and a sub-17 5K could soon be calling his name. 


Lilly Overby (Simpson Academy)

Last but certainly not least, All-MileSplit Mississippi XC No. 7 ranked Lilly Overby's stock is heating up daily. 

After her 18:55 5K at the 2022 Simpson Academy Invitational to become the first high school girl to break 19 minutes this season, saying that Overby's stock is rising is an obvious statement. 

However, we simply didn't do her justice in the Simpson Academy Meet Preview and were certainly impressed with her performance. Overby ran a blazing fast time and took down the All-MileSplit Mississippi No. 3 and No. 4 high school girls in the process. 

READ NEXT: Meet Preview - 2022 Simpson Academy Invitational

One last statistic to pay attention to that will pay tribute to Overby's progression this year is how in February of 2022, Overby broke six minutes in the 1600m for the first time, running 5:57.7 to win the slow heat at the 2022 Pearl Track and Field Opener

Fast forward to the 2022 Simpson Academy Invitational, and Overby is now running 6:05 mile pace for three miles on the grass. 

That is a phenomenal stat, and the Simpson freshman's hard work has been getting paid off during the 2022 cross country season.