*The lead pack at the 2021 Mississippi All-State Cross Country Championships
Photo credits: Ben Woolhouse
With the 2022 Watson Cross Country Classic officially in the books, Choctaw Trails looks to host one last meet after the championship season - The up-and-coming Mississippi All-State Cross Country Championships.
The Mississippi All-State Cross Country Championships is a chance to take one last shot to prove your fitness while also celebrating the growth of the sport of distance running as we strive toward putting Mississippi on the map. We saw at the 2022 Watson Cross Country Classic that competition breeds competition. With cooler weather, more gear, and only the best in Mississippi toeing the line, who knows what could happen at the 2022 Mississippi All-State Cross Country Championships?
At the 2021 Mississippi All-State Cross Country Championships, we saw some of the best tactical grass running in Mississippi history, as Keegan Leverett and Aubree Justice stormed to victory to crown themselves as the 2021 Mississippi Cross Country champions.
The information on gear and awards is getting released daily, with the recent rumor of waterproof backpacks for each team state champion. However, there is one thing that we do know: The official list of qualifying teams thus far.
To do a quick recap: Here are the rules:
Automatic qualifiers:
Metro Team winners (Team and Individual)
State Champions (Team and Individual)
Any High School girls that team that has a 5K average of 21:40 or faster at Choctaw Trails
Any high School boys team that has a 5K average of 18:40 or faster at Choctaw Trails
The top 14 5K times at Choctaw Trails that are not associated with an automatic qualifying team.
Lastly, there will be a list of at-large individuals that will officially be released within 24 hours of the final state championship event.
With all of that being said, here are the official automatic qualifiers for the 2022 Mississippi All-State Cross Country Championships at this point of the season.
High School Girls qualifiers on next page >>>