Story Lines
*Simpson Academy at the 2021 Watson Cross Country Classic
Photo credits: Ben Woolhouse
MAIS 5A Girls
Defending Individual Champion: Samantha Edwards (Saint Aloysius HS)
Defending Team Champions: East Rankin Academy
No. 1 seed: Lilly Overby (Simpson Academy)
At the 2021 MAIS 5A Cross Country Championships, perhaps the best race of the day was the MAIS 5A Girls Championship race.
To put it into perspective, at the 2021 Mississippi All-State Cross Country Championships, Columbia Academy won the day in 81 points. In second place was MAIS 5A rival Simpson Academy, and in third, East Rankin Academy, the 2021 MAIS 5A High School Girls Cross Country Championships.
*Columbia Academy at the 2021 Mississippi All-State XC Championships
Photo credits: Ben Woolhouse
Because of the 'big three' of Columbia, Simpson, and East Rankin, along with St. Aloysius duo Samantha Edwards and Hendrix Eldridge, this class has elevated to become the deepest classification in Mississippi private school, and perhaps the hardest to win, both as an individual and as a team.
This is one of those classifications where anything can happen. However, sitting in the driver's seat is East Rankin Academy. They are coming off an incredible performance at the 2022 Watson Cross Country Classic, just three points off of Hernando High School, the No. 1 ranked High School girls' team in Mississippi. They have a very strong top four and an army of girls who can step up to be the No. 5 runner on any given day.
Put that against the wolf pack of Columbia Academy and the best duo in Mississippi in Lilly Overby and Layla Warren, who were the top two Mississippi finishers at the 2022 Watson Cross Country Classic, and we have a true state championship.
No spots will be given, and we expect an absolute dogfight. Anything can happen on the day, and we can't wait to see how it all plays out.
Fugate v. Stegall
William Fugate versus Sidney Stegall has the potential to be the greatest duel in MAIS High School Boys Cross Country history.
*Sidney Stegall and William Fugate finishing at the 2022 Watson Cross Country Classic
Photo credits: Ben Woolhouse
According to our records, only three boys in MAIS history have ever broken 16 minutes in the 5K.
Two of them are in the same class - William Fugate, and Sidney Stegall.
Their record against each other is 1-1 - Fugate got the best of Stegall at the 2022 City Auto Memphis Twilight, but Stegall just recently got revenge with his runner-up finish at the 2022 Watson Cross Country Classic. The Heritage Academy star ran a lifetime best of 15:38.5.
Fugate was right behind in 15:41.4, also a lifetime best for the Madison, Miss. native.
Both athletes are as tough as nails, and we see multiple scenarios about how this could play out.
Heavy Favorites: Dallas Stricker and Ella Rankin
Perhaps the two athletes that are the heaviest favorites who, not only have a huge shot at winning but challenge their respective state meet records in their classification, are Dallas Stricker and Ella Rankin.
*Dallas Stricker, Heritage Christian
Photo credits: Ben Woolhouse
Both Stricker and Rankin are coming off monstrous PRs heading into their respective state championship races, and are also both defending champions on the grass.
At the 2022 Watson Cross Country Classic, Stricker dominated the Boys Silver 5K in a time of 16:22.2, winning by 42 seconds. Rankin went 19:02.3, just one second off of her PR at the time. Five days later, the Hartfield phenom went 18:23.0 to win the 2022 Rankin County XC Championships, currently the fastest 5k time of the 2022 Cross Country season.
RANKINGS: 2022 Mississippi High School Girls 5K List
The MAIS 2A Boys Championship record is 17:32.5, while the MAIS 6A Girls Championship record is 19:33.0. Will history be rewritten at the 2022 MAIS Cross Country Championships on Monday?