MHSAA 6A Boys: Pearl vs. Oak Grove

In 2022, Pearl has arguably had the most stout team in the state. One statistic that puts this Pearl squad into perspective is Maxi Duran. Duran's best 5k this season is 16:28 - and he is Pearl's fifth-best runner. Led by Jaquavion Bryant, Pearl has two runners under 16 minutes (Bryant and Farren Oberto), four runners under 17 minutes (Tanner Moore, Brendan Clark, Duran, and Karol Gonzalez), and one runner at 17:00.00 (Jon Haralson). Pearl's varsity squad is undefeated against Mississippi competition this year, making them the team to beat.

There is only one other team in 6A with their entire top five under 17 minutes for the 5k. That is Oak Grove. Led by seniors Gavin Wheat and Bennett Ferguson, Oak Grove has had a historic season. Oak Grove has been one of the top Mississippi teams with five wins this fall. Supporting Wheat and Ferguson is Luke Skinner, Grayson Taylor, and Jaden Gray. All three of those runners have times in the 16:30s.

Pearl and Oak Grove have faced off twice this year. At the 2022 Watson High School Cross Country Classic, Pearl edged out the win 69-77. At the 2022 MHSAA District 5-6-7 Super Regionals, Pearl also took the win 24-31. Oak Grove has given Pearl the biggest scare out of any other team this year. While Pearl is 2-0 against Oak Grove, the high emotions at the 6A State Meet can lead to anything happening.

While it is hard to tell who will win, it is certain that the two best teams in the state of Mississippi will be duking it out for the 6A State Title.

MHSAA 6A Girls: Who will win?

The five-fastest girls in MHSAA 6A are separated by less than ten seconds. It is a complete toss-up as to who will win.

Ashton Rainey of Ocean Springs currently has the fastest time in 6A with 19:07. She also has five wins to her name this year.

Brookelyn Morgan of Tupelo is next up with 19:08. Morgan has four wins this fall.

At 19:10 is Addison Rainey, who has one win and five other finishes in the top three of a race.

The Rainey sisters have yet to face Morgan this season.

Right behind those three is Kaitlyn Burge of Hernando. Burge holds a PR of 19:11, and five placements in the top two (one of which is a win).

Another considerable player in this race is the reigning 6A state champion - Jessica Cartwright. With three wins this year and four other finishes in the top ten, Cartwright has had success in 2022. Her 5k this year is 19:16.

With a state championship on the line, this win means a little more than any other race this season. It will be a close, thrilling brawl to the finish.

MHSAA 5A Boys: Will Saltillo Sweep?

Saltillo is undoubtedly the favorite to win the 5A state title. The six fastest runners in 5A heil from Saltillo. These studs are Parker Shannon, Jace Stanley, Enoch Caviness, Jackson Kelly, Sam Baxter, and Will Crawford. Another crazy thing about this team is that there is only one senior in their top seven (Crawford). The rest of their top seven are all juniors. This Saltillo squad is here to dominate 5A until 2024.

There is one young runner that could ruin Saltillo's sweep. That is Evan Hallford of Neshoba Central. Hallford is coming off a PR at the 2022 MHSAA District 5-6-7 Super Regionals, where he ran 17:05. Hallford is not far behind Saltillo's fifth-runner, who holds a PR of 16:55. If Saltillo wants to do the impossible and pull off a perfect score at state meet, they will have to fend off freshman Evan Hallford.

MHSAA 5A Girls: How will the podium fall?

Anna Caroline Crouch is the No. 1 seed to win the MHSAA 5A State Title. Crouch's 5k time of 19:35 is a full minute ahead of the rest of the runners in 5A. Crouch has two wins on the year and has placed no worse than sixth. Through a long season, the MHSAA 5A State meet will be her tenth race. In eight of her races so far, Crouch has placed in the top four finishers. The senior is in a wonderful position heading into her last state championship on the grass.

However, keep an eye out for Brookhaven's Ramie Stovall. She is coming off an impressive win of 20:39 at Choctaw Trails, which matches to the 5K time that Crouch ran at the 2022 Watson High School Classic. 

With the stakes of a state championship race, this could be a hard-fought battle between the three.

Maine Lund's best 5k on the year is 20:36, and Hannah Mitchell is at 20:42, yet another matchup will be to the wire.

MHSAA 6A Boys: Dynamic Duos and Darkhorses

The individual race for MHSAA 6A Boys is unpredictable. There are six runners in 6A under 16 minutes for the 5k and any of them could run away with the race.

Tupelo brings 6A's top two runners to the table with Jaheim Bridges and Taylor Brown. Bridges holds the fastest time in 6A at 15:35. With two wins this year and three finishes under 15:50, Bridges is the on-paper favorite. Brown is right behind him at 15:38. Similar to Bridges, Brown has three finishes at 15:50 or faster. This pair has been on a tear this season, solidifying themselves as the top duo in the state. It will be extremely difficult for anyone to break these two.

Pearl brings the next duo: Jaquavion Bryant and Farren Oberto. Both runners are under 16:00; Bryant at 15:40 and Oberto at 15:56. Bryant has three wins on the season and all but one race under 16 minutes for the 5k. Oberto has consistently run in the low 16s. They also lead the most powerful team in the state, so confidence is definitely on their side.

Oak Grove's senior duo of Gavin Wheat and Bennett Ferguson will be up in that top pack, causing trouble for the rest of the teams in the race. Wheat has had a successful season with two wins and a top-ten finish in every race. Ferguson already has a win at Choctaw Trails this year (The Opener) and has had a breakthrough race at state meet in the past (2021 MHSAA 2A-4A-6A State Cross Country Championships). The two will surely throw their hats in the ring for the state championship.

Benjamin Owens of Madison Central is a major dark horse in this race. Owens had a solid start to the season, running consistently in the mid-16s. Since October, Owens has been on fire when racing at Choctaw Trails. Owens ran 15:48 at the Watson High School Cross Country Classic and 16:01 at the MHSAA District 5-6-7 Super Regionals 2022. With the roll he is on, Owens will be primed for a great race.

Bailey Kosko of Oxford and Andrew Brown of Tupelo are two other runners that could make a splash on race day. With a Personal best of 16:02, Kosko has had a great season. After destroying the middle school cross country scene all season, Brown has been moved up to run the 5k. After running 16:05 in just his first 5k, he serves as a wildcard for this race.