-Top 5 finish at 2023 MHSAA 7A XC Championships
-Course record in 16:24 at Simpson Academy Invitational
-Top 5 finish at The Opener
Head-to-Head Wins:
-Graham Weiss
-Bailey Kosko
-Matthew McGuire
-Colin Brannon
-JaQuavion Bryant
Consistency:
-Grayson Taylor continuously improved each race of the season and capped off his season with a well-deserved Top 5 finish at the 2023 MHSAA 7A XC Championships. Not only did he place 5th at the 7A Championships, but he was also one of the few top competitors who earned a personal best on a dry and warm day. Taylor had five races under the 16:30 mark, collected three 1st place finishes, and even snagged a course record.
6. Graham Weiss (Hernando High School)
2023 5K SB:
-15:26 *MS#2*
Big Wins:
Key Performances:
-2nd Place at Saltillo Cross Country Invitational
-Top 10 Finish at 2023 MHSAA 7A XC Championships and Watson High School Cross Country Classic
-25-second personal best at the DeSoto County Championships for the course record and MS #2
Head-to-Head Wins:
-Bailey Kosko
-Andrew Brown
-Grayson Taylor
-Taylor Brown
-Colin Brannon
Consistency:
-Finishing the year with a sixth place finish at the 2023 MHSAA 7A XC Championships and an incredible 15:26 performance at the DeSoto County Championships, Graham Weiss's post-season is a testament to his consistency and skill. His personal record of 15:26 ranks him as one of the fastest Mississippi runners in the last decade. With five sub-16 performances and several 1st place finishes, Weiss has had plenty of success.
5. Bailey Kosko (Oxford High School)
2023 5K SB:
-15:28 *MS#3*
Big Wins:
Key Performances:
-2nd fastest Mississippi finisher at the Jesse Owens Classic
-Course record in 15:43 at Mooreville XC Invitational
-Course record in 15:46 at 2023 Tupelo Invitational,
Head-to-Head Wins:
-Farren Oberto
-Andrew Brown
-Taylor Brown
-Graham Weiss
-Colin Brannon
Consistency:
-Bailey Kosko had an unprecedented amount of amazing performances, giving him an impressive record and five race wins this season. However, plagued by his 13th-place finish at the 2023 MHSAA 7A XC Championships, Kosko faces a tough end to his season. Looking past his unforeseen finish at the 7A Championships, Kosko has had an extremely successful season with records that will stand the test of time.
Key Performances:
-3rd place at the 2023 MHSAA 7A XC Championships
-Fastest Mississippi finisher at The Southern Showcase
-Fastest performance ever by a Mississippi freshman at The Southern Showcase
-Fastest Mississippi finisher at Memphis Twilight Classic
-Top 10 finish at Watson High School Classic
Head-to-Head Wins:
-JaQuavion Bryant
-Taylor Brown
-Farren Oberto
-Bailey Kosko
-Graham Weiss
Consistency:
-Andrew Brown certainly put together plenty of awe-inspiring performances throughout his 2023 cross country circuit. His head-to-head matchups speak for themselves, being one of the few runners to take down JaQuavion Bryant. Additionally, Brown secured four Top 3 finishes in a very tough strength of schedule, and ended on a high note with a third place finish at the stacked MHSAA 7A XC Championships.
3. Farren Oberto (Pearl High School)
2023 5K SB:
-15:31 *MS#4*
Big Wins:
-Clinton Arrow XC Invitational
Key Performances:
-Top Mississippi finisher at The Opener
-Top 5 finish at MHSAA 7A XC Championships
-Top 5 finish at Watson High School Classic
-Runner-up finish at Central Mississippi Super Regionals
Head-to-Head Wins:
-JaQuavion Bryant
-Taylor Brown
-Andrew Brown
-Bailey Kosko
-Graham Weiss
Consistency:
-It could be argued that Pearl's Farren Oberto consistency was his biggest strength, as we always knew he would be at or near the front of nearly every race. Oberto started and ended his season strong, starting off with a runner-up finish at The Opener and top Mississippian, and closed it out with a fourth place finish at the 2023 MHSAA 7A Cross Country Championships, just two seconds off of second place. Throw in his third place finish in 15:31 at Watson which was the fourth fastest 5K this season along with his course record at Clinton, and Oberto has come away with a well deserved No. 3 ranking on the final edition of the 2023 All-MileSplit Mississippi team.
2. Taylor Brown (Tupelo High School)
2023 5K SB:
-15:43
Big Wins:
Key Performances:
-Runner-up finish at MHSAA 7A XC Champonships
-Top 5 finisher at Watson High School Classic
-Fourth Mississippian at Southern Showcase
-Top 5 finish at Tupelo Invitational
Head-to-Head Wins:
-Andrew Brown
-Farren Oberto
-Bailey Kosko
-Graham Weiss
-Grayson Taylor
Consistency:
-While Brown had a shaky start to his 2023 Cross Country season, he continually improved every race, ending his circuit with a Top 5 finish at Watson, a win over Andrew Brown at the French Camp Classic, and eventually secured a runner-up finish at the 2023 MHSAA 7A Cross Country Championships over a high-caliber field. This was Brown's highest ever finish at the MHSAA Cross Country Championships, and played a key role in his No. 2 state ranking.
1. JaQuavion Bryant (Pearl High School)
2023 5K SB:
-15:24 *MS#1*
Big Wins:
-Central Mississippi Super Regionals
Key Performances:
-Runner-up and Top Mississippian at Watson High School Classic
-15:24 5K and top Mississippi finish at Jesse Owens Classic
Head-to-Head Wins:
-Farren Oberto
-Taylor Brown
-Andrew Brown
-Bailey Kosko
-Graham Weiss
Consistency:
-The undisputed No. 1 distance runner in the state who turned on the heat big time in the latter half of the season, Pearl's JaQuavion Bryant. The fastest 5K in the state, a Mississippi course record at Jesse Owens, and defending his MHSAA 7A (MHSAA 6A last year) title is quite the resume for the Pearl Junior. Lastly, with six straight races under 16 minutes in the 5K, Bryant was consistently at or near the top of his game, giving him the title as the No. 1 distance runner in Mississippi for the 2023 Cross Country season.