We've got some serious competitors coming back this fall and we wanted to give you all a snap preview of the top boys across all divisions to watch. We'll go into more depth about the top individual kids per division in August. Last year we saw four boys secure their first Cross Country State Title at Cave Creek Golf Course and we're interested to see who will defend and who will usurp for the victory. Have a look at five Arizona boys to watch this fall.
Jordan Black (North Phoenix Prep, Sr.)
Jordan Black is the returning D4 State Champ in Cross Country. Last year, Black clinched victories at the Fountain Hills and Titan Invitationals. He also broke 16-minutes at Desert Twilight and Nike Southwest. In the spring, Black threw down 9:33 to win the D4 Boys' 3200m at the AIA Track and Field State Championships and finished runner-up in the 1600m behind the now graduated Talon Smith.
Black knows how to win and he may very well surprise spectators with the necessary endurance to keep pace with the lead pack.
Hunter Krasa (Mountain Ridge, Sr.)
Last season, Krasa finished 3rd in his race at the Woodbridge Classic in just over 15 minutes. He finished 8th in the D1 Boys' race at the AIA Cross Country State Championship, and he has maintained his upward trajectory through the track season. He ran 4:23 at the ASU Sun Angel Classic and finished 3rd place in the D1 Boys' 3200m at the AIA Track and Field State Championships.
Braedon Palmer (Sunrise Mountain, Sr.)
While Schilb brings the speed in the D2 boys' field, Palmer is a workhorse and has the will to grind against anybody including Leo Daschbach, as we saw last year at Doug Conley. He holds a lifetime best of 15:33 from last year's Desert Twilight Festival and ended his season just a second off his PR at the Nike Southwest Regional.
Palmer is the returning D2 Runner-Up from last year's AIA State Championship, but we can bet that come November, he's gonna' give it all he's got to finish his senior season on top.
Ayden Schilb (Cienega, Jr.)
Schilb accomplished a lot as a sophomore, clinching victories in his race at the Woodbridge Classic and the Invitational Boys' race at Desert Twilight. At Cave Creek Golf Course, Schilb secured the D2 State Title over five other boys faster than him. We're eager to watch him run to defend it in November.
Schilb will be on the upswing this season, having made a serious jump as a sub-4:20 miler to finish 2nd to Rylan Stubbs in the D2 Boys' 1600m run. Can his speed carry him to victory this fall once more?
Leo Daschbach (Highland, Sr.)
Hahaha, need I say more? He was Gatorade Cross Country Athlete Of The Year and Gatorade Track and Field Athlete Of The Year. Daschbach went Sub-15 for 5km, ran 8:51 for the 3200m at Arcadia, and a 4:03 mile at the Brooks PR Invitational. The D1 Boys' State Title alluded him last year, but he's got the momentum to be Arizona's G.O.A.T. this season.