Class 2 Preview
Up first down in Salem and running the first ever state races at Green Hill Park will be the Girls Class 2 teams and individuals. Here, just like the other races, will be featured by the top three teams from all four regions plus an additional 20 individuals who qualified outside of their team for the state meet.
Headlining this first race will be the aforementioned Kelsey Harrington. Despite being one of the greatest athletes ever in Virginia, she will be chasing her first cross country state title as she returns to the state meet for the first time since her freshman year in 2016 when she placed 20th. Simply put this is her race.
Some of the other big names in this race are Carly Wilkes (Glenvar) who was 3rd a year ago, Jessey Ball (Lebanon) who was the state champion in 2016, and Annika Fisher (Buffalo Gap) who was the Region 2B champion.
On the team front Radford looks to be the odds on favorite with Glenvar, Bruton, and Floyd County all vying for a podium top two finish. On the boys' team side things are slightly different with Union leading the way and Radford currently ranked second pre-meet. Alleghany, Glenvar, and Bruton are also within striking range of that second position.
Union enters the meet as the heavy favorites and that is in no small part thanks to the leadership of their number one, Tanner Cusano who enters the meet as the only sub 16 boy in the Class 2 race. This junior is in his first XC season and looks to be ready to take home the big title with his two best races coming most recently.
Tanner's biggest competition will come from current second ranked athlete Caleb Wright (Chatham), last year's top state meet returner Daniel Zearfoss (Glenvar), and last year all-state finisher George Austin III (East Rockingham). Both Zearfoss and Austin return this year as sophomores with much more experience under their belts, that could spell for a big race this weekend.