The No. 8 team on our boys cross country pre-season team countdown are the Patriots of Apex Friendship.
After missing the state meet by five points, finishing in 5th behind Pinecrest 99-104, this Patriot squad could be more motivated than ever. From that team there is not a single 2020 graduate. Their whole top seven is back and they will be led by four seniors up front!
Finn McKee and Alexander Nash are the two-headed horse leading this Apex Friendship group. The duo finished 13th and 14th at the NCHSAA 4A Mideast Regional, with McKee just edging Nash.
William Newman ran only one race for Apex Friendship during the 2020 cross country season, but at the BaySix Kickoff Classic 3000m, Newman was the No. 3 runner for the Patriots. Sean Blizard broke 17:00 last season and looks to lead Connor Uenking, Carlos Haring, and Sujay Murthi under 17:00 for the first time in their careers.
| Apex Friendship (NC) | 503 | |||
| 1) Finn McKee | 16:29.31 | 50 | ||
| 2) Alexander Nash | 16:35.70 | 65 | ||
| 3) Sean Blizard | 16:54.70 | 117 | ||
| 4) Connor Uenking | 17:00.70 | 133 | ||
| 5) Carlos Haring | 17:02.62 | 138 | ||
| Average Time: 16:48.61 Total Time: 1:24:03.03 1-5 Split: 33.31 | ||||
| 6) Kevin Moskey | 17:09.61 | 153 | ||
| 7) Sujay Murthi | 17:18.85 | 178 | ||