The No. 5 spot on our boys cross country pre-season countdown is Lake Norman's Griffin Horner.
Horner is coming off a strong track season where he posted some strong times, but he is still looking for that state title.
Horner was runner-up to eventual state champion Murphy Smith at the NCHSAA 4A West Regional. Horner powered back at the state meet and took 5th overall, good for an all-state selection.
His personal best in the 5000m came early in the season at Hare & Hounds, where he clocked 15:44. On the track Horner ran 15:28 over 5000m.
At the Ballantyne Twilight 3200m Horner really broke out into a star. He clocked 9:17, good for a runner-up finish. He backed up it a month later clocking 9:21 at the Music City Track Carnival. He was 6th in the event at the NCHSAA 4A state meet.
He showed his speed during track too, running a 1600m personal best of 9:23 at NCRunners Twilight.
Horner is surely one of the favorites to walk out of Ivey Redmond Athletic Park in November as a state champion.
| BOYS 5000 METER RUN FINALS | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLACE | ATHLETE | TEAM | RESULT | POINTS | ||||
| 1 | Murphy Smith | 12 | Ardrey Kell | 15:47.30 | 1 | |||
| 2 | Griffin Horner | 11 | Lake Norman | 15:59.70 | 2 | |||
| 3 | Griffin Cascone | 12 | Ardrey Kell | 16:29.70 | 3 | |||
| 4 | Gavin Sweeney | 11 | Lake Norman | 16:29.70 | 4 | |||
| 5 | Steven Smith | 12 | Ardrey Kell | 16:37.80 | 5 | |||
