Defending champion Lucy Murray of Brevard is back to defend her title in 2022. However, 2020 NCHSAA 2A runner-up Katherine Hopkins has returned to form and took down Murray at the 2A West Regional.
Hopkins, who only raced once during the 2021 cross country season, took 2nd in the 1,600m this past spring. She also holds the NCHSAA 2A No. 1 time this season, a 18:29.20 performance from the adidas XC Challenge.
Murray is NCHSAA 2A No. 2 this year, with her 19:32.60 win at Armentrout Invitational.
Look out for the other regional champions to make a splash at the state meet, as well. NCHSAA 2A Mideast Champion Emily Myers (Franklin Academy) is NCHSAA 2A No. 3 this season and NCHSAA 2A East Champion Madison Flynn (Manteo) is NCHSAA 2A No. 4 this season.
Myers was runner-up to Murray in 2021, and Flynn was 10th.
In total, eight of the ten all-state runners in 2A return in 2022. Caitlyn Elliott was 3rd last year, while leading her North Carolina School of Science & Math (NCSSM) team to the 2021 team title.
Abby Pike of Pine Lake Prep was 4th, and her team finished runner-up in 2021. She was 8th this past weekend at the NCHSAA 1A West Regional.
Other all state returners include Leah Whiteside (Community School of Davidson), Brooke Hope (R-S Central), and Meah Walsh (East Burke).
The story of the 2A classification, however, is the team battle.
NCSSM returns only two of their six finishers from their state title team, but they have reloaded in 2022 and they're ready to once again claim the gold.
Big time transfers for NCSSM has really boosted them back into the driver's seat in 2A.
Anika Raburn was 3rd at the NCHSAA 2A Mideast Regional, and her team went 6-7-8-9 behind her in Lily Scarlett, Raina Martens, Emberleigh Pauley-Brown, and Lynda Rios. In fact, five of their top seven will return in 2023.
East Davidson and West Stanly went 1-2 at the NCHSAA 2A Midwest Regional, and they both look like huge threats to dethrone NCSSM. East Davidson got the win 38-42. However, freshman Kelsey Burleson of West Stanly, who holds a 20:13.73 best, did not run.
Manteo won the 2A East Regional with a whopping 18 points. Behind Flynn, Meredith Gaskill was runner-up.
Similarly to the girls, the boys' team title is going to be a tight battle as well.
Two of the top three teams come from the 2A West Region. Owen got the win over Lincoln Charter 41-47.
Owen's strength comes in their 1-2 punch. Elijah Jones won the 2A West Region, while teammate Jaheem O'Hara was runner-up but one-second behind. Meanwhile, Lincoln Charter has a 1-5 split less than one-minute, with Tucker Caulder taking 3rd at the 2A West Region.
Lincoln Charter was runner-up as a squad in 2021 and Owen was 3rd. Lincoln Charter returns their entire top seven from the event, while Owen returns six of their seven.
| TEAM SCORES |
|---|
| PLACE | TEAM | POINTS | SCORERS | TIMES |
|---|
| 1 | Owen, Charles D. | 41 | 1+2+11+13+14 (21+28) | 1:28 1-5 Split | 17:07 Avg |
| 2 | Lincoln Charter | 47 | 3+8+9+10+17 (19+69) | 1:12 1-5 Split | 17:20 Avg |
Seaforth sophomore Jack Anstrom has established himself as a top dog in the state this season, and he looks to cap off his season with a state title after finishing runner-up in 2021. He is NCHSAA 2A No. 1 this season, having clocked 15:34.70 at the adidas XC Challenge. Jones is NCHSAA 2A No. 2 and NCSSM's Andrew Parker, who was 3rd in 2021, is NCHSAA 2A No. 3.
