Putting together 2014 5K results with 1600 & 3200 times from the 2015 indoor and outdoor seasons can yield some interesting results.
Cannon School's Jena Metwalli had a tremendous school year, and now she's ready to build on it and take her career even further.
Brittany Stanley is within range of breaking 18 this fall, and she runs on the state's fastest course several times.
This Jeremy Brown guy keeps popping up on top of all the rankings lists...maybe he's gonna have a good season.
With its downhill start, long wooded section, and uphill finish, one of the oldest courses in our state is also one of the most unique.
6-time champions Green Hope appear to be even better than last year, when they were the best in state history.
Only one returning runner broke 16 on the Greensboro course, and a rising junior had the 2nd-fastest time.
Don't forget to count Kayla Holder among the ranks of the returning sub-18 runners in the state.
The exit of Cardinal Gibbons has left the Chapel Hill girls and Weddington boys in the driver's seat this year - and both of those teams may have won even without the change.
For a course with some significant hills, WakeMed sure seems to run pretty fast...
Nobody knows the state meet course better than Sara Platek - she runs it often during regular season meets in the Piedmont Triad Conference.
Can Smoky Mountain or Lake Norman Charter get over the championship hump, or will Croatan's girls end up on top of a classification that is now wide open?
Don't forget that Kenny Kneisel isn't the only sub-15:50 guy Mount Tabor has back - Ian Foley got there, too.
With the Raptors looking strong in the Mideast and the Wolfpack holding on in the tough Midwest, can anyone else arise to challenge for the boys' team title in November?
Running a week earlier than the NCHSAA meet had a huge advantage for Sarah Bodmer and all the competitors: no bad weather, and therefore better times.
Youth may be served in the NCISAA this year, with 3 rising sophomores among the top 5 returners from the 2014 state meet, including Noah Dolhare.
Want a dark-horse candidate to make the NCRunners All-State Team by season's end? Check out where Katie Tomasi falls in these rankings.
Did you remember that Zachary Marchinko had the 2nd-best returning time from that messy day back in November? If not, you're welcome.
As much as Jeremy Brown is the established favorite coming into the season, Kenny Kneisel is the clear #2 in the classification.
Elly Henes left the 2014 fall season with the top returning time in the state, by far, but did some of the other girls in the state catch up during track season?
You know about the young star in the classification, Coleman Mitchell, but did you know that Jack Ratteree only trailed him by a few seconds last fall?
Jena Metwalli returns with the best time, but it was Sarah Bodmer that won the individual title in October. The battle will be rejoined soon...
If you're a fan of cross country, you HAVE to be excited about the upcoming battle for the 3A boys title, where at least 5 candidates can lay a legitimate claim.
Defending champion Anna Vess (AC Reynolds) ran 18:19 in the worst conditions ever seen at Ivey Redmon, which was surely equivalent to a sub-18 time when the course is dry.
After the top 4 runners from the 2014 NCHSAA 2A State Meet graduated, the door is wide open for someone like Thomas Little of Josh Weirich (or one of many others) to earn the crown.
Mount Pleasant's Brittany Stanley has an excellent opportunity to be a state champion to close out her cross country career, but she also has serious opposition.
Walkertown's Matthew Rogers holds a narrow lead coming into what could be a very tight season-long race for the individual title.
After playing second fiddle to an all-time great the last few years, Robbinsville's Shawnda Martin is the clear star in 1A for 2015.
Epiphany School's Parker White helped lead his team to a title as a junior, and now he wants to challenge for the individual title in his senior year.
2A champion Jennifer Stephenson is back to defend her title and close out a stellar career.