As we enter the thick of the 2019 cross country season, we spotlight seven boys (non-freshmen) who have either shown major improvements from last fall or taken to the cross country course for the first time, and the impact they may have going forward this fall.
Timothy Boyce (Junior, Northwood)
Photo by Craig Amoss
Boyce's emergence for the Gladiators has helped them weather some heavy graduation losses and remain one of the top teams in the state. After running 2:00 and 4:35 on the track as a sophomore Boyce came out for cross country for the first time this fall and immediately made an impact, finishing fifth at the Rebel Invitational on September 14. His 16:13 mark currently ranks 13th in the state (as of September 24), and the Gladiators once again have a chance at a podium finish at the 4A state meet as Boyce rounds out their top five.
Mike Chipi (Senior, John Carroll)
Photo by John Roemer
Chipi finished fourth in the B Division of last year's MIAA Championships, helping lead the John Carroll boys to a team title. Chipi brought a 5K personal best of 17:24 into his senior season and immediately laid waste to it. He clocked a 16:01 5K in his season debut at the Barnhart Invitational on September 14, finishing third in one of the strongest fields we've seen so far this season. As of September 24 it stands as the seventh-fastest time in the state. Chipi can be considered a favorite for the B Division at the MIAA Championships in November.
Grayson Max Crockett (Junior, Marriotts Ridge)
Photo by Craig Amoss
Crockett came off a successful sophomore cross country season during which he was a regional medalist (12th at the 2A South meet) and placed 35th at the state championships. Early in 2019, however, he has taken his game to another level. He placed eighth at the Howard County Invitational, where he shaved one minute and 45 seconds off his time at the same meet in 2018. This past Saturday, he finished 16th in the elite field at Bull Run, running 42 seconds faster than he did at Hereford last November. His 16:44 time was the fourth-fastest by a Howard County runner on Saturday, just ten seconds behind Howard's Kendall Phillips who was second.Garrett Gallaher (Junior, South River)
Photo by Craig Amoss
Gallaher went sub-17:00 at last year's Anne Arundel County Championships, finished in the top 50 at the state meet and ran 9:59 on the track. But he's started off his 2019 cross country season on an even stronger note. Gallaher finished 11th at the Seahawk Invitational, going 15:52 on the three mile course (which still stands as one of the top 20 times in the state as of September 24) and followed it up by also placing 11th in the elite race at Bull Run. Like Crockett, his 16:39 performance on Saturday was 42 seconds faster than he ran at the state meet last November. The Seahawks were already a force to be reckoned with behind senior Sam Keeny, but Gallaher's emergence has catapulted them into the top ten in our latest team rankings.Henry Hardart (Senior, Archbishop Spalding)
Photo by Craig Amoss
Hardart (left) was one of the state's top runners last spring, clocking personal bests of 1:55 and 4:18 (finishing fourth at the MIAA Championships). He came out for cross country for the first time in 2019 and has immediately made an impact on the private school scene. Hardart placed fifth in a loaded field at the Howard County Invitational September 14, and along with fellow senior Ryan Miller the Cavaliers have a chance to be a force in the MIAA this season.
Sadou Sow (Sophomore, Gaithersburg)
Photo by Craig Amoss
The only sophomore on this list, Sow did not run cross country as a freshman but did clock a 2:01 800 (finishing 11th in the freshman race at New Balance Nationals). In his first cross country 5K Sow ran 16:54 at the Hood College Invitational, and followed that up with a 17:03, seventh-place finish in the large school race at Bull Run. Severna Park's Nick Benedict was the only sophomore to run faster across all races at Hereford on Saturday. While Gaithersburg will still face a challenge qualifying out of the competitive 4A West region, Sow's emergence gives the Trojans a chance to do so for the first time since 2011.
Hunter Steinau (Senior, Annapolis Area Christian)
Photo by John Roemer
Steinau finished directly behind Chipi at last year's MIAA Championships and has taken a similar step forward this season. He ran 16:23 at the Barnhart Invitational September 14, 70 seconds faster than his personal best coming into the season. Steinau then finished fifth in the small school race at Bull Run on Saturday. Both Steinau and Chipi will meet once again at the MIAA Championships later this fall.