Photo by Craig Amoss
The 2019 season was filled with close finishes for the Fallston boys. Before beating conference rivals Harford Tech by one point at the 2A East regional meet (the second consecutive year the boys team champion was decided by one point), they had lost the UCBAC title to C. Milton Wright by just four points. The year before? Second place - four points behind Wright. Despite losing their top runner, Giles Daly, the Cougars are set up nicely for a potential 2020-21 season because they still return five of their seven varsity runners from a year ago. Alex Xavier (above front) and Quinn Daly (back) are both still just juniors and possibly part of the force that pushes Fallston over the top.
UCBAC Boys XC Preview: By the Numbers
Photo by Craig Amoss
After missing most of last indoor season, Harford Tech senior Kevin Baranoski has made the most of the past several months. He took home the win (and a new personal best) in the 3200 at last weekend's Urbana HS Boosters open meet and is primed to take over the top spot in the UCBAC. If a 2020-21 cross country season does in fact happen, Baranoski will be part of one of the most anticipated state meet rematches of the year along with Kent Island's Finn Walsh and Oakland Mills' Baidy Ba.
Photo by John Roemer
Another runner making the most of an unofficial fall season? C. Milton Wright sophomore Ashton Tolson. He was one of Maryland's standout freshmen last school year and has multiple sub-17 5K performances already under his belt this year. Tolson was part of a Mustangs team that captured its second consecutive UCBAC title, although a three-peat could be a tall order given that they have just three returners who ran under 18 minutes for three miles last year.
Photos by John Roemer
For the past several years the Bel Air boys have had a frontrunner, be it Caleb Zylka or Kieran McDermott, to keep them in the hunt at both conferences and regionals. Going forward, however, might it be a depth approach that puts them over the top? The Bobcats have a young squad, having raced three freshmen and a sophomore at last year's state meet. Shane Ivy (above left), Ryan Cascone (middle) and Bryce Knoll (right) could be the trio that hoists a UCBAC trophy in the near future.
Photo by John Roemer
A similar youth infusion took place at Aberdeen last year, as freshmen Daniel Wilson (front, 22nd at 3A North regionals) and Holden Cross (back, 24th) helped the Eagles place fifth at the 3A North regional meet and qualify for states for the fifth year in a row. This year, they will have a chance to make some real noise; all five of their top runners from last year are back, led by the two sophomores and junior Donovan Peyton, a regional medalist.