Class of '17 Top 5 Distance Watchlist

Boys

Eric Coston, St. Paul's- Of course we were going to see his name on this list.  He is the heir apparent to the throne of distance king next year and could be a candidate for 6 individual 5A titles next year.  Coston boasts PR's of 14:34, 1:56, 4:15, and 9:19.  He is already a top 10 all-time runner but could finish his career with a top 3 argument should everything go right for him.  Eric is also projected to be a Footlocker qualifier based off his 11th place finish at this past year's South Regional.  Based off of two 14:39 solo efforts this past year, he may not even have to travel to blast away some fast times next year, although expect to see his name in a couple national meets throughout the coming year.

Michael Brown, Newman- Brown makes this list based off incredible range.  He brings PRs to the table in the order of 16:00, 2:00, 4:29, and 10:05.  It isn't often you find a runner who can be a 4x4 staple and a 3200 medalist.  Brown has been on the radar since a 4:33 freshman year and has steadily improved his times each season.  Based off his indoor performances, we should see a solid outdoor season that will firmly plant him as a household name.

John Paul Hardin- Zachary- Hardin is another runner who is living through the test of time.  He was a savvy racer in his junior high years and now has translated that to high school.  His 15:32 puts him as the third returner for '17 runners next fall and has a 4:42 and 10:21 to round out his bests.  His xc performances show his potential and having dropped that 4:42 this indoor season, we can expect to see that translate to a great 3200 time outdoors if he is in the right race (judging from his distance prowess as a harrier).

Alex Lewis, Holy Rosary- With an enviable stride, Lewis is definitely a name to remember.  He is so fluid as a runner it is fun just to watch him race.  Bests to note include his 15:26 at the CHS Invite this past year (yes, that was the week AFTER everyone ran fast at SJA, so he could easily have run a quicker time), 4:33 and 10:08.  Lewis may have been wrestling the majority of the indoor season which is probably why we didn't see him at state.

Alex Landry, St. Michael's- Landry is a newer name compared to those who were already junior high standouts.  He started to show off his talents during his sophomore track season after a podium finish in the 4A 3200.  This year he has finished runner-up to Jacob Daigle in cross country and has dropped his 3200 PR twice during the indoor season.  His bests sit at 15:48 and 10:06 currently but he is trending towards some strong outdoor times.