Teams
Heritage Christian heads south to Colorado Springs as one of two favorites to claim the team title.
They finished fourth at last year's state championships, though they appear to have reloaded with an even stronger squad.
They've got the best 1-2 punch of any team with Xander Stanton and Jack Nauman - two runners from last year's state quad.
Stanton has run 16:30 so far this season, while Nauman has run 16:34. These two are flanked by Luke Hermsen and Ryan O'Loughlin, who have run 17:24 and 17:44. Additionally they've got five under 18 minutes.
Most recently Heritage Christian showed some speed at the 2A Region 2 Championships - they won with 30 points.
If they've got competition - and they will - it'll likely come from Peyton.
Joel Schluessler has been a solid No. 1 runner for Peyton all season long. He's run 16:28 so far. Add his brother - Nathan Schluessler, Josh Kearse, and Joseph Dwyer - they've all broken 18 minutes this season.
Most recently Peyton won the 2A Region 2 title with 37 points.
The team race doesn't look like it'll only go down to two squads - Lyons, Thomas Maclaren, and St. Mary's could easily be in the mix.
With State, it always matters who shows up on the day.
Individuals
This year the 2A individual got really, really exciting. Two have broken 16 already this season, and one more is knocking on the door.
Two newcomers to the scene have upped the ante here - Kidus Begashaw and Connor Williams have put up some stellar performances already.
Begeshaw made the first big splash in his season-opener when he ran 15:59 at the Adams City #1 Race - that's the fastest time in 2A. The Lotus School of Excellence senior won every race he's competed in - in Colorado. The only time he hasn't crossed the finish line first was in the Sweepstakes Race at Desert Twilight in Arizona, where he ran personal best of 15:28.
The performance was additionally important, because it was the only time Begeshaw and Williams clashed on the course.
Begeshaw took a 1-0 lead against Williams, but not by much.
Most recently Begeshaw won the 2A Region 2 title in 16:09.
Williams is a junior transfer from Tennessee, but he's clearly adapted to Crested Butte's thin air rather quickly.
He's won two of four races, with his only losses to 3A state favorite and cross-valley (friendly) rival Alex Baca, and when he finished 13th at Desert Twilight in a PR of 15:38.
One of his more notable performances was a 16:02 victory at the Mountaineer/Cowboy Invite in Gunnison's thin air - beating Baca, and setting a new course record.
Most recently he won the 2A Region 4 title.
Add Micah Zeller to the mix, because he's put together a stellar season of his own.
A year ago Zeller finished sixth at the State Championships.
The Custer County senior has won six of seven races, including a PR of 16:01 at the 2A Region 3 Championships - that alone says that Zeller is fit, and ready to roll.
Zeller's only loss of the season came at the Cheyenne Mountain Stampede - a race won by Begeshaw.