EDITOR'S NOTE: For full results of the Division II Cross-Country State Championships, please click here.

With hundreds of long-distance runners and their fans descending on the Cave Creek Golf Course this upcoming weekend, there are a few teams to watch out for on both the boys and girls side in the 2024 Division II Cross-Country State Championships.

TOP GIRLS TEAM TO WATCH

Featuring three runners who posted Top 6 times across the Division II landscape this fall, Flagstaff has a decent shot at claiming a team title.

Olivia Baker had the second-best time this season with an 18:18.50 mark at the East Valley Cross-Country Invitational. The senior is followed by two of her younger teammates, junior Taylor Biggambler (18:40.10) and freshman Kylyn Taylor (19:18.10), who finished with the fourth and sixth best times so far this season, respectively.

“My team this year has some incredible talent up front and depth to back it up,” Eagles coach Trina Painter said. “It’s hard to have both, but this year we are blessed to have it.”

The Flagstaff girls have won the second-most team state titles in state history with 18, trailing only Hopi’s 22 all time, and Painter has led the Eagles to championships in 2004, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

TOP GIRLS INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH

Katherine McNulty of Catalina Foothills may only be a junior, but her 18:03.20 time at the Desert Twilight in September still remains the best time of any Division II runner this season at an event.

“My expectation is for Katie to deliver her strongest performance of the season on November 2,” coach Blake Hinson said.

Other top individual runners for the girls to watch include Canyon View freshman Taelyn Janssen, who sports an 18:35.70 time from the Ojo Rojo Cross-Country Invite and senior teammate Isabella Velazquez, who had an 18:47.50 mark at the Desert Twilight in September.

Catherine McNulty of Catalina Foothills crosses the finish line during an event earlier this season. McNulty is one of the favorites to win at the Division II Cross-Country State Championships on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Cave Creek Golf Course in Phoenix. (John Harris/Arizona XCTF, via Catalina Foothills Athletics)

TOP BOYS TEAM TO WATCH

With 10 runners from 10 different schools featured in the Top 10 times this fall, there’s no telling what team might come out on top this weekend in Phoenix.

With that said, however, junior Ashwin Iyengar leads an Arizona College Prep group with the fifth best time in Division II this season with a 15:56.10 at the Chandler City Championships on Oct. 16.

His teammates Ifaz Mezouari (11th, 16:15.70), Sam Besch-Stokes (14th, 16:27.70) and Nicholas Cuevas (20th, 16:35.40) have four of the Top 20 times this fall, making them a team to watch.

TOP BOYS INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH

Andrew Fastrup of Sunrise Mountain paced the field Oct. 9 at the Peoria District Championship, and his 15:33.00 still leads the way as the top time in Division II this season.

“Andrew is definitely one of the favorites to win it all this year,” Sunrise Mountain coach Torin Little said of the junior standout. “Andrew is easy to coach, and an extremely hard worker. He’s a great kid and a great student … he’s willing to go the extra mile to improve himself.”

Andrew Fastrup of Sunrise Mountain holds the top time in Division II this season with a 15:33.00 at the Peoria District Championship on Oct. 9, 2024. The Division II Cross-Country State Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 2, at Cave Creek Golf Course in Phoenix. (Sunrise Mountain Athletics/Courtesy)

Defending champ Alex Bland (Flagstaff) finished with a 15:33.10 mark at the Desert Twilight back in September, and is only 0.10 off the pace of Fastrup’s best time this season.

“Alex is super excited to compete with the best,” Painter said of the junior runner. “He thrives in that type of situation. We always prepare for state to be a battle knowing that helps them mentally and the competition helps push them physically to their best.”

No other competitor is within 17 seconds of these two runners, making Saturday’s state championship race a must see event to see how they finish.

One other standout, senior Conor McGlynn of Desert Mountain, sits with the fourth best time so far this season at 15:52.10 (Desert Twilight), and coach Kevin Kemmerle, who led the Desert Mountain girls to a title in 2023, said McGlynn has trained “his tail off” these past four years.

“He has done all the extra little stuff outside of practice that has separated him from many of his competitors,” Kemmerle said. “Conor is Desert Mountain’s best shot to win it all.”

Top D-II times boys, girls

Girls

1. Jr. Katherine McNulty, Catalina Foothills, 18:03.20, Desert Twilight

2. Sr. Olivia Baker, Flagstaff, 18:18.50, East Valley XC Invite

3. Fr. Taelyn Janssen, Canyon View, 18:35.70, Ojo Rojo XC Invite

4. Jr. Taylor Biggambler, Flagstaff, 18:40.10, East Valley XC Invite

5. Sr. Isabella Velazquez, Canyon View, 18:47.50, Desert Twilight

6. Fr. Kylyn Taylor, Flagstaff, 19:18.10, East Valley XC Invite

7. Sr. Mary McGinlay, Coconino, 19:24.20, Desert Twilight

8. So. Sylvia Harding, Desert Mountain, 19:25.60, Desert Twilight

9. So. Hailey Burke, Mica Mountain, 19:26.80, John Gleeson Lancer Invite

10. Jr. Bianca Hurtado, Campo Verde, 19:27.70, Ojo Rojo XC Invite

Boys

1. Jr. Andrew Fastrup, Sunrise Mountain, 15:33.00, 2024 Peoria District Championship

2. Jr. Alex Bland, Flagstaff, 15:33.10, Desert Twilight

3. Sr. Mattox Grove, Centennial, 15:51.10, 2nd annual NoPo Invite

4. Sr. Connor McGlynn, Desert Mountain, 15:52.10, Desert Twilight

5. Jr. Ashwin Iyengar, Arizona College Prep, 15:56.10, Chandler City Championships

6. So. Daequan Tigue, Deer Valley, 16:04.00, Deer Valley District Meet

7. Sr. Killian Grimm, North Canyon, 16:06.20, 2nd annual NoPo Invite

8. Jr. Luke Ahles, Campo Verde, 16:12.90, Epic Tourneys XC Invite

9. Jr. Emmanuel Tovar Nunez, Copper Canyon, 16:13.90, Epic Tourneys XC Invite

10. Sr. Julien Villescaz, Vista Grande, 16:15.70, Eye of the Tiger

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on X at @AzPreps365Brian or on Facebook at @Five2MediaWorks. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.