CLASS 3A BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNERS TO WATCH IN 2025
 

   
JETER ADAMS, RILEY COUNTY
 
Adams had somewhat of a breakout sophomore campaign last fall, coming on strong at the end of the season. He finished his freshman season with a season-best time of 17:43.10 and wasn’t able to hit that mark again until the end of his sophomore season, along the way posting three top-10 finishes. In his final three meets, however, Adams bested his previous best, running a 17:33.75 to take runner-up in the inaugural Big East League meet and then went under 17 minutes for the first time in his career with a 16:48.28 at his Class 3A regional for a fourth-place finish. Adams finished the season with a 17th-place finish at state, running a 16:54.80. He’s the top returner in the Big East League with 2023 league champion Domincik Schnider of Royal Valley having graduated.
 

 
JACOB BIRCHER, SOUTHEAST OF SALINE
 
Bircher has been a solid performer for the Trojans, helping them to Class 3A runner-up team finishes each of the past three seasons. After posting seven top-10 finishes as a sophomore, Bircher took on more of a leading role for the Trojans last fall, teaming with fellow junior Brayden Walker to give Southeast a strong 1-2 combo. Bircher finished in the top 10 at every meet but the Class 3A state championships last year, recording six top-five finishes. He won the title at the Riley County Invitational and followed that with a career-best time of 16:21.38 in taking third at his Class 3A regional. Bircher placed 15th at the state meet, improving four spots from his 19th-place showing at state as a sophomore. Bircher and Walker both return as Southeast tries to chase down 2024 champion Holcomb for the team crown this year.
 

 
BRODY DENISTON, HOLCOMB

Deniston will look to put the finishing touches on a decorated three-sport career this year as a senior. He led Holcomb to a cross country state championship last November, finishing second individually with a 15:52. After starting last year’s junior campaign with a second-place showing at Great Bend, Deniston won his next seven races before the state meet. The three-time Great West Activities Conference runner of the year set his personal-best time at the Hugoton Invitational with a 15:22.50. He placed third at state as a sophomore in 2023. In track, Deniston was the 3A 800-meter run champion and finished runner-up in the 1,600 and 3,200 last May. He helped Holcomb set a 3A state record in the 3,200 relay as the Longhorns captured their second straight team championship in track and field. Deniston is also a basketball standout, earning honorable mention All-3A honors last season.
 

WHIT GEOFFRAY, WICHITA TRINITY ACADEMY
 
Geoffray was the top freshman finisher in the Class 3A state meet last fall, finishing 16^th in 16:54.40. His finish complemented Trinity’s individual champion, Caleb Tofteland, and helped the Knights claim third place with a revamped lineup after winning three consecutive 3A team titles from 2021-23. Geoffray showed his promise as a newcomer throughout the season, running 17:08.50 at the Olathe Twilight, finishing third at the Central Plains League meet, and running a personal-best 16:51.16 in a fifth-place effort at the Southeast of Saline regional. That helped Trinity win the regional championship.
 
 

MICHAEL HERMOSILLO, SCOTT CITY

Hermosillo found the state podium as a freshman, securing a 20th-place finish in 17:09.30 at Rim Rock. Other highlights in his debut high school season included winning his division at the Swather Invitational at Hesston and a third-place showing at the Great West Activities Conference meet. Hermosillo ran a personal-best 17:08.60 at the Hugoton Invitational. Scott City coach Joey Meyer says Hermosillo will look to stay consistently under 17 minutes in his sophomore campaign.
 

 
HARRY LANGILL, NEMAHA CENTRAL
 
Langill was almost a completely different runner last year as a sophomore for the Thunder. After not breaking 18 minutes at any meet his freshman season in 2023, Langill spent his entire sophomore season running times under that barrier. He opened the season with a career-best time of 17:05.94 in a runner-up finish at the Marysville Invitational and though he didn’t come all that close to that mark until the end of the season, he enjoyed solid performances throughout, ending the season with six top-five finishes. He also took second at the Sabetha Invitational and then finished third at the inaugural Big East League meet. After placing fourth at his 3A regional, Langill just missed out on a medal at the Class 3A state meet, placing 21st in 17:09.31, just outleaned by Scott City’s Michael Hermosillo, who edged him by .01 seconds.
 

  
BRYCE ROBERTS, SANTA FE TRAIL
 
Roberts enjoyed somewhat of a breakout year for the Chargers last year, though he had posted 12 top-10 finishes during his freshman and sophomore seasons. He added six more top 10s last year – all five of them being top-five showings. He placed second at the Wamego and Council Grove Invitationals before capturing the Pioneer League title with a career-best time of 16:14.55. Roberts followed that with a runner-up finish at his Class 3A regional and then earned his first state medal with an 11th-place finish at the Class 3A state meet. Roberts and twin brother Rylan have helped Trail qualify for state as a team each of the past two seasons, taking eighth last year. Bryce also set the Chargers’ school record in the 1,600 last spring with a time of 4:33.22.
 

 
BRODY ROSSMAN, HOISINGTON
 
Rossman joined now-graduated teammate Kamden Tarlton as Class 3A individual medalists last season. While Tarlton finished ninth, Rossman capped a strong sophomore season with a 14^th-place finish at Rim Rock, running a personal-best 16:50.57. Rossman also cracked 17 minutes at the Sterling Invitational (16:52.70) and the Norton regional (16:52.56), where he finished sixth. Rossman, who finished 75^th at state as a freshman, finished 12^th in singles at the Class 3-2-1A state tennis tournament in May.
 

SIMEON SANCHEZ, CANEY VALLEY
 
Sanchez made a big impact for the Bullpups in cross country and track last year after moving in from Idaho. Now a senior, he won the Tri-Valley League cross country title and added a distance sweep at the TVL track meet. He posted top-5 finishes in eight cross country meets, winning the Humboldt, Winfield and Independence invitationals. Sanchez set school records in the 5K (15:42.60), 1,600 (4:22.78) and as part of Caney’s 3,200-meter relay team. The 5K mark came in a runner-up finish at the Central Heights regional, while the 1,600 record came in a sixth-place finish at the 3A state track meet. 
 

 
JEB STOPPEL, HOLCOMB

Stoppel was a key contributor on the Longhorns' 3A state title team last year. He found the state medal stand for the first time as a junior, placing 13th with a time of 16:49.71. Stoppel dipped under 17 minutes in three different races last year, with his personal-best a 16:48.60 at the Hugoton Invitational. He was fifth at the GWAC meet and seventh at regionals. In track, Stoppel ran a leg on the Longhorns’ state champion 3,200 relay team that set a 3A meet record last May.
 

 
BRAYDEN WALKER, SOUTHEAST OF SALINE
 
Over the past two regular seasons, few boys runners in the state can match Walker’s resume. Starting with season-opening win at the Abilene Invitational his sophomore season, Walker has won 11 of the 12 races he’s competed in during the regular season, sweeping titles the past two years at the Wamego, Buhler and Southeast of Saline Invitationals. Walker was undefeated as a sophomore before placing a somewhat disappointing 15th at the Class 3A state meet. After winning his first four meets and then taking second at the Halstead Invitational last year, Walker saw an injury keep him out until the state meet. He returned at state and battled his way to a 12th-place finish. Healthy this fall, Walker is a serious threat to win the Class 3A state title.

NOTE: Classifications for the 2025-26 school year had not been released at the time of publication. Runners featured could potentially fall into a different classification once those have been determined.