File / Gannett Tennessee Central Magnet’s Taylor Cuneo captured the Class A-AA state cross country title. Tom Kreager/DNJ Central Magnet’s Taylor Cuneo finished second in Saturday’s Voyles Classic. Central Magnet’s Taylor Cuneo finished second in Saturday’s Voyles Classic.
Here are things to watch as Midstate cross country runners gear up for a state championship run.
Repeat performance?: Central Magnet sophomore Taylor Cuneo is hoping to win her second consecutive state title after an impressive freshman campaign. Cuneo captured the girls A-AA state title with a time of 18 minutes, 57.58 seconds in the final 5K run to help her team take home the third place trophy and earn her the title of Tennessee’s 2014 Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year. Cuneo also swept all three AAA track state titles as well last season.
Silver sophomores: After narrowly missing all four individual and team AAA state titles last season, Williamson County is hoping to improve its outcome this season with a pair of dangerous sophomores. Brentwood High School’s Brodey Hasty was The Tennessean’s All-Midstate runner of the year last season and is looking to build on his second-place finish in the individual tournament that helped the Bruins take home the silver medal in the team tournament. Ravenwood’s Annika Sleenhof set a school-record in the state competition last season and will hope to improve her second-place finish in the individual competition that led the Lady Raptors to a bronze medal in the team competition.
Sibling rivalry: Brentwood Academy’s Claire and Carter Cheeseman both came up short in their search for an individual state title last season, but everyone who stood in their way has graduated. Claire helped the Lady Eagles capture second place in the team tournament as a junior with her third-place finish behind a pair of seniors, and Carter helped the boys team take home the DII-AA state title as an eighth- grader with his fifth place finish behind four seniors, including former teammate and last year’s bronze medalist, Will Boling.
