7. Division I Class AA/A Boys Team
What We Implied: Signal Mountain Would Win
What Happened:
Signal Mountain won their second title in as many years and as projected it wasn't close. Like the girls, the Eagles put five runners ahead of every other team's third led by DiAngelo Cisto, Joshua Pote and Tynan Borders who all secured top ten finishes. Finishing runner up, also for the second year in a row, would be Central Magnet. Since 2021, these are the only two teams to finish first or second in this division. While the winner was projected correctly, we likely overestimated the strengths of some of the programs in Middle Tennessee while underestimating those from East. Of the six teams vying for placement, neither Elizabethton or Anderson County were mentioned but were able to placed 4th and 6th respectively overall.
8. Division I Class AAA Girls Individual
What We Implied: Claire Stegall or Jaynie Halterman Would Win
What Happened:
Not only would Nolensville's Claire Stegall win her second title in as many years, she would also break the seventeen minute barrier for the first time in her career finishing in 16:56 moving her to #4 on the All-Time List. Stegall made it obvious from the start she had no problem letting Jaynie Halterman lead and did not take over until the final half mile. Halterman would finish in 17:08, a minute ahead of third. Her 17:01 at Regions has her at #6 All-Time. Both Stegall and Halterman are headed to Foot Locker to join forced with Abby Faith Cheeseman, #2 All-Time, after Thanksgiving. Even though all three runners are from Middle Tennessee, this will mark the first time Cheeseman has been on a cross country course with the other two. Looking forward to seeing how many we can get to San Diego from that race.
9. Division I Class AAA Boys Team
What We Implied: Farragut Would Win
What Happened:
Farragut won, to nobody's surprise, for the second year in a row and while I wouldn't disagree that this could have been ranked a little higher in the probability before state, I still feel, as stated in the preview, there was less margin for error with Farrgut than with some of the team races projected ahead of this one. For instance, if their #2 runner showed up in a walking boot as happened to the Webb girls, could they have still won? If three runners came down with the flu as happened to the Brentwood girls, could they have still won? Fortunately, neither of those things occurred and hopefully as they prepare to defend their title in Cary this weekend, none of those situations befell the team since.
Farragut scored 41 points for the second year in a row putting four runners in the Top 10: Matteo Tonnos, Braden Ebbert, Harrison Cunningham, and Evan Beeler. The last time a team in the largest Division I classification did that was Hardin Valley in 2020 and then Brentwood in 2016. Speaking of Brentwood, the Bruins placed runner up with 67 points. Farragut will lose three to graduation while Brentwood will only lose one but if you've been paying attention to what will be filtering up to the Admirals from the middle school over the past couple of years, it's hard to see them not in contention once again.
10. Division I Class AAA Boys Individual
What We Implied: A Senior Would Win
What Happened:
The three seniors, who were the only runners in the field to run under fifteen minutes this season, finished in the exact order they were seeded. Ravenwood's Miles Ramer, who won as a sophomore but missed this race a year ago due to injury, won his second title finishing in 15:00. He was followed closely by Farragut's Matteo Tonnos who ran 15:01. For this classification, this was the closest finish for first and second since 2016. Dobyns-Bennett's Luke Mussard would finish 3rd in 15:28. This division will be interesting to watch develop next season. Five of the top seven will graduate leaving Asher Oates as the top returner but Owen Clemons, who was injured this season, as a defending champion from 2022.
Ramer will head to Foot Locker as one of the only higher caliber runners on the boys side who will exclusively race in that meet while most others will try their hand at Team Nationals before possibly doubling back for the other.
11. Division I Class AA/A Girls Individuals
What We Implied: Four Girls Had A Chance To Win
What Happened:
The four girls we mentioned in the preview immediately went to the front and were the only four that ever led the race. By the end, Liberty Creek's Sydney Tackett, who entered the race with the fastest time at Sanders Ferry this season, outlasted county foe Station Camp's Brynn Balturshot for the title 18:26 to 18:39. They were followed closely by Ava Moody and Maxine Richards who both finished under nineteen minutes. Tackett bookended her season with races at Sanders Ferry. Though she finished second in the Silver Division at Saturday Light Fever, 20:17 was not a time she wanted to be interviewed over but with some coaxing by her coach and teammates, she obliged but it was clear she wasn't pleased with her performance. Over the course of the season though, 20's turned into 19's and 19's turned into 18's she will return next year to defend against the same cast of girls previoulsy mentioned who kept her company for most of the five thousand meters at state.