Individuals
The Favorite(s) Addi Bruening
Addi Bruening of Herriman has been the top 6A girls all season long and is the heavy favorite to win the individual 6A individual title. Addi has pocketed some big wins this season and run under 18 twice this season! Bruening will be facing some other talented individuals who have pushed her at times during races, but none can withstand her kick at the end as she boasts speed that we've seen when she ran 5:00 for 1600m in the spring!
Addi was fourth overall at the state meet last year, but in her junior year, she made considerable strides in her career, winning the 6A state titles for 1600m and 3200m last May. The recent BYU commit is going for the first individual XC title of her career, and here is who stands in her way.
Avalon Mecham of American fork has been on Addi Bruening heels the entire season, and to show you what that looks like, take a look at the two pictures above, they were taken both taken back to back. As you can see, Mecham has been chasing Bruening for quite some time now.
I would expect Avalon to set the pace at State with Addi by her side as they dare the rest of the field to join them in a race for the gold medal! But Avalon is as consistent as they come, and she knows how to battle at the front. She isn't afraid to race with the lead pack and even set the pace at times.
Other runners who could mix it up in the top three are Taylor Rohatinsky of Lone Peak, who is also a BYU commit, same as Bruening, Hailey Low of Layton, who won her regional race and was second at her divisional qualifying race, along with several other American Fork girls who we'll get to next!
Teams
The Favorite(s) American Fork
American Fork is currently the only nationally ranked girls squad out of Utah currently sitting inside the top 15 at number 12! They have gone undefeated all season long and are ready to cap off the end of a perfect season. The last time the girl's program won a State title was back in 2018 where they upset a talented Lone Peak team. Not only will they have Avalon competing for the first spot, but they also have two other girls right behind her, Abigail Barlow and Avery Moore.
Since 2018, American Fork and Lone Peak have controlled the top two spots on the podium with the following scores.
2018
American Fork - 73
Lone Peak - 81
2019
Lone Peak - 31
American Fork - 86
2020
Lone Peak - 29
American Fork - 74
So naturally, Lone Peak would appear to be the favorite to control that second spot behind region rival AF. They certainly have the talent and depth to secure this spot, but Lone Peak hopes to extend the winning steak to three. Here's what they need to do.
First, they have to insert their front runners into the top spot to break up that deadly 1-3 combo that has propelled AF to every win they've had this season. This is how Lone Peak successfully won those past state championships, but now they find themselves on the receiving end of a decisive 1-3 combo, and they have a firm 1-3 themselves. If just one or two of their top runners can break up that AF trio, it'll give the fourth and fifth runners of the team a chance to finish the job.
Either way, this will be the biggest battle of this race, and we'll see which order we'll be announcing these teams this season!
