Boys Countdown to XC Day 11: King

This team was a bit of a puzzle for me, and hard to place. They finished 10th in the Southern Section Division 1 final last year with only one senior (to go with three sophomores) in their top 7, which already made them a prime sleeper candidate for 2019. However, the Wolves posted big times on fast courses in both the 5K and the 3 Mile, so I have to take their high returning rankings with a grain of salt. In their favor, though, is a strong set of team results on the track. Returning #4 Edgar Ortega led the team in the 1600 with a 4:21, returning #7 Brian Green posted a 4:32; all told King had  6 guys at 4:40 or better, with a 2-7 split of just 15 seconds. In the 3200, Ortega also led the way, pulling 4 returners under 10 minutes (including returning #6 Gray Mavhera). That kind of development from the back end of their projected top 7 is a very good sign that the Wolves will have a tight and competitive pack this fall. With Mitchell Machuca and Austin Fortenberry leading a strong group of seniors, this team has an excellent chance to advance to the state meet, where they should be in the top 10.