Kansas runners to watch: Class 5A boys

Cross country teams began competing last week, and they will continue for the next two months before the postseason ramps up late next month. Here are some Class 5A boys to keep an eye on this fall.

1. Blue Valley Southwest’s Andrew Claar has established himself as one of the top cross country runners in Kansas after a standout sophomore season.

Claar finished 15th at the state meet as a freshman in 2024 before making a huge jump as a sophomore, placing third in 2025. His third-place finish makes him the highest returning finisher heading into the upcoming season, putting him in position to be one of the leading contenders for the state title.

Claar has also proven himself on the track, finishing fourth in the 3,200 meters at the 2026 state meet as a sophomore. His combination of a state podium finish in cross country and a top-five finish in the 3,200 gives Claar an impressive résumé heading into his junior season. With another year of development and state-meet experience under his belt, Claar will be one of the runners to watch at the front of the field.

2. Kapaun Mt. Carmel’s Sauer has steadily moved up the state rankings during his first two seasons. After finishing 25th at the state cross country meet as a freshman in 2024, Sauer improved to 11th as a sophomore in 2025. He’s the second-highest returning finisher heading into the season, giving him a strong position among the state's returning runners.

Sauer has also shown his versatility on the track, particularly in the 1,600 meters. As a sophomore in 2026, he finished sixth in the 1,600 at the state meet and added a 13th-place finish in the 800. 

With two years of state cross country experience and a top-six state finish on the track, Sauer enters his junior season with an opportunity to make another significant jump among Kansas' top distance runners.

3. St. James Academy’s Avery Moos made a significant jump during his first two seasons with the Thunder. After finishing 52nd at the state cross country meet as a freshman in 2024, Moos moved all the way up to 12th as a sophomore in 2025. The improvement put him among the state's top returning runners heading into his junior season and gives him a strong foundation of state-meet experience.

He will look to build on that breakthrough performance and challenge for an even higher finish at the state meet as an upperclassman.

4. Emporia’s Xaden Delgado has shown steady improvement throughout his first two seasons. Delgado finished 48th at the state cross country meet as a freshman in 2024 before making a major jump to 13th as a sophomore in 2025. That improvement established Delgado as one of the state's more promising returning distance runners.

Delgado also gained valuable state-meet experience on the track in 2026, finishing 12th in the 3,200 meters and 14th in the 1,600 as a sophomore. With his cross country finish improving by 35 places in one season and two more state appearances on the track, Delgado enters his junior year with plenty of momentum and an opportunity to continue moving up the state rankings.

5. Basehor-Linwood’s Cole Hubbard has made a major leap during his time in high school After finishing 65th at the state cross country meet as a sophomore in 2024, Hubbard moved into the top 15 as a junior last fall. His improvement put him among the more accomplished returning runners heading into his senior season.

Hubbard's success carried over to the track in 2026, where he earned a pair of top-seven finishes at the state meet. He placed seventh in both the 3,200 and 1,600 meters, demonstrating his ability to compete at a high level across multiple distance events. 

With a top-15 cross country finish and two top-seven state track finishes, Hubbard enters his senior season with the experience and credentials to be a factor near the front of the field.

6. De Soto’s Phillip Sullivan made an impressive debut on the state cross country stage as a freshman. Sullivan finished 16th at the state meet in 2025, immediately establishing himself as one of the top young distance runners in the state. His top-20 finish gives him a strong foundation as he moves into his sophomore season.

Sullivan also showed his ability to compete at the state level on the track in 2026, placing eighth in the 1,600 meters as a freshman. With a top-20 cross country finish already on his resume and a top-eight track finish, Sullivan has demonstrated that he can perform well in both seasons and will be one of De Soto's runners to watch as his career progresses.

7. Kapaun Mt. Carmel’s Koelton Erwin has shown steady improvement throughout his cross country career. After finishing 54th at the state meet as a sophomore in 2024, Erwin moved up significantly as a junior, placing 19th in 2025. The 35-place improvement put him firmly among the state's top returning runners heading into his senior season.

Erwin's progression reflects the value of experience at the state level, and his top-20 finish as a junior provides a strong springboard for his final season. With another year of development behind him, Erwin will look to make another move up the standings and contend for an even higher state finish.

8  St. Thomas Aquinas’ Ethan Peak has established himself as one of the top returning cross country runners after a strong junior season. Peak finished 20th at the state meet in 2025, earning a state medal against one of the state's strongest fields and valuable experience heading into his senior campaign.

That performance puts Peak in position to build on his success during his final high school season. With a state-meet appearance and top-20 finish already under his belt, Peak will look to take another step forward and challenge for an even higher spot in the standings as a senior.