The adidas XC Challenge started the weekend off blistering fast, with five preps going sub-15:20, including Brodey Hasty, a Brentwood (Tennessee) High athlete who ran unattached and posted a new U.S. No. 1 time of 14:44.70 in a non-divisional race.
But Hasty wasn't the only runner to excel on the WakeMed Soccer Complex course in Cary, North Carolina, as R.J. Reynolds (North Carolina) High's John Tatter authored a U.S. No. 6 time and a scorching new PR of 15:00.70 to win the boys championship race.
Virginia Beach Ocean Lakes High's Brent Bailey was second and marked a U.S. No. 30 effort of 15:13.20.
| 1 | John Tatter | 12 R.J. Reynolds | 15:00.70 | 1 | |
| 2 | Brent Bailey | 12 Ocean Lakes | 15:13.20 | 2 | |
| 3 | David Melville | 12 Northern Guilford | 15:13.60 | 3 | |
| 4 | Coleman Mitchell | 12 Cary Academy | 15:19.30 | 4 | |
| 5 | Grant Northcutt | 12 Cosby | 15:26.70 | -- | |
| 6 | Michael Moerk | 12 Mount Tabor | 15:28.20 | 5 | |
| 7 | Cameron Ponder | 12 Mount Tabor | 15:31.40 | 6 | |
| 8 | Dakota Mendenhall | 12 Forbush | 15:31.70 | -- | |
| 9 | Ben Verchick | 11 Union Pines | 15:40.00 | -- | |
| 10 | Laderique McNeill | 12 Harnett Central | 15:43.10 | 7 | |
Greensboro Northern Guilford (North Carolina) High's David Melville was third in 15:13.60, while Cary Academy's Cole Mitchell posted a clocking of 15:19.30.
On the girls side, two athletes posted top 50 times nationally, with Ripley (West Virginia) High's Victoria Starcher going 17:41.10 and Laney (North Carolina) High's Natalie Tyner posting an effort of 17:47.60.
| 1 | Victoria Starcher | 10 Ripley | 17:41.10 | 1 | |
| 2 | Natalie Tyner | 11 Laney | 17:47.60 | -- | |
| 3 | Kaitlynn Wolfe | 10 Blacksburg High School | 18:20.00 | 2 | |
| 4 | Mari Cagle Lockhart | 10 Daniel | 18:30.20 | 3 | |
| 5 | Izzy Evely | 12 Lake Norman Charter School | 18:34.20 | 4 | |
- Cory Mull