* Foot Locker Nationals is set to have an exciting program in 2019
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The final national championship race of the high school season arrives on Saturday at Balboa Park in San Diego, California. A total of 40 girls and 40 boys will line up at Foot Locker Nationals for a chance to win a race with history, prestige and cache.
Who will take it?
There's Graydon Morris, who became just the second four-time boys qualifier in the race's history, or an athlete like Josh Methner, a runner-up at NXN last week and an All-American at this very race last year. Those two seem like candidates to each go after a win. But there are sleepers like Carter Solomon and Evan Bishop, Coen Roberts and Daniel O'Brien, Liam Murphy and Jack Jennings, and Thomas Boyden and Colin Peattie.
The girls race will be, arguably, its most front-loaded in years, with defending champion Sydney Masciarelli in for the fight of her life, against the likes of Marlee Starliper -- the Foot Locker Northeast Champion -- and Katelynne Hart and Zofia Dudek, Jenna Hutchins, and Abby Vanderkooi, among others.
The MileSplit staffers offer their predictions for the top seven finishers in each race below.
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Foot Locker Boys Championship Predictions (Top 7)
| staff | winner | runner-up | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Mull | Josh Methner | Patrick Anderson | Graydon Morris | Liam Murphy | Gavin Sherry | Carter Solomon | Evan Bishop |
| Bryan Deibel | Josh Methner | Graydon Morris | Patrick Anderson | Gavin Sherry | Carter Solomon | Thomas Boyden | Judson Greer |
| Parker Navarro | Josh Methner | Graydon Morris | Patty Anderson | Liam Murphy | Coen Roberts | Jack Jennings | Thomas Boyden |
| Adair Lyden | Josh Methner | Liam Murphy | Patrick Anderson | Graydon Morris | Jack Jennings | Patrick Anderson | Carter Solomon |
| William Grundy | Graydon Morris | Josh Methner | Liam Murphy | Patrick Anderson | Judson Greer | Carter Solomon | Gavin Sherry |
| Jason Creasy | Liam Murphy | Graydon Morris | Josh Methner | Patrick Anderson | Evan Bishop | Judson Greer | Gavin Sherry |
| Jeff Parenti | Josh Methner | Liam Murphy | Thomas Boyden | Gavin Sherry | Colin Peattie | Patrick Anderson | Carter Solomon |
| Dan Beck | Patrick Anderson | Gavin Sherry | Graydon Morris | Jack Jennings | Josh Methner | Liam Murphy | Matthew Farrell |
| Kyle Brazeil | Josh Methner | Patrick Anderson | Graydon Morris | Liam Murphy | Jack Jennings | Evan Bishop | Carter Solomon |
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Foot Locker Girls Championship Predictions (Top 7)
| staff | winner | runner-up | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Mull | Zofia Dudek | Taylor Ewert | Katelynne Hart | Sydney Masciarelli | Abby Vanderkooi | Marlee Starliper | Karrie Baloga |
| Bryan Deibel | Taylor Ewert | Zofia Dudek | Marlee Starliper | Sydney Masciarelli | Katelynne Hart | Abby Vanderkooi | Jenna Hutchins |
| Parker Navarro | Taylor Ewert | Katelynne Hart | Zofia Dudek | Marlee Starliper | Abby Vanderkooi | Sydney Masciarelli | Jenna Hutchins |
| Adair Lyden | Taylor Ewert | Jenna Hutchins | Marlee Starliper | Sydney Masciarelli | Riley Stewart | Katelynne Hart | Zofia Dudek |
| William Grundy | Taylor Ewert | Marlee Starliper | Katelynne Hart | Sydney Masciarelli | Jenna Hutchins | Zofia Dudek | Abby Vanderkooi |
| Jason Creasy | Jenna Hutchins | Marlee Starliper | Taylor Ewert | Abby Vanderkooi | Sydney Masciarelli | Ava Dobson | Zofia Dudek |
| Jeff Parenti | Marlee Starliper | Sydney Masciarelli | Katelynne Hart | Jenna Hutchins | Skyler Wallace | Karrie Baloga | Mia Barnett |
| Dan Beck | Marlee Starliper | Abby Vanderkooi | Sydney Masciarelli | Taylor Ewert | Karrie Baloga | Zofia Dudek | Taryn Parks |
| Kyle Brazeil | Taylor Ewert | Marlee Starliper | Abby Vandekoi | Zofia Dudek | Sydney Masciarelli | Karrie Baloga | Kate Wiser |