Defending champions favored

Ten state champions will be crowned Wednesday during the Utah High School Cross Country Championships at Sugarhouse Park. With few possible exceptions, the new granite-and-metal trophies being given to prep champions this year should be engraved with familiar names.

Defending champs Davis (5A boys) and Mountain View (4A boys and girls) are heavy favorites in their respective races, while many past champions and contenders will most likely come away with gold as well. There will be new individual champs in most of the races, but a few leading runners from last year hope to end the prep season in glory. Here's a breakdown of each classification:

CLASS 5A — The defending champion Darts should repeat again, paced by two of the state's top runners in seniors Jace Nye and Brad Phippen. Bingham probably poses the biggest threat (the Miners were runners-up to Davis last year as well), led by seniors Ryan Merriman and Cody Bowles. After that, any one of a number of teams could battle it out for third.

Among the other top 5A runners this year are Steve Shepherd of Weber, Bob Lambert of West Jordan, Josh Day of Copper Hills, Brian McKenna of Viewmont, Taylorsville's Daniel Yockey, Jared Glenn of Cottonwood, Jon Kotter of Alta and Skyline's Eddie Hildebrand.

In girls' competition, defending champ Fremont, led by Jamie Stubbs, Annie Larson and Stephanie Wilson, could be dethroned by Davis. The Darts have never won a girls' state title in cross country, but could this year behind seniors Lisa Frischknecht and Allison Passey, along with juniors Wendy Wilson and Lynette Purdy. Bingham lost the talented Zeigle sisters to graduation but return seniors Andrea Stevens and Kara Hymas, along with junior Micalyne McCann and sophomore Kit Zeigle. Other top individuals in 5A girls are Monica Starkweather of Brighton, Jody Welcker of Jordan, Camaree Swenson of Cottonwood, and Skyline's Allison Taylor and Chally Clapier. The Davis-Fremont battle for first should be a good one.

CLASS 4A — Pencil in Mountain View for both team titles — no, wait, borrow Terrell Owen's Sharpie and "ink" them in for the boys' title.

In the boys' competition, Mountain View could very likely finish as national champs coming off their big victory in North Carolina this fall. Senior Mike Steele and junior Steve Strickland are among the top runners in the country. Add to that junior Nate Houle and senior Sterling Goodwin, and there appears little chance for anyone else. But 4A is the state's most talented classification this year. Top runners who could earn the medalist honors include Brandon Hebbert of Lone Peak (second in state last year), Reagan Frey of Provo, Jason Baker and Derick Moody of Timpview, Tim Wright of Orem and Mountain Crest's Shawn Clawson.