Here are the individual and team storylines to watch as state trophies and medals are up for grabs.

CLASS 6A

This season has already been full of big news from the 6A classification, and there is indeed potential for more history to be made Saturday in Lewiston.

Defending 6A girls team champion Rocky Mountain is still highly favored, but, as was true last season, the biggest competition comes from within the Grizzlies' own District 3. The Grizzlies repeated as 6A District 3 champions last week by three points over Timberline, 56-59. Timberline and Boise, the second and third-place teams from last week's 6A District 3 championships, will be in the mix, as well as Eagle (fourth place at districts). All four of these teams have done well at large invitational meets this season. Boise placed second to Colorado powerhouse Heritage in the Jim Danner Championship race at Nike Portland in September and won the Eagle Island Invitational on Sept. 20 (over Rocky Mountain), Eagle placed third in the girls elite race at the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational on Oct. 11 in Smokey Point, Wash., Timberline won the varsity A title at the Tiger-Grizz Invitational Sept. 12 in Idaho Falls and was sixth in the Jim Danner Championship race at Nike Portland and Rocky Mountain won the Inland Empire Championships Oct. 4 in Lewiston.

Additionally, Rocky Mountain was ranked No. 20 and Boise was ranked No. 26 in the most recent U.S. girls team rankings released Oct. 16 by DyeStat.com.

Rocky Mountain senior and BYU commit Hallie Heemeyer is undefeated this season and is the top contender for the individual title. A Rocky Mountain girl has never won an individual state title in cross country. Additionally, Heemeyer has already run the Lewiston Orchards course this season and became Idaho's fastest high school girls cross country runner on record in the process. She ran 16:37 to win the Inland Empire Championships on Oct. 4, which is the No. 14 fastest girls 5k time in the U.S. this season as of Oct. 25 on athletic.net. She joins 2023 Post Falls graduate Annastasia Peters (now at the University of Utah) as the only Idaho girls on record to break 17 minutes for the 5k. Heemeyer made DyeStat's individual U.S. rankings for the first time on Oct. 23, taking spot No. 30. She and Brooke Thompson, Makelle Carlson, and Eve Archibald all return from last year's defending 6A state champion and Nike Cross Northwest Regional champion team.

Heemeyer's biggest competition will come from within her own District 3. Boise senior Audrey Orme ran a school record 17:08 on Sept. 26 in her second-place finish in the Jim Danner Championship race at Nike Portland. Orme has placed in the top three of every 5k race she has competed in this season, including winning three meets. The last girls individual cross country state title for Boise was by Allie Bruce in 2021.

Centennial junior Annie Herd has recorded the third fastest girls 5k time in Idaho this season with her personal best 17:23 second-place finish to Heemeyer at Inland Empire. She is one of 11 girls to have broken 18 minutes this season. Of those 11, nine compete in 6A. The last Centennial girl to win an individual cross country state title was Jane Chi in 1990.

On the boys side, the question since the beginning of the season has been, can anyone catch two-time defending state champion and two-time Nike Cross Northwest Regional champion Coeur d'Alene? The Vikings, who made the jump from No. 8 to No. 4 in DyeStat's U.S. boys team rankings released Oct. 16, got junior Wyatt Carr back from injury to win the Nike Hole In the Wall Invitational on Oct. 11 in Smokey Point, Wash., for the third consecutive year. Much of Coeur d'Alene's varsity boys are underclassmen, and three of them have recorded personal bests that are among the top-five fastest this season in Idaho. Sophomore Wyatt Morgenstern has already broken 15 minutes for the 5k with his 14:59.3 from Nike Hole in the Wall, and Carr and sophomore Rowan Henry also ran personal bests at that meet with respective times of 15:01.8 and 15:00.3. The Vikings showed their depth at the 6A District 1-2 championships last week, winning the boys team title with a perfect score of 15, senior Mitchell Rietze taking the individual title in 15:42 and teammates Morgenstern, Gabe Heule, Carr and Henry following in order within the next minute. A Coeur d'Alene boy has not won an individual cross country state title since Michael Armon in 2004.

Rocky Mountain, runner-up to Coeur d'Alene the last two seasons, will also be in the mix. The Grizzlies are led by senior Hyrum Tuft, who ran a personal best 15:02 at Nike Hole in the Wall and won the 6A District 3 individual title last week. Eagle is also in the conversation after besting Rocky Mountain by four points to win last week's 6A District 3 championships.

Centennial senior Drew Donahue has the fastest time in the state this season with his personal best winning time of 14:56 from Inland Empire. Last month, he and Morgenstern became the 12th and 13th Idaho boys on record to break 15 minutes for the 5k. Donahue has won two 5ks this season and placed in the top five at four 5ks. The last Centennial boy to win an individual cross country state title was Tyler Williams in 1997.

Rigby junior Jonas Porter is another individual boy to watch. His personal best 15:00.9 from Nike Hole in the Wall is the No. 3 fastest all-time on record by a District 6 boy. He won last week's 6A District 4-5-6 individual title in 15:33.2 with teammate Vincent Kisner placing second.

"I'd like to get top five (at state), stay with the Coeur d'Alene boys," Porter said after winning districts. "These last two weeks, I've been really happy with how I've done."

There is no record of a Rigby boy winning an individual cross country state title.

CLASS 5A

Numerous returning runners to last year's 5A state champion Skyline boys and Twin Falls girls teams made them heavy favorites to repeat this season. So far, the Grizzlies and Bruins have delivered, and there is a clear divide between them and the rest of 5A for state trophies.

Skyline is coming off a second consecutive 5A District 6 team title, winning by a margin of 51 points over district rival Idaho Falls. The Grizzlies, who graduated two runners from last year's state championship team, won the varsity A title at the Tiger-Grizz Invitational on Sept. 12, placed third behind Rocky Mountain and Boise at the Eagle Island Invitational on Sept. 20 and placed second at the Inland Empire Championships behind Rocky Mountain at Oct. 4. Senior Alexander Renna and junior Davis Roberts went 1-2 at last week's 5A District 6 championships. It was a repeat individual district title for Renna, who won in 15:43.3.

Renna and Roberts ran personal bests of 15:10 and 15:20, respectively, at Inland Empire and are currently the second and third fastest 5A boys in Idaho this season.

"It's definitely emboldened the family," Renna said after his district win, elaborating on his team's progression from August to now. "I really think cross country feels like one big family, especially on your team. Coach (Sean) Schmidt is a phenomenal coach and is really great about building workouts and taking the time to improve each person. I've been building up to some big goals."

No Skyline boy has won an individual cross country state title since Rob Harker in 1976.

Century junior Ethan Hansen has the fastest 5A boys time in Idaho this season with his personal best 15:05.8 from Nike Hole in the Wall. Hansen has won five meets this fall. No Century boy has won an individual cross country state title since Aaron Jenkins in 2007.

His teammate and fellow junior, 5A District 5 champion Ammon Bitton (personal best 15:45.2), Renna, Roberts, Blackfoot sophomore Owen Gregory (personal best 15:29) and Moscow junior and 5A District 1-2 champion Orion McClory (personal best 15:38) are also in the mix for the individual title. Recent history is on the side of eastern Idaho for the individual boys title, as five of the last six current 5A/former 4A titles have gone to a District 5 or 6 runner.

The Twin Falls girls, who graduated one from last year's state championship team, won the 5A District 4 championship last week by a 21-point margin. Junior Raelee Richardson repeated as 5A District 4 individual champion and is defending 5A girls individual state champion. Richardson has the fastest 5A girls time in Idaho this season with her personal best 17:24 from the Inland Empire Championships and she is the only 5A girl to have broken 18 minutes this fall. She has won six meets this season, including her last three in a row.

Idaho Falls senior and repeat 5A District 6 champion Jaycee Jensen (personal best 18:32.6), Bishop Kelly freshman and 5A District 3 champion Clare Murphy (personal best 18:44.4) and Pocatello senior and 5A District 5 champion Katie Boyle (personal best 18:52.1) are also in the mix for the individual title. The last individual Idaho Falls girls cross country state champion was Christine Kohler in 1995, Bishop Kelly's last individual girls cross country state champion was Emily Nist in 2011 and Pocatello's last individual girls cross country state champion was Rachel McGovern in 2012.

Sandpoint, which won last week's 5A District 1-2 boys title in a sixth runner tiebreaker over Moscow, and 5A District 6 runner-up Idaho Falls, should also be in the trophy hunt. Expect 5A District 3 champion Bishop Kelly, 5A District 6 champion Idaho Falls, 5A District 6 runner-up Skyline and 5A District 1-2 champion Sandpoint to also be in the mix on the girls side.

CLASS 4A

Sugar-Salem completed its first sweep of boys and girls cross country state team titles since 2020 last fall upon sweeping their first 4A state meet.

The Diggers graduated two girls and two boys from those state championship teams and have had big contributions from seniors and underclassmen alike this season. Sugar-Salem is without senior Kache Rasmussen, however, upon suffering a season-ending injury in September.

The Diggers also swept 4A District 6 team titles last week, with the boys edging out South Fremont by five points and the girls getting a seven-point win over Teton. Sophomore Darrel Dickson has been leading the Sugar-Salem boys this fall, running a personal best 15:54.2 to win the Preston Invitational on Oct. 15 and winning five meets this season. Junior Janyja Jackson (season best 19:38.8, repeat 4A District 6 individual champion) and sophomores Hannah Dalling (season best 20:00.6) and Sarah Galbraith (season best 20:44.6) have interchanged to lead the Sugar-Salem girls this season.

District 3 champion McCall-Donnelly and District 1-2 champion Timberlake both appear to be serious challengers to Sugar-Salem for the 4A boys team title. Timberlake won its district title with a perfect score of 15 and McCall-Donnelly was victorious by 20 points by Fruitland.

The Sugar-Salem girls will be challenged by District 5 champion Snake River, District 1-2 champion Timberlake, District 3 champion McCall-Donnelly and District 6 runner-up Teton.

McCall-Donnelly junior Charlie Speirs, who won last week's District 3 championship by a second, has the fastest 4A boys time in Idaho this season with his personal best 15:11 from Inland Empire. He has won three meets this fall and was the 4A individual state runner-up last year. The last McCall-Donnelly boys individual state champion was George Speirs in 2023.

Speirs' teammate and senior Jacob Mascheroni (personal best 15:30), Timberlake junior Caleb Royce (personal best 15:31, repeat 4A District 1-2 champion), Timberlake junior Jacob Barnhart (personal best 15:41), Fruitland junior Landon Hillam (personal best 15:48.6) and Dickson are also in the mix for the boys individual title. Jacob Barnhart was the last Timberlake boys individual cross country state champion (2022) and Kooper Williams was the last Sugar-Salem boys individual cross country state champion (2018). There is no record of a Fruitland boys individual cross country state champion.

Defending 4A girls state champion and two-time 4A District 1-2 champion, Coeur d'Alene Charter senior Annabelle Carr, has been untouched by 4A competition this season. Her personal best 17:44.9 at Nike Hole in the Wall is the only sub-18 minute 5k by an Idaho 4A girl this fall, and the only Idaho girls to beat her this season are Rocky Mountain teammates Hallie Heemeyer and Brooke Thompson. Beyond Carr, the only other 4A girls to break 19 minutes this fall are Timberlake junior Lola Eggleston (personal best 18:19), Fruitland junior Ella Smith (personal best 18:43.5, repeat 4A District 3 champion), Weiser senior Claire Matthews (personal best 18:51) and Weiser junior Corianna Parsons (personal best 18:51). Emma Hillam was Fruitland's last girls individual cross country state champion (2018) and Marquita Palmer was Weiser's last girls individual cross country state champion (2009). There is no record of a Timberlake girls individual cross country state champion.

CLASS 3A

The road to state titles in 3A runs through eastern Idaho, and it is shaping up to perhaps be the tightest race of the entire day on Saturday.

Defending state champion Ririe, which completed a program first sweep of the boys and girls team titles last year, has lived up to its prediction as preseason favorites. Most of the Bulldogs' competition has also been from eastern Idaho, especially fellow 3A school Malad and 4A schools Sugar-Salem and Snake River.

The Ririe girls are led by seniors Lucy Boone, Jayci Baxter, Lauren Robson and Hailey Robson. The Bulldogs won last week's 3A District 6 championship by 28 points, getting five runners in the top eight.

Boone, a two-time girls individual state runner-up, has won seven of the eight meets she's competed in this fall and is the only 3A girl to have broken 19 minutes in Idaho this season (personal best 18:58.8).

The last Ririe girls individual cross country state champion was Christy Luthy in 2000.

Expect the 3A girls team title and the second, third and fourth trophies to be separated by razor-thin margins if everyone runs their best. Malad is Ririe's biggest threat to the team title. The Dragons, who have no seniors in their top five runners, beat Ririe and Snake River for the varsity B girls title at Tiger-Grizz, although Ririe was without Hailey Robson at that meet. Three weeks later, Ririe took second to Sugar-Salem and was four spots ahead of Malad at the Bob Conley Invitational, but Malad was without Kallee Talbot. Malad is coming off a nine-point 3A District 4-5 win over powerhouse Soda Springs last week, and both Ririe and Malad ran at full strength with their usual top five runners at their district meets. Malad's Aezlyn Summers, Kaycee Venable, Ellie Angell, Kallee Talbot and Brielle Bastian all placed in the top eight in the district title win. Saturday's state title could be decided by single digits. Malad's last girls cross country state title was in 2001 under coach Terry Jones.

Soda Springs cannot be counted out either. History has shown that the Cardinals perform their best at state.

Outside of eastern Idaho, the top 3A girls team appears to be Nampa Christian. The Trojans are coming off a 21-point win over The Ambrose School last week at the 3A District 3 championships. Nampa Christian junior Phoebe Mitchell, 3A District 3's individual champion, has the next fastest personal best in 3A after Boone (19:05.7). The last girls individual state champion from Nampa Christian was Ashley Puga in 2002.

A familiar competitor to Boone, West Jefferson junior Bella Spencer, is also in the mix for the individual title. Spencer placed second to Boone at districts and was the 2A individual state champion in 2023, the last season before most of Idaho's 2A schools moved up to the current 3A classification. Her season best time is 19:26.6, from districts.

Additionally, North Fremont sophomore Eliza Bingham (personal best 19:39.5) and Malad's Summers (personal best 19:45.1) are individuals to watch in the title race. Both recorded their personal bests this month.

The Ririe boys won last week's 3A District 6 title by 10 points, getting top five performances from Spencer Barney (first place), Cody Baxter (second place), Thomas Henderson (fourth place) and Jack Jones (fifth place). Like the girls team title race, Ririe's biggest competition for the boys title is Malad. The Dragons won last week's 3A District 4-5 team title by 18 points over Soda Springs, getting top 10 finishes from Boston Burbidge (first place), Jace Nalder (fourth place), Levi Angell (fifth place) and Braun Nalder (ninth place). Ririe beat Malad by five points to win the Tiger-Grizz Invitational and by 19 points to win Bob Conley three weeks later.

A sweep of 3A girls and boys titles is not out of the question Saturday. Malad's last boys cross country state title was in 1991 under Terry Jones, and the Dragons have never swept boys and girls cross country state titles before. District 3 champion Nampa Christian, District 6 runner-up North Fremont and District 4-5 runner-up Soda Springs are also in the trophy conversation.

The 3A boys individual race appears to be wide open this year. Community School junior John Harris has Idaho's fastest 3A boys personal best this season (16:17.3). There's also Burbidge (senior) and Jace Nalder (freshman) from Malad with respective personal bests of 16:21 and 16:37 and West Side senior Ethan Willis (season best 16:44.5). Nampa Christian junior Chase Dawson ran a personal best 16:20.7 to begin the season, but has only competed in four meets this fall and did not compete at districts. There is no record of a Community School or West Side boys individual cross country state champion. Malad's last boys individual state champion was Toby Conley in 1989. Grady Mylander was Nampa Christian's last boys individual state champion in 2021.

CLASS 2A

Defending 2A girls state champion Victory Charter has had a dominant season so far.

The Vipers displayed that dominance upon winning last week's 2A District 3 title with 16 points, one point past a perfect score, with six runners finishing in the top nine. Alyssa Hust, Libby Stockett, Alyssa Lee and Annika Snyder went 1-2-3-4 for Victory Charter in the win. Hust (sophomore) and Stockett (junior) currently have the top two fastest 2A girls times in Idaho this season with respective personal bests of 18:40.4 and 19:16.7. Brewer (junior), Lee (junior) and Snyder (freshman) are also among the top 10 fastest 2A girls in Idaho this season. Hust has won her last three races and has broken 19 minutes twice this season. Furthermore, none of Victory Charter's varsity girls are seniors. Should the Vipers put together a solid performance Saturday, they could perhaps have one of the lowest team scores of the day for any classification.

Leadore senior and 2A District 6 champion Azelynn Jones (personal best (19:21.7) and Logos sophomores Livvia Rench (personal best 19:26, District 2 champion) and Livia Longshore (personal best 19:48) are also in the conversation with Hust and Stockett in the individual race. There is no record of a girls individual cross country state champion from Victory Charter, Leadore or Logos.

Logos won the District 2 team title by almost a perfect score as well last week, getting top-five finishes from Rench, Longshore, Emma Darrah (third place) and Claire Farley (fifth place), and is likely Victory Charter's biggest competition for the 2A girls team title. Logos last won the girls team title in 2021.

Two-time defending boys champion Rockland won last week's 2A District 5 meet with a score of 19. Xavier Parrish (first place), Iver Hendrickson (second place), Woodrow Lowder (fourth place), Brigham Hubbard (fifth place) and Zach Permann (seventh place) all placed in the top seven. Hendrickson, Lowder and Hubbard are seniors while Parrish and Permann are juniors.

Expect District 3 champion Victory Charter and District 2 champion Logos to challenge for the team title as well. Victory Charter won districts by 35 points in part due to a 1-2-3 finish from JD Willey, Caleb Schlerf and Eli Baker. Logos won its district meet by 31 points, getting top-10 finishes from John Henry Crapuchettes (second place), Maxwell Grauke (fourth place) and Bredon Nielson (ninth place). Victory Charter's last boys cross country state title was in 2022 and while Logos' was in 2016.

The fastest 2A boys runner in Idaho so far this season is Genesee senior Benjamin Farr, who won the District 2 individual title in a personal best 15:23. He has won six 5ks this season. The next fastest also comes from District 2: Logos' Crapuchettes, a senior and the defending 2A individual state runner-up who has the only other sub-16 personal best in 2A with 15:34. District 3 champion and sophomore Willey and his teammate Schlerf (senior) are the next fastest with personal bests of 16:19.9 and 16:34.3, respectively. There is no record of a Genesee boys individual cross country state champion. Logos' last boys individual state champion was Paul Ryan in 2014, and Luke Stockett was Victory Charter's last boys individual state champion in 2023.