2025 State XC Preview - Class AAA Boys

Introduction

The 2025 Class AAA boys state cross country championship returns to Les Bolstad Golf Course with another field deep enough to match last year’s historic finish. In 2024, the top six teams finished within 35 points—the tightest margin in Minnesota state meet history—proving how little separates the state’s best. The preseason outlook pointed to a three-team battle between Wayzata, Minnetonka, and Edina, and that prediction held with those three taking the top three spots, the race behind them was tighter than anyone expected. Minnetonka entered as the favorite but ended up in 3rd, Wayzata—after weeks of uncertainty surrounding its health—rose to the moment and nearly took the title, finishing just 6 points behind Edina. The Hornets, the preseason No. 1, never fully hit their stride during the regular season but rose to the occasion when it counted to capture their first state championship since 2018.

Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape is just as competitive—only now the favorite might seem a bit clearer. Wayzata enters as the top-ranked team with a chance to reclaim the title after a one-year hiatus. Since the MSHSL moved to three classes in 2021, the Trojans have won three state championships (2021–2023) and finished runner-up last year. They now aim for their fourth title in five seasons and their 11th in the past 18 years.

Boys Class AAA Team Preview

Wayzata arrives at state with the best résumé in Minnesota. The Trojans dominated the Lake Conference, maintained the No. 1 ranking from preseason to postseason, and won the Section 6AAA title decisively with five runners inside the top 12. Their lineup does not rely on a single star but instead overwhelms fields with depth and compression inside their pack. Sophomore Thomas Berndt typically leads them, but their strength lies in the interchangeable scoring power of their next four runners. When their pack moves together, Wayzata is exceptionally difficult to beat.

Wayzata may enter as the favorite, but another state title isn’t guaranteed. The team most capable of challenging the Trojans is Blaine. Ranked third entering the state meet, the Bengals returned six of seven runners from last year’s 14th-place squad and used that experience to transform into a legitimate podium contender. They were the fourth Minnesota Class AAA team at Roy Griak despite missing a key scorer—had he been in the lineup, they likely would have finished as the top Minnesota team. Blaine went on to win Section 7AAA with five runners inside the top eight and placed second early in the season at the Metro Invite behind only Wayzata. Their biggest strength lies in their tight 1–4 compression—typically within 15 seconds—and after a slow start to the season, they’ve found their rhythm at the right time. If the entire lineup executes its race plan, Blaine has the depth and momentum to pressure the favorites.

Rosemount has re-emerged as a major force this fall. The Irish entered the season ranked No. 2 and have stayed among the state’s elite behind a strong core led by juniors Channing Goodwin and Boston Peterson. Rosemount has finished runner-up at state before (most recently in 2022) and owns 10 top-five finishes in school history—the most of any Minnesota program without a state title. That narrative fuels this year’s team, which has raced consistently all season and won Section 3AAA without serious threat. Their only true test came at the Roy Griak Invitational, where they finished as the second Minnesota Class AAA team to Wayzata. Their top-end talent is excellent, but their success will depend on their depth.

Two Rivers has been one of the most unpredictable teams this season. Ranked as high as second at one point and unranked at another, they enter this meet with range but also volatility. Their seventh-place finish last year was the best in school history, and they return with a senior-heavy lineup looking for more. After a disappointing performance at Griak, they rebounded strongly and dominated Section 4AAA. Their top four are strong, and when their fifth runner connects, they are difficult to beat.

Minnetonka has become a state meet standard, but the program still chases something it has never secured: a Class AAA state title. Prior to 2020, Minnetonka had qualified for state only once in school history. Now they have finished top four in four straight seasons. Their top three—led by star senior Sean Fries—give them elite scoring presence, but their finish depends entirely on whether their fourth and fifth runners can close the gap on the other trophy contenders.

Mounds View continues to be one of the most consistent programs in Class AAA. This marks the Mustangs’ 10th straight state appearance—tied for the second longest active streak in Minnesota. They have finished top five eight years in a row including winning the state title in 2019. Ranked 9th entering the meet, they lack a true front runner but possess disciplined pack racing and championship experience few teams can match. Injuries have disrupted parts of their season, but no one would be surprised if they placed higher than expected.

Minneapolis Washburn makes just its third state appearance since 1970 but has made the most of it historically, finishing sixth and second in its previous two trips. Ranked fifth entering the meet, Washburn has an excellent front duo in Thomas McVay and Jameson Guertin and a young roster with only one senior. Like many teams discussed, their fourth and fifth runners will determine whether they challenge for a trophy.

Eastview returns to state for the first time since 2019 and is ranked sixth entering the meet after finishing runner-up to Rosemount in Section 3AAA. Their highest-ever finish at state is fifth (2007), which seems like a realistic goal they aim to beat on Saturday. They enter with confidence and have leaned on Luke Bakken to give them a low number up front. Roseville, ranked 11th, has qualified for state in three of the last four years but has yet to finish higher than eighth during that span. They no longer have the low-stick of Robert Mechura leading them but still have a solid squad capable of finishing high up. Stillwater, ranked 10th, finished as Section 4AAA runner-up and has now appeared at state 23 times since 2000—one of the most consistent programs in Minnesota large-school cross country. Just like the powerhouse of Mounds View discussed earlier, they should outperform their rankings with a good race.

Boys Class AAA Individual Preview

Last year, the individual boys race started with a bang when Mounds View’s Casey Poppler led the race out in a blazing 4:33 opening mile. Though he didn’t hold the lead for long (he still finished a very respectable 5^th), we saw that anything can happen in a competitive race with so much talent on the starting line. Now with two-time defending champion Robert Mechura now graduated after running the two fastest times ever recorded at the boy’s state meet (15:03 and 15:04), the path is clear for a new champion. The heavy favorite is Minnetonka senior Sean Fries. A Stanford commit and one of the fastest distance runners in Minnesota history, Fries has not lost a race this season on the way to setting multiple course records. Ranked second nationally, he ran 15:06 last year to finish second behind Mechura and has controlled every race this season with relative ease. The only remaining question is tactical—whether he attempts to dominate from the gun or break the field gradually in the middle mile.

Shakopee senior Owen Stuwe sits firmly as the next contender. He has run 14:50 at the Augustana Twilight Invitational—one of the fastest cross country times ever recorded by a Minnesota high school runner—and has lost only to Fries among in-state competition this season. Stuwe finished 10th at state last year and placed third in the 3200 meters at the state track meet in 9:12. Whether Stuwe decides to go with Fries or if he remains content to sit back a bit and move later is the biggest question.

Behind the top two, the race spreads into a deep all-state battle that we could see a number of talented athletes contend for a podium spot. Edina senior Sander Ohe, ranked among the state’s best, finished 12th last year in 15:54 and is the third-fastest returner in this field. Though he has had an uneven regular season, he is known for performing well at state and returns with two Edina teammates as individual qualifiers.

Andover junior Tyler Flippen has surged late in the season and has won his last three races, all under 15:50. He missed much of last year due to injury but placed 17th at state as a freshman in 2023 and appears to be peaking at the right time. Burnsville senior Lliam Merrel has had one of the most intriguing seasons among individual contenders. He finished 15th at Griak—the third-fastest Minnesota Class AAA runner in that race—but slipped to fourth at sections. He just placed 57th at state last year after fading late, but his Griak result shows he has high-end potential.

Two sophomores should also be up in the running in the lead pack. Chanhassen sophomore Connor Heltemes continues to emerge as one of the top young distance runners in the state after finishing 17th at last year’s state meet as a freshman. He owns wins at the Victoria Lions Invitational and Metro West Conference and moves exceptionally well through crowded fields. Wayzata sophomore Thomas Berndt has emerged as the lead runner for the team title favorite and has steadily produced strong performances, running six times under 16:20 this season. He owns one of the best closes in the field and will look to secure a scoring position inside the top 15.

There are also a number of teammates that we will see high up in the field. Rosemount juniors Channing Goodwin and Boston Peterson give their team a strong front-end presence in both the team and individual race. Goodwin won the Section 3AAA title in 15:24 and finished 22nd last year, while Peterson was 20th a year ago and has developed consistency throughout the fall. Minneapolis Washburn’s front duo of Thomas McVay and Jameson Guertin has been critical to their team success. McVay won the Section 6AAA title and has four races under 16:05 this season. Remarkably, this will be his first appearance at either the state cross country or state track meet. Guertin brings valuable championship experience with five sub-16:15 races this season and will compete in his third straight cross country state meet.

Blaine also brings two serious medal threats in junior David Meberg and senior Alaric Burroughs. Meberg placed 15th at state last year and entered the week ranked sixth in the state coaches poll. He ran 15:35 on a fast sections course and is capable of another top-15 finish. Burroughs has often been Blaine’s top runner this season and has run under 16:15 in all four of his races this fall.

Just to mention a few more contenders that we could see finish up in the top-10. Roseville’s Jacob Brown won the Section 5AAA meet in 15:48- beating a handful of strong athletes which included Champlin Park duo Zakariya Mohamed and Blake Frazer along with Maple Grove’s Lucas Capistrant. Just 10 seconds separated these four runners and don’t be surprised if a few of these guys emerge on Saturday. In 4AAA, Two River’s Max Molinaro led the field including WBL’s Max Popp and Woodbury’s Brendan Fahey. Each have had strong seasons and capable of cracking the top ten individuals. With nine of last year’s top ten finishers now graduated, the race opens up entirely—creating space for new champions to emerge and ceilings to be raised.