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Who will be Eugene-Springfield's top boys cross-country runner in 2026?
With the OSAA fall sports season underway, The Register-Guard is putting a spotlight on the area's top high school athletes. We are continuing this year's preseason coverage with a look at Lane County's top distance runners.
Now, it's time for you to decide which athlete is the best of the bunch.
This year's nominees are:
Caleb Daniels, Sheldon
Adrian Estes, Springfield
Aiden Koroush, Monroe
Ashenafi McKinnis, North Eugene
Bentley Nelson, Siuslaw
Khalil Sabzalian, South Eugene
Corbin Sage, Marist Catholic
Remington Sharkey, Cottage Grove
Yosuke Shibata, South Eugene
Henry Stone, Siuslaw
Information about each nominee is listed below. Vote for the athlete you think is most deserving at www.registerguard.com/sports. The poll closes at noon Friday, Sept. 4.
Caleb Daniels, Sheldon
Sheldon's top returning runner is coming off a strong sophomore postseason showing. Caleb Daniels ran a 5,000-meter personal-best of 16 minutes, 7.5 seconds last fall at the Rose City Championship Invite.
Daniels went on to place sixth at the Southwest Conference Championships and 39th at the Class 6A state championships.
Adrian Estes, Springfield
As a sophomore last fall, Springfield's Adrian Estes clocked the 15th-fastest 5,000 time in the state among Class 5A athletes (15:32.1).
Estes finished fifth at the Midwestern League Championships and eight at the 5A state championship meet.
Aiden Koroush, Monroe
One of the top returning small-school runners in the state, Monroe's Aiden Koroush won the 3A/2A/1A Special District 2 title last season with a personal-best 5,000 time of 16:40.5. He ended the year with the 15th-fastest time in Oregon among 2A/1A runners.
Ashenafi McKinnis, North Eugene
Only 14 boys in the state, regardless of classification, clocked a faster 5,000 time than North Eugene's Ashenafi McKinnis did during his junior season.
McKinnis ended 2025 with a personal-best of 14:55.4. He also had a stellar track and field season, placing sixth at the Class 5A state championships in the 3,000 and 10th in the 1,500.
Bentley Nelson, Siuslaw
Siuslaw rising junior Bentley Nelson ran a 5,000 personal best of 15:50.8 last fall — eighth-fastest in the state among Class 3A boys.
Nelson placed 12th at the 3A state championship meet.
Khalil Sabzalian, South Eugene
During a breakout sophomore year, South Eugene's Khalil Sabzalian produced his best performances during the championship portion of the season.
Sabzalian placed fourth at the Southwest Conference district meet, 21st at the Class 6A state championships and ended his campaign with a personal-best time of 15:23.8 at the NXR Northwest Regional Championships.
Corbin Sage, Marist Catholic
The reigning Class 4A state champion will look to add another title to his resume this fall.
Marist Catholic rising senior Corbin Sage won the 2025 cross-country title in thrilling fashion and finished the fall with a 5,000 personal-best of 15:24.6.
In the spring, he doubled up on titles, winning the 1,500 state championship. The Spartans' versatile star also placed second in the 3,000.
Remington Sharkey, Cottage Grove
As a sophomore last season, Cottage Grove's Remington Sharkey ran the 28th-fastest 5,000 time in Class 4A. He clocked a personal-best 16:52.9 at the Sky-Em League Championships to finish third before going on to place 27th at the 4A state meet.
Yosuke Shibata, South Eugene
One of the more accomplished distance runners in recent state history, South Eugene senior Yosuke Shibata spent his junior year establishing himself as one of the top prep distance runners in the U.S.
Shibata won the Class 6A state cross-country championship in the fall and captured the 1,500 state title during the spring track and field season.
Following his XC state title, he placed fourth at the NXR Northwest Regional Championships and earned a highly coveted trip to NXN Nike Cross Nationals, where he finished 23rd in a field featuring the nation's best high school runners.
Henry Stone, Siuslaw
Early in his sophomore season, Siuslaw's Henry Stone ran a massive 5,000 personal best of 15:24.0, which ranked third among Class 3A boys in 2025. Stone placed fourth at the 3A state championship meet.
In the spring, he was the Class 3A runner-up at 3,000 meters and ended the season with a personal-best time of 8:42.07.
Jarrid Denney is a sports reporter for The Register-Guard. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X @jarrid_denney
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Vote! Who is the top Eugene-Springfield boys cross-country runner?
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