Contributor: Nerd the Third
The Class B boys only returns five medalists, the least of any of the eight fields. Top returnee Sam Campin of Plattsmouth played baseball in the spring, third-fastest McCoy Haussler and 5th-fastet Caden Keller played soccer, several returners have no spring times, and a few other boys appear to have fought injuries during the track season. Mesuidi Ejerso of South Sioux City had perhaps the best State track meet of any returners, winning the 3200 in 9:46 and taking 2nd in the 1600 in 4:31. Colin Pinneo of York took 4th in the 3200 in 10:05. A surprising number of the Class B returners focused in mid-distance events in track, with very few specializing in the 1600/3200.
Skutt returns three of nine fastest runners from 2020 but we have little to go on from the track season to gauge their fitness. However, it's a strong program and there are huge benefits in training if a team has multiple high-level runners, so there's a great chance that Skutt with re-load after losing the top two finishers from 2020.
We're putting Ejerso as the favorite simply on the basis of spring results, but the competition for a top-5 spot is wide open. State medals are often won or lost in the summer, and we have no idea who work worked hard or ran themselves into an injury.
Class B is the land o' plenty when it comes to our favorite topic, that beautiful piece of work known as the mullet. Conrad Schroeder of Waverly, universally recognized as the living image of mullet perfection and the winner of the 2020 NSAA Most Valuable Mullet Award (yes, we made that up), has graduated and will leave many fans with a void in their hearts. Consequently, we have a soft spot for Zach Pittman and Tanner Cooper of the Mullet Gang, er, Norris, who are the 11th and 12th fastest returnees.
NSAA's periodic reclassification has Platteview moving up to Class B and Omaha Gross moving down to Class C. The list below includes the 15 fastest returners from Class B as well as AJ Raszler of Platteview, who finished 22nd in Class C in 2020.
Samuel Campin, Sr, Plattsmouth (5th, 16:48)
Mesuidi Ejerso, Jr, South Sioux City (7th, 16:50)
McCoy Haussler, So, Skutt (9th, 16:53)
Colin Pinneo, Jr, York (11th, 16:59)
Caden Keller, Jr, Northwest (13th, 17:03)
Miguel Cruz-Mendoza, So, Lexington (16th, 17:10)
Alexander Kennedy, Sr, Skutt (17th, 17:13)
Antonio Moro, Jr, Lexington (19th, 17:23)
Alex Rice, Jr, Skutt (20th, 17:24)
Mark Schroll, Sr, Mt. Michael (21st, 17:26)
Zachary Pittman, Sr, Norris (24th, 17:29)
Tanner Cooper, Sr, Norris (25th, 17:31)
Elijah Dix, So, Plattsmouth (26th, 17:31)
Aj Raszler, So, Platteview (22nd in Class C, 17:31)
Jude Storch, Jr, Mt. Michael (27th, 17:32)
Alejandro Nelson, So, Norris (29th, 17:35)
