2026 North-South All-Star Cross Country Preview
Alabama's top rising seniors will compete Tuesday morning at Gateway Park in Montgomery.
Race Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Location: Gateway Park, Montgomery, Alabama
Girls Race: 8:00 a.m.
Boys Race: 8:30 a.m.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Alabama's top rising senior cross country runners will gather Tuesday morning at Gateway Park for the 2026 AHSAA North-South All-Star Cross Country Meet.
Cross country was added to the annual North-South All-Star competition in 2017. No competition was held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants are selected by the Alabama Cross Country Coaches Association from among the state's top rising seniors. Selections recognize athletic achievement, championship performances and each runner's overall body of work during the high school season.
The annual event brings together athletes from every AHSAA classification and provides an early look at many of the runners expected to contend during the 2026 cross country season.
Roster Update: The final girls entries differ from the original announced roster. Caroline Newby of Huntsville has been added to the North All-Stars, while Elley Goff of Saint James has been added to the South All-Stars. Sarah Tole of Auburn and Mallory Helms of UMS-Wright are no longer listed among the final entries.
Girls Race Preview
The girls field includes state medalists, All-State performers and several runners who have posted some of the fastest returning 5K times in Alabama.
The North enters with strong depth from Kate Sanders of Athens, Mary Durham of Hewitt-Trussville, Kyndal Hughes of Fort Payne, Francesca Demarco of Mountain Brook and Allie Hale of Briarwood Christian.
Caroline Newby of Huntsville joins the North roster after recording a season-best 20:19.49 at the Alexander/Asics Invitational and finishing the 2025 AHSAA State Championships in 21:43.86.
The South adds one of the state's most accomplished returning runners in Elley Goff of Saint James. Goff won the 2025 AHSAA Class 3A state championship in 19:28.07 and owns a career-best 18:58.30 from her runner-up finish at the 2023 state meet.
The South also features Mallary Little and Teresa Ye of Saraland, Brooke Stanley of Providence Christian, Elle Ingram of Montgomery Academy and Kaitlyn Bybee of Straughn.
Girls Rosters and Times
North Girls
| Athlete |
School |
2025 State |
5K PR |
| Josephine Watson | Alexandria | 21:01.72 | 19:54.30 |
| Kate Sanders | Athens | 18:52.03 | 18:10.94 |
| Allie Hale | Briarwood Christian | 19:06.88 | 18:49.47 |
| Lily Hatton | Brooks | 20:57.35 | 19:36.49 |
| Kyndal Hughes | Fort Payne | 18:52.84 | 18:35.06 |
| Caroline Newby | Huntsville | 21:43.86 | 20:19.49 |
| Miley Westbrook | Fyffe | 23:27.53 | 23:13.61 |
| Mary Durham | Hewitt-Trussville | 19:07.07 | 18:22.27 |
| Gracie Easterling | Jacksonville | 20:54.67 | 20:46.91 |
| Francesca Demarco | Mountain Brook | 18:44.77 | 18:44.77 |
| Katelin Stiefel | Sand Rock | 21:26.11 | 20:56.57 |
South Girls
| Athlete |
School |
2025 State |
5K PR |
| Kamryn Wile | Enterprise | 20:59.77 | 20:58.72 |
| Elley Goff | Saint James | 19:28.07 | 18:58.30 |
| Josie Kemper | Fairhope | 22:23.98 | 20:21.30 |
| Audrey Woodard | McGill-Toolen | 20:23.50 | 19:55.81 |
| Elle Ingram | Montgomery Academy | 19:58.07 | 19:35.03 |
| Brooke Stanley | Providence Christian | 19:38.32 | 19:38.32 |
| Mallary Little | Saraland | 20:17.31 | 19:17.37 |
| Teresa Ye | Saraland | 20:01.08 | 19:37.21 |
| Kaitlyn Bybee | Straughn | 20:19.06 | 19:49.06 |
Boys Roster Update: The final boys entries also differ from the original announced roster. Noah Jordan and John Paul Amari are no longer listed for the North, while Callaway Trammell and Riley Godwin are no longer listed for the South. The final boys field includes eight runners for each team.
Boys Race Preview
The final boys field includes several of Alabama's strongest returning runners, with Tyler Morring of Ardmore, Zack Joyce of Oak Mountain and Rua Mathis of Jacksonville all owning personal bests under 15:55.
Henry Crocker of Cullman and Logan Kilpatrick of Florence add further strength to the North lineup, while Nigel Senkbeil, Drake Nichols and Dakota Ensminger round out the final squad.
The South is led by Cash Mullins of Providence Christian, Riley Cuthbertson of Auburn, Jake Mixson of Providence Christian and William Gill of St. Paul's Episcopal. Danny Doerr, Samuel Wilber, Zachary Robinson and Bert Oggs complete the final South entries.
Boys Rosters and Times
North Boys
| Athlete |
School |
2025 State |
5K PR |
| Tyler Morring | Ardmore | 16:04.28 | 15:46.84 |
| Henry Crocker | Cullman | 16:34.28 | 16:05.82 |
| Logan Kilpatrick | Florence | 16:26.57 | 16:09.80 |
| Dakota Ensminger | Glencoe | 17:32.59 | 17:32.59 |
| Drake Nichols | Good Hope | 16:58.61 | 16:52.82 |
| Nigel Senkbeil | Holy Spirit Catholic | 16:59.69 | 16:34.75 |
| Rua Mathis | Jacksonville | 16:00.88 | 15:54.20 |
| Zack Joyce | Oak Mountain | 16:46.32 | 15:51.37 |
South Boys
| Athlete |
School |
2025 State |
5K PR |
| Riley Cuthbertson | Auburn | 16:37.79 | 16:12.83 |
| Cash Mullins | Providence Christian | 16:14.79 | 16:14.79 |
| Jake Mixson | Providence Christian | 16:36.61 | 16:23.53 |
| Danny Doerr | Saraland | 17:29.61 | 17:16.81 |
| Samuel Wilber | Spanish Fort | 16:56.08 | 16:56.08 |
| Zachary Robinson | St. Luke's Episcopal | 16:43.74 | 16:43.74 |
| William Gill | St. Paul's Episcopal | 16:51.05 | 16:07.80 |
| Bert Oggs | Zion Chapel | 18:11.58 | 18:11.58 |
State times are from the 2025 AHSAA State Cross Country Championships. Current PRs represent each athlete's fastest reported 5K entering the 2026 North-South All-Star Meet.
Updated Final Entries
The final entry list includes 11 North girls, nine South girls, eight North boys and eight South boys. The roster tables above reflect the athletes listed to compete rather than the original selection announcement.
State Meet as the Great Equalizer
Personal bests provide a useful look at each athlete's ceiling, but the 2025 AHSAA State Championships may offer the best common benchmark entering Tuesday's races. Nearly every All-Star competed on the same championship course under similar conditions, creating one of the closest apples-to-apples comparisons available in cross country.
On the girls side, Francesca Demarco's 18:44.77 was the fastest 2025 state-meet performance among the final entries, followed by Kate Sanders at 18:52.03, Kyndal Hughes at 18:52.84, Allie Hale at 19:06.88, Mary Durham at 19:07.07 and Elley Goff at 19:28.07.
On the boys side, Rua Mathis recorded the fastest 2025 state-meet performance among the final entries at 16:00.88, followed by Tyler Morring at 16:04.28, Cash Mullins at 16:14.79 and Logan Kilpatrick at 16:26.57.
Team Outlook
The North appears to hold an advantage in overall depth, particularly in the boys race, while the South brings several proven championship performers and strong front-end talent in both fields.
Tuesday's races will provide an early preview of Alabama's top returning runners before the start of the 2026 high school cross country season.