Summit Boys Favored at Class 5A State Meet

The Summit boys cross-country team is the clear favorite to win the Class 5A state title on Saturday at Lane Community College in Eugene.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Track & Field

Summit Boys Favored at Class 5A State Meet

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Summit boys cross-country is favored to win the Class 5A state title Saturday at Lane Community College in Eugene, with races starting at 9:25 a.m. The team has not won a state title since 2015, when it claimed its fifth straight crown.

Why it matters

A Summit win would end a decade-long state title drought for the program after three consecutive second-place finishes behind Crater. The outcome also shapes the team's bid for a national title at the Nike Cross meets later this month and in December.

Summit's five consecutive state titles from 2011 to 2015 stand against three recent second-place finishes behind Crater. Senior Bjorn Blankenship, the Intermountain Conference champion, finished second individually at state last year, and Crater junior Garrett Faught is the defending 5A state champion.

The players

Bjorn Blankenship

A senior on the Summit boys team and the Intermountain Conference champion, Blankenship finished second individually at state last year.

Garrett Faught

A Crater junior who is the defending 5A state champion and a top individual contender in this year's field.

Maddie Carney

A Caldera athlete who is the defending girls 5A state champion and will look to repeat in this year's meet.

The details

Summit is ranked among the top teams in several national rankings and is the clear favorite heading into the Class 5A state championship at Lane Community College. The Bend High boys also qualified for the 5A state meet as a team, and Caldera's Maddie Carney will look to repeat as the girls 5A champion.

Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026: Class 5A state cross-country races begin at 9:25 a.m. at Lane Community College in Eugene.
Nov. 21, 2026: Summit races in Nike Cross Regionals Northwest in Spokane, Washington.
Dec. 5, 2026: Summit competes in Nike Cross Nationals in Portland.

Season Trajectory

Summit's 2011 to 2015 run of five straight Class 5A boys state titles remains the program's benchmark, and its three recent second-place finishes behind Crater have kept that streak from being revived. A state win Saturday would reset the team's position in a Class 5A race that has been dominated by Crater.

Fantasy and recruiting observers tracking Summit's performance can use Saturday's results to gauge the team's standing before the regional meet. Local fans planning to attend should note the 9:25 a.m. start time and the Lane Community College venue.

The takeaway

Saturday's race offers a clear test of whether Summit can reclaim the state title it last won in 2015, and the outcome will set expectations for its national championship push. Readers following high school cross-country should watch the team's progress through the regional and national meets this month and in December.

What happens next

Summit races in the Nike Cross Regionals Northwest in Spokane on Nov. 21, and the team's national-title bid continues at Nike Cross Nationals in Portland on Dec. 5.