2017 · High School Cross Country

Oklahoma 5A Cross Country Final Rankings 2017: Guymon's Boys Spoil Piedmont's Poll Party

By The Red Dirt Runner · November 2017

Guymon's boys were third in the final 2017 5A poll — and first at the state meet by five points.

The October 9th, 2017 5A polls told a clean story on the girls’ side and a fib on the boys’. Bishop Kelley’s girls did what they were supposed to do. Piedmont’s boys were supposed to win — and Guymon had other ideas, by the agonizing margin of five points.

Girls’ poll, October 9th: Bishop Kelley, Claremore, Elgin, Bishop McGuinness, Altus. State: Bishop Kelley 55, Claremore 67. The poll’s 1-2 held in order. No drama, no recount.

Boys’ poll, October 9th: Piedmont, Carl Albert, Guymon, Bishop Kelley, Bishop McGuinness. State: Guymon 66, Piedmont 71. Five points. The poll’s No. 3 beat the poll’s No. 1 by the width of a finishing kick. The ballot said Piedmont; the course said Guymon; the course wins every tie.

Claremore’s Laynie Nichols won the girls’ individual title — her second straight 5A crown (2016–2017); Guymon’s Dereje Himbago won the boys’ title, leading his team to the upset.

Five points separated Guymon and Piedmont — the poll had the order exactly backwards, which is one way to be exactly wrong.

Final polls via ohstrack.com (2017); state champions via the ohstrack.com past-champions archive.