2016 NY Boys XC Preview: AIS

Collegiate held on for a 19th straight AIS championship in 2015, beating Trinity by 49-56. Now after the loss of a bunch of key runners from last year's championship team, the question is whether a returning trio of Corey Model, Jacob Barber,and Clay Hard can take up the challenge and drive the Dutchman to number 20. Running well ahead as the season starts is a Trinity squad that has individual champ Aidan Ryan and 4th place finisher Jason Kauppila back from last year's 2nd place team, and with top-22 guys Geordic Young and Nicholas Mullikin also back, the Tigers may be very hard to beat this year. Also trying to get into the action is a Poly Prep team that has three guys from the AIS top 25 -- Derrick Simmons, Gabriel Cannavo, and Julien Hinz -- returning with a great chance to put together a team that can compete with the top two AIS powers.

As for the individual championship, the reigning champ Aidan Ryan of Trinity will be looking to hold off all challengers, and last year's 3-4-5 guys are back in the form of Packer Collegiate's Graham Rainsby, Trinity's Jason Kauppila, and Masters' Gene Perry.

The AIS championship throng is off to the back hills of Van Cortlandt Park.

Trinity's Aidan Ryan kicks home in 1st place to lead the Tigers to 2nd place in the AIS championship.