David Barton

Did not race. Tenth of 341 at the Alexander Invitational in Douglasville, Georgia, on October 3 in 15:29.0, the second-fastest 1A time this year. Cunningham beat him at the Showcase.

Tenth of 341 at the Alexander Invitational in Douglasville, Georgia, in 15:29.0, 22 seconds under his best and the second-fastest 1A time this year. Cunningham beat him at the Showcase. The Georgia course reads fast, so on our numbers the run is close to his season average; on the clock it is 22 seconds under his previous best.

Did not race. Thirty-first at the Southern Showcase on September 19 in 15:51.5, behind Cunningham; twenty-first at the Horse Park in 16:21.1, where he beat Jack Kline and Isaiah Manderson. Third to fourth, behind Arterburn on figure, one second apart. His win over Arterburn came at Cecil Field in August, and opening-weekend results no longer decide an order.

Thirty-first in the Southern Showcase championship race in 15:51.5, worth about 16:17 at Cecil Field, the second-fastest time by a 1A boy this fall, and Maclay finished 24th of 28 in that race. He ran 16:15.0 for 24th at Cecil Field, two places ahead of Arterburn, and 16:21.1 for 21st at the Horse Park, ahead of Kline and Manderson. His only loss this season is to Cunningham on Saturday. Fourth to third, and above Arterburn on the August result until the two meet again.

Did not race; Maclay ran only its JV at Nights of Thunder. 16:15.0 at Cecil Field and 16:21.1 for 21st at the Horse Park out of 549, the best finish by a 1A boy in that race. Fourth, half a second behind Cunningham on the season.

Fifth in 1A at state in 16:07.2, 16:15.0 at Cecil Field, and 16:21.1 at the Horse Park on Saturday. Two races on honest courses, six seconds apart, and no drama. He is the steadiest thing in the top five.

Idle in week two, and idleness costs him nothing here. Barton's 16:15 at Cecil is still the fastest time any 1A boy has actually run this season, still eight seconds up on Cunningham from the same race, and still within eight seconds of the 16:07.2 he ran at state. The case for him at number one is unchanged: he beat the guy above him. The case against is also unchanged: 15:47.8 is nineteen seconds better than anything Barton has ever run.

Fifth in 1A at state in 16:07.2 and 24th at Cecil Field in 16:15, which is eight seconds up on Cunningham on the same course in the same conditions, and within eight seconds of his own state time on a day the average returner ran level.

Barton is the most consistent runner in the class and the argument for him at first is a real one — he beat the man ranked above him. He is second because 15:47.8 is nineteen seconds faster than anything he has run and because one head-to-head in August is thinner evidence than a season. Maclay ranks second in 1A as a team behind him.