When Roseville’s Robert Mechura won Minnesota’s Class 3A boys cross-country state championship last November, he had one runner right on his heels.

Sean Fries, then a junior at Minnetonka, finished just 2.8 seconds behind Mechura.

Now, with practice for a new season about to start, Fries is the top returning cross-country runner in Minnesota. He won the 3,200 meters at the state track and field meet in June and finished second in the 1,600.

“He has already committed to attend and compete at Stanford,” Minnetonka boys cross-country coach Jeff Renlund said. “His talent combined with dedication and consistent hard work … has much to do with [his] successes.”

Minnesota will crown new boys and girls cross-country champions in the largest class, 3A, this fall after two-year reigns for Mechura and Forest Lake’s Norah Hushagen.

Wayzata senior Maddie Gullickson, still undecided on her college choice, is the top returning girls cross-country runner in the state. She finished second to Hushagen last fall, won the 1,600 and 3,200 in the spring and will lead a Trojans squad competing for a fourth consecutive team state title.

“She knows how to dig deep and finish fast,” Wayzata girls cross-country coach Kalsey Beach said. “No matter what has happened throughout the race, Maddie has an extra gear that is unlike anything I’ve seen in a distance runner. She opens up her stride and really attacks the finish line.”

Here’s a list of the top 10 boys and girls cross-country runners for this season, based on last fall’s state meet.

Boys

Name, current class, school (time in last year’s state meet)

Sean Fries, senior, Minnetonka (Class 3A, 15:06.5)

Erik Semling, sophomore, Winona Cotter/Hope (Class 1A, 15:23.5)

Owen Stuwe, senior, Shakopee (Class 3A, 15:53.4)

David Obst, senior, Kasson-Mantorville (Class 2A, 15:54.0)

Tie – Charlie Loth, junior, St. Paul Como Park (Class 2A, 15:54.4)

Tie – Matt Jorgenson, senior, Perham (Class 2A, 15:54.4)

Samuel Deutz, senior, Marshall (Class 2A, 15:54.7)

Sander Ohe, senior, Edina (Class 3A, 15:54.9)

David Meberg, junior, Blaine (Class 3A, 15:57.4)

Carter Hering, junior, Hopkins (Class 3A, 15:58.3)

Girls

Name, current class, school (time in last year’s state meet)

Maddie Gullickson, senior, Wayzata (Class 3A, 17:48.3)

Anna VanAcker, senior, Forest Lake (Class 3A, 17:52.8)

Linnea Ousdigian, junior, Mounds View (Class 3A, 18:00.5)

Lila Golomb, senior, Wayzata (Class 3A, 18:04.8)

Audrey Brownell, senior, Staples-Motley (Class 1A, 18:17.2)

Charlotte Meyer, freshman, Mankato Loyola-Cleveland (Class 1A, 18:24.0)

Annika Hall, sophomore, Chisago Lakes (Class 2A, 18:25.8)

Lyla Drayna, freshman, Edina (Class 3A, 18:26.4)

Cassie Wellman, junior, Fergus Falls (Class 2A, 18:31.1)

Evie Malec, junior, Minnetonka (Class 3A, 18:32.8)