Who should be Maps Salem-area boys cross-country athlete of the year?

Who should be the Salem-Keizer area boys cross-country Runner of the year?More: Who should be Maps Salem-area girls cross-country runner of the year?You get to decide. The 2026 OSAA boys cross-country season is finished and Salem-area runners finally get to rest after a long season. The Salem-Keizer area saw conference champs and personal-bests aplenty this fall, but it's time for you to choose which runner had the best season.Here are the nominees for boys cross-country athlete of the year, brought to you by Maps Credit Union.Kayden Bejar, South SalemEzekiel Erickson, North SalemDavid Goodwin, West SalemJaxsen Herring, McNaryEthan Lutz, Blanchet CatholicStuart McLaughlin, RegisCole Rose, SilvertonCarter Rudishauser, StaytonHarper Stoops, RegisBrandon Wagar, StaytonAnderson Webb, SpragueInformation about each nominee is below. Vote for who you think should win at statesmanjournal.com/sports. The poll closes at noon Sunday, Nov. 22.Kayden Bejar, South SalemBejar, a senior, ran a 16-minute, 39.6-second 5,000-meter time for second place at the Central Valley Conference championships. Bejar went on to run a 16:06.4 for 37th place at the OSAA 6A state championships.Bejar ran a personal-best 15:59.9 at the Estacada Invitational, his lone win of the season. Ezekiel Erickson, North SalemErickson, a sophomore, ran a 16:59.6 for fifth place at the Central Valley Conference championships. That was Erickson's best finish of the season, alongside a ninth-place finish at the Stayton/Regis Invitational. Erickson's personal-best 16:52.3 mark came at the Rose City Championship Invite. David Goodwin, West SalemGoodwin, a senior, ran a 16:45.8 for third place at the Central Valley Conference championships. Goodwin qualified for the OSAA 6A state meet, where he ran a 16:49.5 for a spot in the top 80 finishers. Goodwin's personal best this season was a 15:50.5 mark at the Stumptown Showdown.Jaxsen Herring, McNaryHerring, a senior, ran a 16:36.4 for an individual Central Valley Conference title. Herring ran a 16:59.6 for a spot in the top 100 at the OSAA 6A state championships.Herring delivered a personal-best 16:04.3 mark at the Champoeg Invitational, his other first-place finish.Ethan Lutz, Blanchet CatholicLutz, a senior, ran a 17:31.4 for fourth place at the 3A District 2 championships. Lutz qualified for the OSAA 3A state meet, where he ran an 18:07.5 for top-35 finish.Lutz's personal best came at the Estacada Invitational, where he ran 17:02.1 for 18th place.Stuart McLaughlin, RegisMcLaughlin, a senior, ran a 16:28.7 for first place at the 2A/1A District 2 championships. At the OSAA 2A/1A championships, McLaughlin delivered a 16:29.3 race for a fourth-place finish. McLaughlin ran a personal-best 15:45.6 at the Rose City Championship Invite. Cole Rose, SilvertonRose, a junior, ran a personal-best 16:17.5 for seventh place at the Mid-Willamette Conference championships. At the OSAA 5A state championships, Rose ran 17:15.3 for a spot in the top 50 finishers.Rose earned a trio of seventh-place finishes this season — at the Silver Falls Oktober Fest Invitational and Rose City Championship Invite alongside his MWC finish.Carter Rudishauser, StaytonRudishauser, a senior, ran a 16:39.8 for fourth place at the Oregon West Conferece championships. Rudishauser qualified for the OSAA 4A state championships, where he ran 16:42.9 for 14th place.Rudishauser's personal-best race was a 16:31.9 he posted from The Happy Hustle race.Harper Stoops, RegisStoops, a senior, ran a 16:29.2 for second place at the 2A/1A District 2 championships. Stoops went on to run 16:38.2 at the OSAA 2A/1A state meet, good for eighth place.Stoops ran a personal-best 16:00.4 at the Rose City Championship Invite. Brandon Wagar, StaytonWagar, a junior, ran 16:18.7 for second place at the Oregon West Conference championships. Wagar then ran 16:44.8 for 16th place at the OSAA 4A state championships.Wagar ran a personal-best 16:07.5 at The Happy Hustle race and earned seven top-five finishes across the season, including a first-place at the Stayton XC Invitational. Anderson Webb, SpragueWebb, a senior, ran a 16:49.2 for fourth place at the Central Valley Conference championships. Goodwin then ran a similar 16:49.6 at the OSAA 6A state meet, which earned him 81st place. Goodwin's personal-best 15:50.7 came at the Stumptown Showdown, while his best finish of the season came at the CVC district meet. Landon Bartlett covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at LBartlett@statesmanjournal.com or on X, TikTok or Instagram @bartlelo. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Who should be Maps Salem-area boys cross-country athlete of the year?