In 2025, South Eugene’s Yosuke Shibata quietly put together one of the strongest junior seasons in the nation.

He started the fall with a win at the Oregon City XC Invite, dropping 14:53.8 and showing early signs that he was ready for more. Two weeks later, he went 14:38.2 at Nike Portland XC — a race that didn’t just give him a PR, it put him on everyone’s radar across the region.

From there, he kept leveling up. He won his first OSAA 6A state title in 15:01.1, closing hard against some of Oregon’s best seniors. At NXR Northwest, he held his ground in one of the most aggressive regional races we’ve seen in years, finishing fourth in 14:45.0 to earn his spot at NXN.

And on the national stage, he delivered again — 23rd at Nike Cross Nationals, just outside All-American, but fully inside the conversation of who belongs up front.

What stands out about Yosuke isn’t just the times. It’s the way he carries himself. Steady. Composed. A kid who built confidence race by race until the belief finally caught up with the ability.

As he heads toward track and the rest of his junior year, his trajectory feels less like a breakout and more like the start of someone settling into who he really is as a star on the national scene.

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