TUPELO - Max Holman bugged his mom so much about running in the 2002 Gum Tree 10K, she gave in and allowed her fifth-grader to participate.

But only after he talked a few soccer buddies into running with him. Mom insisted.

Emily Holman waited a little past the halfway point of the 6.2-mile race at St. Luke United Methodist Church for her aspiring runner ... just in case he wanted to give up.

Max ran right on by and waved. "He was ahead of some good runners," mom observed.

"I'd been bugging her for years to run in the Gum Tree," said Holman, now a Tupelo High senior. "Once I ran the Gum Tree, I was hooked."

On Saturday, Holman will attempt to win his third consecutive state cross country state championship at the MHSAA 6A meet at Choctaw Trails in Clinton.

His winning time last season in the 5A championship was 15 minutes, 50 seconds. The year before, he finished in 15:57. The school record is a 15:39 set in 2003 by Robert Scribner.

Tupelo's team records are based on performances in the state meet, which is run on the same course each season.

"I go into every race looking to set a PR," Holman said. "It would be nice to get Robert's record, but that's not my focus.

"I just need to do what I need to do. If I break it, then it would be icing on the cake."

Holman said his strategy on the MC course is to not go out "too fast" and "save a little" for the last hill.

"The finish there is the toughest part," he said.

He won the MC Invitational there earlier this season, on a muddy course, in 16:27.

Tupelo coach Nathan Hall believes Holman has a shot to break the school mark.

"Max has all kinds of talent," he said. "He ran a 15:19 PR earlier this year. Only four people have beaten him all year." Three of those were at a meet in Louisville, Ky., where he posted his PR.

Hall's assistant, Scott Brown, believes Holman is the best overall runner the program's produced when it comes to consistency.

"It's hard to win a 5A, now 6A, state championship," Brown said. "To win three in a row would be phenomenal."

Holman's Golden Wave team, along with the Lady Wave, will be competing for a first 6A team state championship and the ninth straight for both programs.

Both teams are ranked No. 1 in times posted at Milesplit.us.

"Our guys have the talent, they just need to put it all together," Brown said. "Our girls are on the rise. They're capable of getting better and better.

"They both know they can't take it for granted they're going to win. If they do, they'll lose."

Holman likes the boys' chances of winning.

"If we work our hardest, give it our all, we can win," he said.