Girls Coach of the Year
Jerome Loy (Jefferson Forest) - Loy has built a dynasty at Jefferson Forest the past couple of years with numerous state titles. This year had to have been his finest as his squad went the entire year undefeated as they simply destroyed the competition as they peaked at being ranked #7 in the nation and defending their Group AA state title.
Girls Runner of the Year
Keira Carlstrom (Oakton) - Carlstrom went the entire year not suffering a loss to any high school runners in Virginia as she repeated as Group AAA champion (18:18.60). She was the highest finisher for Virginia at the Foot Locker South Region Meet as she took 9th place in a time of 17:55.43, which was also the fastest time ran by any Virginian girl on the season.
Most Improved Girls Runner of the Year
Kristen Hart (Herndon) - Little was known about the Herndon sophomore prior to this year, but she really experienced a breakthrough year this past fall. Hart was the Concorde District runnerup to Carlstrom (17:56) then ran a strong race in the Group AAA race to take third behind Carlstrom and Hess with a time of 18:46.10. A drastic improvement for Hart who at last year's meet as a freshmen, placed 23rd in a time of 19:56.4. At the Foot Locker South Meet, she was the 6th finisher for Virginia as she took 32nd place in a personal best time of 18:40.01.
Girls First Team
Dacia Barr (Centreville) - Barr had a very solid sophomore season. She had one of her best races at the Glory Day's Grille Invitational where she finished just 7 seconds behind Carlstrom for runnerup honors in a time of 18:34. She capped the season off with a 30th place finish at the Foot Locker South Meet (18:37.03).
Keira Carlstrom (Oakton) - Season summary...see above
Kristin Hart (Herndon) - Season summary...see above
Jemissa Hess (C.D. Hylton) - From the Octoberfest Invitational on, Hess seemed to be in the zone as her performances only got better as the season progressed. At Octoberfest, she beat rival Shiring in a time of 18:14.50. After taking runnerup to Carlstrom at states (18:32.20), Hess ran a personal best time of 18:06.44 at the Foot Locker South Meet as she finished 14th. Being a junior, such a finish sets her up to be a strong contender to qualify for nationals next year.
Kristin Saunders (Jefferson Forest) - While Kristin is the lesser known of the two Saunders twins, she still made a name for herself during the year with some impressive performances. She was runnerup to sister Shannon at the Group AA State Meet (18:48.90). The JMU bound Saunders was the 4th finisher for Virginia at the Foot Locker South Meet in a personal best time of 18:20.82 taking 20th place.
Shannon Saunders (Jefferson Forest) - Saunders succesfully defended her Group AA state title (18:37), then went onto to setting two personal bests the following two weekends. She set the course record at the MileStat.com Invitational with a personal best for 3 miles of 17:55 and then the weekend after set a personal best for the 5K as she finished 13th at Foot Locker South in a time of 18:04.21.
Selina Sekulic (Ocean Lakes) - Despite suffering a season ending injury mid season, Sekulic had emerged
as one of the top distance runners in the state prior to her injury. At the William & Mary Invitational, Sekulic finished 3rd in the race with a time of 18:08 and soundly defeated some of the top runners in the state such as the Saunders Twins, Barr, and Isaacs.
Girls Second Team
Sara Bowman (Fauquier) - Bowman is one to look out for in future years as she is only a freshmen, yet has accomplished so much already. She finished 3rd in the Group AA State Meet (19:02.70) and finished 50th at Foot Locker South (19:00.15).
Ginna Ellis (Norfolk Academy) - Along with Bowman, Ellis forms to what is an excellent duo of freshmen stars. Ellis got the better of Bowman at the Foot Locker South meet as she finished 33rd in a personal best time of 18:42.30.
Jessica Fanning (Loudoun Valley) - The Region II champion (19:07) and also earning all-state honors in the Group AA race (5th, 19:17.90). She closed our her season with a fine showing in Charlotte as she placed 36th in the Seeded Race with a time of 18:44.99.
Megan Isaacs (Menchville) - Isaacs had by far her best race on the year the Group AAA State Meet where she finished 4th in a time of 18:54.30 as she beat some of the state's best including fellow All-MileStat.com team members Barr, Shiring, Rodgers, and O'Brien.
Moriah O'Brien (Osbourn Park) -After a lackluster state performance (12th, 19:18.40 in Group AAA race), O'Brien turned it around at Foot Locker with a sensational race as she placed 46th in a PR time of 18:56.55, finishing 10th for Virginia.
Joanna Rodgers (James Robinson) -The leader of the Group AAA state champion squad as she led her squad at states with a 7th place finishing time of 19:05.
Kristyn Shiring (North Stafford) - Shiring get's the iron girl (not man) award as she raced in 9 major races during the season, competing at a very high level and posting fast times always. She broke 19 in almost all of those races as well with the Group AAA State Meet (19:02.30) and Chancellor Invitational (19:46.10) as it showed Shiring's strength to be consistent at that rate.