With key runners and teams gone, the girls' race will be just as competitive as the boys' race. With last year champion Anne Carpenter from Giles gone, this year's race will be the battle of the underclassmen. Out of the top thirty from last year's state meet, twenty-two were underclassmen (only four will return as seniors). Just picture the state meet in another three years. Key returners are rising sophomores Lori Crofts (Craig County), Nina Pfeiffer (Strasburg), and rising juniors Hanna Traynham (Floyd County) and Shylan Brumbrey (James Monroe).
The most known runner returning is Brumbrey because of her foot speed on the track. Brumbrey can do anything from the 400 meter dash to the 5K. She is the two time 800 meter champion with a PR of 2:12 and 400 meter champion with a time of 59.25. Even though, she is returning as the fourth best girl in cross country, she is the favorite to win the title this year. If she can build her endurance and improve from her PR of 20:02 for cross country, she will be tough to beat throughout the season and at Great Meadows.
Lori Crofts is the top returning girl from states in Single A. Her PR of 20:37 is one of the fastest time returning. Crofts proved that she can run, by posting PR's of 5:41 in the mile and 12:23 in the two mile. Crofts is a strong runner, and if she can build from her freshmen year accomplishments, she will play a big role at the state meet.
Pfeiffer, just like Crofts, also had a good freshman year. Pfeiffer may be a little better at the long distance races than Crofts as she beat Crofts at the outdoor track state meet in the two mile and posted better PR's. Pfeiffer peaked at the right time for track season as she posted both of her track PR's at the state meet with a 5:33 mile (5th) and 11:53 two mile (2nd). If Pfeiffer peaks at the right time as she did at both cross country and track state meet, she may post the bigggest threat to Brumbrey.
Hanna Traynham, the sister of Ben Traynham, is coming off a great cross country and track campaign. She's coming back with the fastest Single A time of 19:49 (40th in the entire state) and will put up a fight for the top spot. During the track season, she mainly ran the two mile and that will help her crossover to the cross country course easily. As she comes off the track season by placing sixth at the state meet behind the top returning runner from states, Crofts (fifth), she'll be focused to take the championship from the rest of the field.
Other runners that will post big threats on the top four returners are juniors Ashley Osborne (John Battle), Emily Burke (Thomas Walker) and sophomore Katee Knupp (Central). These runners are coming off good cross country and track seasons and they have the potential to take it all at the state meet.
The favorites for the team titles are between two teams, Central and Madison County. Central is returning two all-state runners including Knupp and fellow sophomore Bethany Powell (eleventh at states last year). Central also has a very strong third runner in rising senior Rachel Fitzsimmons who can help them defend their championship. Madison will have the best chance in knocking Central off the top. Madison County is retuning four of their seven runners from their runner-up team. All four of them are in the top twenty-five in the returning Single A runners from states. The only problem is that Central has three of their runners in front of Madison's top runner. If Madison can find any way to break up the Central top three, Madison will win their first state title in school history.
Rounding out for the third spot is a battle between James Monroe, who is lead by Brumbrey, and Patrick Henry. Patrick Henry islead by all-state runner sophomore Maggie Lester (ninth) and Kim Davenport(sixteenth).
With key runners and teams gone, the girls' race will be just as competitive as the boys' race. With last year champion Anne Carpenter from Giles gone, this year's race will be the battle of the underclassmen. Out of the top thirty from last year's state meet, twenty-two were underclassmen (only four will return as seniors). Just picture the state meet in another three years. Key returners are rising sophomores Lori Crofts (Craig County), Nina Pfeiffer (Strasburg), and rising juniors Hanna Traynham (Floyd County) and Shylan Brumbrey (James Monroe).
The most known runner returning is Brumbrey because of her foot speed on the track. Brumbrey can do anything from the 400 meter dash to the 5K. She is the two time 800 meter champion with a PR of 2:12 and 400 meter champion with a time of 59.25. Even though, she is returning as the fourth best girl in cross country, she is the favorite to win the title this year. If she can build her endurance and improve from her PR of 20:02 for cross country, she will be tough to beat throughout the season and at Great Meadows.
Lori Crofts is the top returning girl from states in Single A. Her PR of 20:37 is one of the fastest time returning. Crofts proved that she can run, by posting PR's of 5:41 in the mile and 12:23 in the two mile. Crofts is a strong runner, and if she can build from her freshmen year accomplishments, she will play a big role at the state meet.
Pfeiffer, just like Crofts, also had a good freshman year. Pfeiffer may be a little better at the long distance races than Crofts as she beat Crofts at the outdoor track state meet in the two mile and posted better PR's. Pfeiffer peaked at the right time for track season as she posted both of her track PR's at the state meet with a 5:33 mile (5th) and 11:53 two mile (2nd). If Pfeiffer peaks at the right time as she did at both cross country and track state meet, she may post the bigggest threat to Brumbrey.