Girls Preview
Individuals:
While the 2A girls race might be the most competitive I think the 4A girls contest will produce the fastest times of the morning. State leader and defending champion Bailey Hertenstein has to be the favorite, but it won't come easily. The Riverview junior has a personal best of 17:32.14 from the flrunners.com Race of Champions which she won. Speaking of winning, the kid doesn't lose. In 20 races, dating back to the start of 2014, she's lost one time, that coming at the 4A Cross Country Finals where she was 15th, in her fourth cross country race ever. Last year, she quietly made her trip to the state meet, but this year, with four sub 18 minute times under her belt, and coming off of a course record time of 18:13.83 at Holloway Park the target on her back will be larger than ever.
Fletcher senior Kayley Delay is one of the top distance recruits in the state of Florida on the girl's side and will have an upcoming college decision. She was 4th as a sophomore, and runner-up last year behind Hertenstein as a junior. Just like in track, she's hungry for a win at 5,000 meters. Delay dominated 4A Region 1 in a new PR and FL#2 time of 17:37.40. If there is a time to be on a hot streak, now is that time.
Someone whose stock rose in the last couple of weeks is Winter Springs freshman Elayna Bahr. A lot of the freshmen talk in the classification centered around Jupiter's Ali Del Re, but with Del Re out due to a stress fracture, Bahr has taken over that spot. She was second just last week in 4A Region 1, one of the toughest in the state, behind Delay, and ahead of 2014 4A state champion Rafaella Gibbons of Winter Park.
Gibbons hasn't run the fastest times of her high school career this year and recently ran a SB of 18:09.80 at regionals. The Winter Park junior has a state cross country title which only Hertenstein can claim, and is the only one to say they are a Nike Nationals qualifier. Last year, she finished 45th in the NATION. Coach McWilliams likes her runners to peak at state and then for the postseason meets like NXN and Foot Locker.
Other names to watch out for include freshmen Alyssa Hendrix, Ashley Klingenberg, Daniela Urzua, Rania Samhouri,Rylee Pustilnik, and Jordan Shapiro.
Teams:
The Winter Park girls are going for their third straight 4A Cross Country finals team title. The Wildcats had the best team score based on regional results and on the season with a 19:03.14 team average and all seven runners under 20 minutes.
For Steinbrenner High School they are in the hunt, but will have to get more production from their four and five runners to take the top spot on the podium rather than the runner-up position. The Warriors top five have run under 19:45 and for Coach Lad Baldwin's team the strength is in their 45 second 1-5 split. Interesting note that of their top runners four different girls have won meets, so anyone can step up for them on any given day.