| NOTE: All previews are unofficial. FACA pre-season rankings will be posted one week prior to all major meets (August 23). |
Girls 1A Individuals
Fran Rodriguez (St. Andrews) - Rodriguez stormed onto the statewide scene as a virtual unkown last season to win the Class 1A title with a powerful kick by Robyn DeBenedet and Melissa Kotchman in the final 400 meters. The rising junior broke 20 on five occasions and sports at personal-best of 18:50 for 5K, which came at last year's state meet. A soccer player at heart, Rodriguez competed in track only for a short time this spring, leaving the team near Spring Break. She certainly has the talent to be special, but if the others put in the work will be be able to repeat?Robyn DeBenedet (Episcopal) - This rising senior has had more than her share of success, but is still chasing her first individual state title. A member of three state champion 4x800 teams and the 2000 Episcopal team that captured gold in the Class 1A, DeBenedet finished second last year in cross country and the 1600 at the state track meet. She owns personal bests of 18:29 for 5K, 5:05 for 1600, and 11:29 for 3200. Her noted kick and strength will make her a favorite this season, but the key will be experience. DeBenedet has a knack for coming on last in the season, and is certainly expected to be in the top pack on November 8th.
Melissa Kotchman (Indian Rocks Christian) - No stranger to the Class 1A elites, this sophomore has been running impressive times since her 7th grade year. Her top performance on the state scene came in 2002, where she placed third to Kara Scanlin and Kara Newell. She matched that performance last season, running with the leaders until Rodriguez and DeBenedet pulled away in the stretch. Kotchman owns the top times among the state's best. She ran 17:49 for three miles at Taylor Park her 8th grade season and posted a 18:41 (5,000 meters) at the Bay Conference meet last year. Her leg speed improved dramatically in the spring, as she ran 5:07 for 1600 at the Class 1A meet to place second. She, too, will be seeking her first state title on November 8th and it won't be a surpise in the least to see her capture it.
Haley Mercer (King's Academy) – This freshman stormed to the surface by enjoying an amazing track season in her first running campaign. She has no cross country times to speak of, but one can only expect a 11:24 3200 runner with 5:06 speed in the 1600 to be an amazing player on the grass this fall. Experience often becomes a factor in 5,000 meters, so expect her best performances to come in October and November when it counts the most.
Chelsey Joiner (Holy Trinity) – Joiner was one of the few standouts who didn't run as well as expected during an injury/sickness plagued track campaign. That being said, everyone in the state knows not to count out this frosh-to-be with a gritty racing style and work ethic that is second-to-none. Joiner is the most consistent of the major players on the girls top echelon, owning an amazing nine sub 20 minute 5,000 meter performances. Her best time came at last season's regional meet, where she one in impressive fashion with a time of 18:44. She did better her 3200 best to 11:53 at this year's regional track championships and I'm sure will be among the lead pack when healthy as racing starts on September 6th.
Rebecca Zuhlke (Holy Trinity) – The most notable transfer on the Class 1A girls' side, Zuhlke comes to HTA by way of Satelite, where she stormed to a 5th place finish at last year's Class 3A state championships. Her person-best of 19:42 came at last year's prestate meet, where she beat many of the state's top guns. She then lowered her 3200 best to 11:42 in track before missing the postseason with an injury. With Joiner as her training partner, it's tough to imagine these two doing anything but getting better each week, and with Coach Butler as her coach expect consistency and steady improvement to lead to a strong finish on the course.
Mercedes Anderson (Benjamin) – The faster of the two Anderson sisters, Mercedes runs as smooth as a 700 series. She showed why the top girls don't want to let it come down to a 400 meter race by running a 58.68 to when the Class 1A quarter mile. Though she has never broken 20 minutes for 5K (her PR is 20:05 at Holy Trinity in the Region 3-1A meet last season), Anderson has shown steady improvement year-in and year-out and should be among the top-10 at this year's state meet.
Sara Petrick (Academy of Holy Names) – An inconsistent, yet promising player is this rising junior. She bounced up and down time-wise last season before settling on a 19:44 PR and a top-20 finish (20:34) at the state championships. She then impressed everyone in track running an 11:40 to place top-5 in the Class 2A 3200. A fit competitor, evidenced by her 20:34 on the ever-slow Whispering Pines Course at the CSS, Petrick will be another top name in Class 1A this season.
Adriana Piekarewicz (Maclay) - You didn't think there could be a Class 1A preview without a runner from Maclay did you? This frosh has all the signs of a breakout season in 2003. If anyone can make the jump from top echelon to elite, it's Piekarewicz, who evidenced that she was ready to make that move with a standout track campaign in her 8th grade year that saw her run PRs of 2:19 for 800 and 5:20 for 1600. Adriana cracked the 20-minute barrier twice last season, including an impressive 19:26 PR run at the Panhandle Championships. An all-region performer on her home course with a time of 19:57, expect this one to lead Coach Droze's troups towards the top in her first high school season.
Stevie Uribe (Oak Hall) - Pretty much the wild card in Class 1A, in more ways that one. After winning the Class 1A state 3200 meter title as a 7th grader, Uribe struggled to finish 21st in cross county her 8th grade season and was never really the force that everyone expected her to be. She rebounded with a fine spring track campaign, leading the Eagles to a state team title and victory in the 4x800. She has the best leg speed of the group, save maybe DeBenedet and Rodriguez, PRing with a 2:16 in the 800 (relay split) and 5:16 in the 1600. If she can add strength to her repitoire, Uribe could be the spark that Oak Hall needs to have a chance to knock off the champs.
Girls 1A Teams
Holy Trinity - The Tigers return everyone from last year's team that crushed the Class 1A field and add Rebecca Zuhlke to fortify a strong lineup. It really looks like a one-man show if Coach Butler can get the group to continue to improve. HTA sports an 19:34 average time for its top-5 PRs, an average that will be rivalled by only Spanish River in 2003. The Putnam sisters round out an amazing top-5 that also includes All-State performer Jade Miller. Injuries and illness are less worrisome here than on most campuses, where Coach Butler also has three other runners who have cracked 21-minutes for 5,000 meters.
Oak Hall - With a perfect season and a little luck, Oak Hall appears likely to be the only team close enough even scare HTA. Its top-5 sports an average of 20:29 for PRs and has several rising stars, including Bronson transfer Laci Huddleston. Depth will certainly be an issue as the Eagles might be able to stay close with Holy Trinity through three runners. The good news is that they did break through and capture their first state title this spring in track and will be hungry to stand on the podium again in 2003.
Episcopal The Eagles have placed in the top-5 for the past seven years and in the top-3 in five of those years. They return a group led by three previous All-Staters, Robyn DeBenedet, Laura Steel, and Sara Loveless. Depth is certainly the biggest question mark here, as Emily Ingham's temporary departure leaves the group short a quality runner at this point. If Ingham returns in time, or if Coach Kendall can find another talented youngster among the Jacksonville school's halls then the Eagles can challenge for a top-3 spot.
Maclay - All Gary Droze is a coaching god jokes aside, the Maureders will be strong as usual this season. Piekarewicz should be a stud, and Maclay always finds a way to have some girls working together and improving every week. Betsy MacQueen and Meredith Fraser give the group two more under 21 and even a fool would expect two more to be walking the halls and training at Maclay Gardens
Benjamin - The other Orange and Blue team got consistently better each week last season and culminated that with a 7th place performance at the state meet. They are the only team other HTA and Berkley Prep to return their entire top-5 and should easily put four girls under 21:20. If a # 5 emerges, and the Andersons continue to get better a top-3 finish is possible.
Berkley Prep - Berkley started the year near the top last season, but suffered from an inconsistent season. Some weeks they looked poise to run with HTA, Maclay, Episcopal and others, then other weeks they looked as if they would struggle to make it to the state meet. A big part of that is likely their youth. They return their whole top-5 and have solid front runners in Lindsey Pikos and Farrah Elchahal. America Dupree and Maggie Daly should promise at times last season. If that becomes consistent they could dominate the West Coast and land in the top-5.