Todd Grasley

Dec 20, 2012

We conclude our 2012 cross country coverage by honoring the top female harriers of the season. Congratulations to our 2012 All Flrunners Girls Cross Country Team.

1st Team

GIrls Runner of the Year - Bridget Blake - Dr. Phillips - Senior - Blake became one of the most decorated distance runners after winning her third consecutive 4A cross country state championship and bringing her all time state championship count to seven (four in track). She finished runner up as a freshman at Freedom High School. On the national scene, Blake qualified for Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego for the second straight year. In 2011, she finished 38th at the event, but in 2012 improved greatly on that place. She came in 15th among the nations' best runners and earned All-American status. Her time of 17:12 at Foot Locker South in North Carolina was the fastest time of any Floridian in 2012 and a new personal best for Blake. Next year she will run for Florida State University.

Emily Edwards - Fort Myers - Junior - Edwards won six races in 2012 including the flrunners.com Invitational Race of Champions where she bested some of the top talent from across the state with her fastest time of the year 17:43.80. That time was the fastest by a junior and second fastest the whole year. She followed that up with a second place finish in the FSU/Pre-State Invitational to Estero's Kacy Smith and then rattled off wins at districts and regionals. Edwards looked to be one of the favorites to win the 3A state championship, but fell short finishing fifth in 18:30.30. At the Foot Locker South Regional she was the second Floridian to cross the line coming in 18th with her second sub 18 minute performance of the year. Unfortunately, for the rest of 3A Edwards will be back for her senior year. She has the top time in 3A by nearly thirty seconds coming into the 2013 cross country season.

Rachel Givens - Chiles - Senior - Givens had only run three meets before competing in the Panhandle Championships on October 20th. Not only did she win the race against some of North Florida's best competition, she dominated, and opened up some eyes in the process. Givens won in 17:54.10 nearly thirty seconds more than runner-up Rachel Kling. Givens has been overshadowed in the past by fellow Chiles runners Carly Thomas and Lily Williams, but 2012 was her year to shine. She went on to win districts and regionals before upsetting a stacked 3A field to win her first state championship as an individual in a new personal best time of 17:48.78, the fourth fastest time of 2012. Recently she said her college decision is between Auburn University and the University of Florida.

Julia Montgomery - Pine Crest - Freshman - Montgomery had high expectations coming into her first high school season after an impressive middle school career. She lived up to expectations winning three of her first four meets. However, the real eye opener came during the flrunners.com Invitational Girls Race of Champions when Montgomery broke the eighteen minute mark coming in third with a new personal best mark of 17:52.60. Not only was the time impressive, but the level of competition she was up against. Montgomery went onto win her next four meets before hitting a road block named Daesha Rogers. Rogers and Montgomery went head to head in districts and regionals witih Rogers coming out on top in both races by just two seconds. Lesson learned for the youngster though. In the final match up of the year, Montgomery sat back, let Rogers do the work, and as a result saved up enough energy to capture her first state title.

Kacy Smith - Estero - Senior - Smith has been a leader for one of the top programs in Florida the past three years, the Estero Wildcats. Individually, she won the 2A state title in 2010 and finished eighth in 2011 and third in 2012. She finished in the top five in every race she competed in this year including a fifth place finish in the flrunners.com Invitational Girls Race of Champions, runner-up at the 3A Region 3 Championship, and impressive wins at the FSU Invitational/Pre-State and districts. She will leave her cross country career with a total of four state championships from the cross country finals. Smith has committed to run for Ole Miss in the fall of 2013.

Katy G. Solis - Estero Senior - Solis proved this year and throughout her cross country career that it's not the size of the runner, but the size of their heart. Solis was a member of Estero's three state championships and helped them achieve number three by finishing second at the 3A cross country finals. Running side by side with teammate Kacy Smith, Solis edged her out at the finish to claim the runner-up spot. Her time of 17:58.70 was a new personal best and the first time Solis had broke the 18 minute barrier in her high school career. She had eight top four finished throughout the year including runner-up at districts, and third place at regionals. Solis has committed to run for Ole Miss in the fall of 2013.

Julie Wollrath - Holy Trinity - Sophomore - It seems like Wollrath is one of those athletes we have been following for years, but yet she is only just a sophomore. Last year, she picked up her first state title and in 2012 repeated as 1A champion in a time of 18:15.49. She won the Wickham Park Jamboree, Katie Caples Invitational, Jim Ryun Invitational, Holy Trinity Fall Classic, as well as, district and regional championships. She also had impressive showings at the FSU Invitational/Pre-State (fifth) and at Great American (17th). Her season best time of 17:53.50 was the fastest time for a sophomore in 2012 and makes her a favorite to three-peat in 2013.