| NOTE: All previews are unofficial. FACA pre-season rankings will be posted one week prior to all major meets (August 23). |
Girls 3A Individuals
Laura Bowerman (King)- The returning state champion has gotten nothing but stronger in the past nine months since we left the cross country course. This lanky now-senior has never looked back since upsetting Elly Kabboord at the UF Invitational last fall. She PRd with impressive runs of 5:04 (1600) and 11:05 (3200) in track, and recently turned in an astonishing 17:05 for 5,000 meters on a Tampa road course. Footlocker and "State's Best Girl" are more fitting goals for a runner who seems a lock for the state championship.Kelly Parrish (Ocala Vanguard)- Steven Hassen's departure won't keep Coach Travieso and the Knights' out of the spotlight. This tall sophomore is destined to be a force on the cross country course after turning in an impressive 20:35 on CSS' slow course. She showed her leg speed after kicking to a victory in the Class 3A, District 5 cross country meet last season and then earning a personal best time of 5:18 in the 1600 this spring.
Savannah Moon (St. Thomas Aquinas)- A top-10 finisher at last season's Class 3A meet, Moon continued to be impressive during her junior track campaign. She turned in consistent times throughout the season, breaking the 12-minute barrier on three occasions. She has always loved the course over the oval, as evidenced by three runs under 20:20 last season.
Courtney Marsh (St. Thomas Aquinas)- Marsh will lead an impressive, senior laden squad at STA this season. The 5th place finisher at last year's state meet, Marsh really turned it on during the track season. Specializing on shorter events, she PRd with runs of 5:08 (1600), 11:53 (3200), and 2:21 (800). Her 19:44 at last year's CC meet was a nine-second PR and the fourth time she ran under 20:10 for 5K last season.
Valeria Rodriguez(Lady of Lourdes)- A down-south favorite and the leader of the impeccable Lourdes crew. Rodriquez placed 6th in the ever-tough Class 2A last season with a time of 19:30, then continued improve in track season. Her PRs of 5:02 and 2:16 impressed the state and she'll use that leg speed to be a force in 3A this season. A certain top-3 pick if healthy.
Amanda Hahn(Gainesville)- Hahn capped a strong junior season with a 12-place state finish last season. The Hurrican proceeded to enjoy a breakout track season that saw her break the 12-minute barrier three times, including a PR 11:47. She'll improve as her senior year unfolds and should be a top-8 force by the time the postseason rolls around.
Anna Adams (Choctawhatchee)- No track times on this young lady, but who doesn't love to say her school's name. The sophomore was the surprise of the 2002 postseason, posting great runs each week and running to a 6th place finish at the state meet. She PRd at 2002 districts with a time of 19:41.
Girls 3A Teams
Lady of Lourdes: With arguably the top girls program in the state currently, Coach Montalvo is back into Class 3A to do battle with long time favorite Tampa Plant. Lourdes returns 3 of its top 5, including Rodriguez and Alexa Arteaga - a top-10 finisher in Class 2A last season. Lourdes will be battling for it's fourth straight state title, and it appears that noone can get in their way.
Tampa Plant: Even though the Panthers graduate the bulk of last season's state title team, noone with two peanuts for a brain would count out a Roy Harrison coached team. Plant rivals Bishop Kenny as the state's most storied girls program and will certainly end up in the hunt by the year's end.
St. Thomas Aquinas: Wow - what a great year to see a tri-meet develop from three of the state's top programs, regardless of competition. The obvious question is how STA will handle Coach Guarino's departure because the entire top-5 returns from last year's third place team that only needed a fifth runner. They were a mere 25 seconds away from the state title last fall and will definitely be Lourdes' most fierce competitior. Lauren Moxey and Blair Willenburg add to the punch.
Lely: This upstart team used superb pack running to punch their way to a state runner-up finish last season, and return most of that pack for 2003. Heidi Miller and Laura Satinas were All-State selections last season and should compete for top-15 spots this season. They'll need to replace their 3rd and 4th runners, and if they can could compete for a state title in this class that appears wide open after STA and Lourdes.
Fort Walton Beach: The FWB crew was young, young, young last season and will be able to use that experience to compete for a state title in 2003. Brittany Hitpass is a formible # 1 and one of North Florida's top females. Alex Hall and sister Ellyece will provide the team with a strong 2-3 punch and if their 4-5 can develop, FWB will be right in the hunt again this season.