Conor may be the highest ranked returner that was unable to win a race
That’s part of the effect of running on a team like Fremont (who will have another runner previewed)
Conor’s freshmen year was unheralded compared to Baracco, Sumner, but he still ran a blazing 16:10 at Regional (Michaywe Pines)
This past season, he inched his way up to those aforementioned studs with multiple sub-16/200+ efforts
He ran the massive PR’s (Benzie Regional, Portage), but also the clutch, tough performances that seal a State Title
Fremont’s depth and quality should give much leeway, but consistent performers like Somers are the key to recapturing that glory
10. Elizabeth Babcock, Novi
Elizabeth is likely the epitome of this preview’s emphasis on year to year improvement
As a sophomore, her first year in the sport, she ran fairly decent, breaking 20:00 multiple times, but didn’t qualify for MIS
As a junior, she started her season in the 19’s, nearly broke 18:00, and finished 7th in Division 1
I’m not sure what sparked that massive improvement, but I’m betting it wasn’t pure luck
One thing for certain, we couldn’t predict this coming, Elizabeth spent the 2019 track season honing her long jump skills – 3rd in Oakland County. What a talent!