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As with the boys, I’m ranking these.  Enjoy!

10. Makenna Veen, Plainwell

• Victories at some major meets last year, Otsego Bulldog and Regionals.
• Tied for her best rating on the most important race of the fall, placing 2^nd to a mystery runner in the top 5
• Laid down some serious PRs in the 400, 800, and 3200.
• 1^st place at State finals with a 10:38

9. Alexa Keiser, Fenton

• Other than a hot day at Spartan, very consistent throughout the year, ratings within 3 points of one another.
• Reached All-State for the third consecutive year
• PRed in the 800, also threw down a 62, which shows range
• Second straight year as All-State in the 3200, improving from 8^th to 6^th

8. Adit Dau, GR Ottawa Hills

• As with Ebright, not many results other than conference meets, but those results are all quality
• Most impressive is a 2^nd place at the Allendale Regional
• Showed track ability across the board, hard to discern what’s the most impressive of those times

7. Sophie Novak, Lake Orion

• Established herself as a force you don’t want near you on the homestretch in XC, shown by a gutty win at Regionals
• Backed that up with, by far, her most outstanding performance of the season at MIS
• Showed tremendous track ability in mid-distance events
• 4:49 is ranked 12^th among all sophomores nationwide

6. Ashlyn Nagel, Bay City Western

• Integral member and leader of Bay City Western squad always there in big meets
• Like Novak, outperformed her rating to a top-10 finish at MIS
• PRed in both the 1600 and 3200, dropping a whopping 23 seconds in the 3200.
• Member of 1^st place 3200 relay team (wouldn’t be shocked if her split was faster than the 2:23 listed)

For the top 10, I’ve decided to rank runners in order.  Enjoy!

10. Jack Spamer, Brighton

• Forms a formidable top two with unnamed Brighton runner
• A great race at a tough course at Averill early, but no bad races, especially late into the season
• Lowered XC PR by 30 seconds last year
• Set track PRs in everything between 400-3200m
• Regional champ in both 1600 and 3200

9. Jack Wilson, Romeo

• Exceptional raw talent, has been a top 15 performer at State the past two years.
• Defending Regional champ
• Impressive speed ratings early, some of the better individual performances of anyone returning
• PRed in everything in track
• Regional champ in 1600, where he ran 4:17.9

8. Peter Baracco, Farmington

• In my ratings, top freshman in XC last year (it’s very close between him and Hough)
• Peter’s 208 at Oakland County is the highest individual freshman rating and his 15:56 at MIS was the best freshman time of the day
• Impressive finishes include 5^th at Oakland County and 17^th at State
• Ran 9:40 in track before his season was cut short, thankfully he’s back to running as of now

7. Patrick Byrnes, Plymouth

• Plymouth another team with a formidable duo (heck, trio)
• Two outstanding races at Holly and Coaching Legends, still consistent at the end of the year (like Spamer)
• Obtained a 31 second PR last season
• Exceptional speed on the track in races between 400-1600
• 2^nd in both the 800 and 1600 at State, Regional champ in both

6. Anthony Hancock, Dearborn Divine Child

• Dominated the Catholic ranks in XC, winning both at Michigan Catholic and CHSL
• Following a mid-season swoon, came on strong at the end of the year with the last three races above 207.
• Lowered his XC PR by 33 seconds from 2017
• PRed in all three distance events in track
• Division 2 State champ in the 3200 with a 9:06

Lauren Kiley was one of the top freshman in the state last season.  Walked away with the Wayne County championship, nearly won her region, but still went sub-18 in the process.  Carried over to track where she showed herself to be a little more of a miler, running 5:03.

Kendall Schopieray showed some dramatic improvements over the course of two months.  She really started to hit her stride around the time of Northern Michigan Champs, placing 5^th there.  That continued onto States, where she knocked out another top-5 finish.  She may be more of a 400/800 track girl, but showed solid times across the board.

Taryn Chapko’s hit list included many invitationals, Corunna and Apples to Apples most notably.  Also placed high in the MHSAA events, outperforming her season average in both.  Really shines on the track, her 800 times are elite, and she was undefeated in that event this spring.

Yasmine Mansi was able to break 18 for the second consecutive season and was at the forefront of many of Northville’s races.  In track, she was able to go sub-5 for the first time, at State Finals no less.  That time was good for a 6^th place finish.

Maryam Sheena had quite the track season, PRing at all three distance events.  The biggest jump came in the 3200, where she crushed the 11 minute barrier in a 10:52 at Regionals.  She had a similar peak in XC, where she was able to tie her best rating of the season in a 19^th place performance at States.

Sarah Forsyth had a very consistent freshman campaign, with 8 ratings of over 150.  Her best rating and best time came at Jackson, where she beat a certain girl ranked in the top 5.  She’s another one that has shown exceptional 800 quality, where she ran 2:15 on a relay.

Look, a freshman!  Arianne Olson’s track record at the middle school level speaks for itself.  You would have to go back to October 2016 to find a race she didn’t finish 1^st on the XC course. That dominance continued to the track, where she only lost once all year, and broke 11 for the second consecutive year.

Emma Squires led a Petoskey team to a top 3 finish last year, they should be up there again this year.  Her best performances came at Northern Michigan (PR) and Regionals (1^st place).  In track, she nabbed All-State honors in the 16/32, while also PRing in the 800.

Allison Chmielewski had about as impressive a start to her XC season as you’ll see.  Unfortunately it was cut short, but that doesn’t diminish her accomplishments.  It looks like she recaptured that form in track, where she finished 4^th in both the 16/32 at States.

I like examples of kids who come up big in big meets.  Julia Flynn did just that in her first time at MIS.  Her 16 second PR there netted her a Top 10 finish.  She showed great ability in the 1600 as well with a 4:56 and 8^th place finish at States.