St. Thomas Sr. Kalee Soehnlen was 2nd last year and has the experience and speed to win it all this year. (photo Christian Lisle)
Girl's Individual
13 girls from last year's top 20 return this year.
Sr. Kalee Soehnlen had her on on her teammate Athena Welsh in the D3 girl's race with about 500m to go. (photo Chris Greene)
Sr. Kalee Soehnlen of St. Thomas Aquinas was 2nd to her teammate Athena Welsh last year in 11:37.9. She is ranked D3 #1 (18:01.00) and Ohio #7 Preseason. She is an experienced runner having been to State in XC three times. She was 13th as a freshman, 6th as a sophomore and 2nd as a junior. On the track she is the two time D3 800m champion. She has consistently improved from her freshman time of 19:17.01 to last year's 18:10. She will have competition from Sr. Kyleigh Edwards of Fairfield Christian, but if it comes down to the last 400, she has the speed to win. She should be atop the podium in November.
Sr. Kaliegh Edwards of Fairfield Christian finishing her 3rd place run last year. (photo Christian Lisle)
Kyliegh Edwards of Fairfield Christian Academy is perhaps the best 3,200/5K D3 gir'ls runner in the State at this time. Based solely on time, she is just behind Soehnlen. She was 3rd last year, but .245 seconds back of Soehnlen. If she wants to win, she'll have to push the pace, as she doesn't have the 400 or 800 speed of Soehnlen. She is ranked D3 #2, just .70 seconds behind Soehnlen and OH #8. She was 3rd on the track in the D# 3,200 with an 11:05.57.
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Jenny Sees of Peebles (239), Ashley Rowley of Berlin Center (214) and Emily Sreenan of Lima Central Catholic (233). Sreenan was 8th, Rowley 9th and Peebles 10th last year. (photo Christian Lisle).
Another girl who may contend is So. Jenny Sees of Peebles. Sees was 10th in last year's race with an 18:55. She improved on her freshman performance of 19:25.20 and her 11th place State finish and she gained some confidence and experience on the track last spring finishing 2nd in the D3 3,200 with an 11:02.25. She'll have to pick up .295 seconds however at National Trails. One thing in her advantage is that she has run a 5:06.80 1,600. She also has the fastest 800, aside from Soehnlen than any of the other top D3 girls. Sees is ranked OH #18.
Sr. Ashley Rowley of Berlin Center returns from the Top 10 last season . She was the 9th place finisher in 18:53.40. In 2013 she was 31st in 19:52.46. In 2014, swas 7th in the D3 1,600 with a 5:04.71.he was 18th in 19:31.31. She is ranked D3 #10 and has steadily improved from her freshman season. Outdoors she
Jr. Malina Mitchell of McDonald was 11TH last year.
Two other girls, both juniors, may get in the top five. D3 #6 ranked, Emily Sreenan of Lima Central Catholic and #5 ranked Malina Mitchell ran 8th and 11th respectively last year with times of 18:15.90 and 18:58.10. As freshman, they finished 9th and 11th, with Sreenan running 19:24.40 and Mitchell, 19:25.20. On the track, they have similar speed, both concentrating on the 1,600 at State. in 2015, Sreenan was 5th in 5:11.34. Mitchell 7th in 5:13.05. In 2016, Sreenan finished 5th again with a 5:04.21. Mitchell was just behind her in 6th with a 5:04.28. Mitchell as a 1.22 edge in the 800. Both have another year of great experience and should vie for a top 5 spot at the State meet.