1. Annika Reiss - Bellingham
No stress fracture can keep Bellingham's Annika Reiss from making her third consecutive trip to the 2A State Track meet. Although Reiss didn't run personal best times, she still managed to run 5:06.41 in the 1600 and 11:05.99 in the 3200. She also placed 5th in both the 1600 and 3200 at the state meet. When healthy, Reiss is one of the best distance runners in the state of Washington at any level.
2. Cameron Hodges - Sehome
For a girl that plays volleyball in the fall and doesn't run cross country for the best program in the state at the 2A level, Sehome's Cameron Hodges ability to run fast and have success in the 800 and 1600 is incredible. Despite a rough 800 race at the 2A State meet, Hodges had a great season overall. She ran personal bests of 2:16.08 and 5:07.9 in her sophomore season.
3. Alyce Harlan - Nooksack Valley
A senior season for the books for Alyce Harlan of Nooksack. Claiming the first 1A cross country state championship and then 5 months later breaking a school record in the 3200. Did not place at the 1A State Track meet in the 3200 that was stacked full of really good runners from the same district as her. Ran personal best times of 5:20.07 in the 1600 and 11:13.01 in the 3200. Harlan will enlist into the National Guard in the future before pursuing her running career.
4. Jess Gill - Sehome
A very talented sophomore for the Lady Mariners, Jess Gill is another person that put a lot of time and effort during the off-season to run the times she did this spring. Gill ran personal best times of 5:17.27 in the 1600 and 11:30.54 in the 3200. She also won a total of 3 races in the 3200. Last week, Gill ran the Burlington Half-Marathon in 1 hour and 24 minutes. Very impressive for someone her age.
5. Rosie Kirker - Sehome
This was another girl dealing with stress fracture problems earlier on in the track season, but sophomore Rosie Kirker still made it to the 2A State Track Meet in the 3200. Finished 14th in the 3200 at state. Ran her best 3200 time in 11:37.58 and a season best 1600 time of 5:25.12. When she gets fully healed, her and teammate Jess Gill will be leading the Mariners cross country team once again to another hopeful state championship next fall.
6. Grace Much - Bellingham
Bellingham junior Grace Much just keeps on making great marks for herself. Much kept climbing and improving this spring in the 1600 and 3200 as she ran her personal bests in times of 5:21.75 and 11:38.88, a 7 second drop from her previous best in the 3200. She also PR'd in the 800 running 2:27. With her and Reiss returning next fall, the Lady Red Raiders look to give Sehome some fits for the team state title.
7. Ashlee Van Den Top - Meridian
Perhaps it wasn't the season she wanted to have in her final year as a Meridian Trojan, but Ashlee Van Den Top can look back on the great high school career she had. After an 8th place finish at the 1A State Track Meet in the 800, Van Den Top finishes with a total of 8 state medals between track and cross country. No personal best times ran this year, but her ran season best marks of 2:21.75 and 5:29.89. Van Den Top continues her running career at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon next fall.
8. Grace Oswin - Squalicum
The University of Portland commit missed out on finals in the 800 at the 3A State Track Meet, but Grace Oswin finished her senior season as the top Squalicum girl again. No personal best times this year but ran season best times of 2:17.83 and 5:41.53. A runner that will be dearly missed next fall for the Storm.
9. Aspen Allsop - Sehome
After an 11th place finish at the 2A State Cross Meet last fall, Aspen Allsop went into the 2018 track season with tons of confidence and it showed on the track. Only ran a personal best time in the 1600, which was 5:39.59, a 17 second drop from her previous best time. She ran a season best 800 time 2:27.54 at the District meet. Allsop is another returning Sehome cross country runner that will help the Lady Mariners reclaim another state title this upcoming fall.
10. Jaclyn Denham - Ferndale
Ferndale has another freshman stud on the girls side. Jaclyn Denham ran well in her first high school track season running 2:25.86 in the 800 placing her in the top 10 in the Northwest Conference. Just like Sturdevant, she was also the fastest freshman 800 runner in Whatcom County this spring. She also ran the 1600 in 5:41.9. Another runner that will impress tons of people in the fall next cross season.
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