2022 Top 3 Teams: Sev Park, WJ, Wooton
2022 Top 5 Individuals:Â Elena Blodnikar (Leonardtown), Varri Higgins (BCC), Katie Greenwald (WW), Avery Graham (Sherwood), Grace Finnegan (RM)
2021 Top 3 Teams: WJ, Broadneck, Urbana
2021 Top 5 Individuals:Â Varri Higgins (BCC), Mollie Fenn (Broadneck), Avery Graham (Sherwood), Katherine Leddy (Arundel), Ella Zeigler (Hubie Blake)
The Course
The State Meet course is run on the infamous Bull Run Course. The dip defines the course and it’s universally known throughout the running community. The course is certainly challenging, but it rewards toughness and durability. Depending upon one’s definition of a hill, there are at least eleven hills on the course-some more challenging than others. The second mile is by far the most challenging mile in the course with two steep, challenging hills. The second hill after the soccer field, which demarcates the half way point, is arguably the most challenging part of the course.
One is advised to commit to the race early on, but to be advised a faster than average first mile will result in a very long second mile. The final mile is actually a net downhill with a set of rolling hills on the back side of the course. This leads to the return to the dip.
One factor with racing this course in November versus September is that the weather is significantly different. One doesn’t need to contend with a scorching sun, but precipitation may not evaporate, which can lead to certain areas being slick, in particular the ninety degree turn leading to the return to the dip. Another nuance in the change of seasons is that one can see up the dip from a distance away, and one can also see the runners make their way to the dip following the second mile.
A full course preview is below.
The Teams
There is no doubt this will be an exciting race. Walter Johnson has been the perennial 4A power. Frederick has been strong, but they moved up to 4A this year. Leonardtown is rolling. BCC is ready to make a push.
Leonardtown has had a very good season. They were third at Seahawk and fell a little at bull Run as they were sixth in the elite division, but they have really revved it up in the post season; They took an assertive win at SMAC and put out a dominant performance at regions. Coach Ayanna Dudley says, “I think the girls will be extremely competitive this weekend. We’ve got some great athletes that have some fast starts and amazing finishes so it is sure to be a good show. All of the athletes expected to run their best race of the season this weekend and our coaching staff is looking forward to seeing many successes.”
Frederick finished in second last year at the 3A state championships. This season the Cadets bumped up to 4A, but they returned all of their runners from last year’s team. The Cadets have run well all season On their team’s outlook for Saturday, Coach Frank Strakonsky says, “We’ve had a great season this year and we hope our top seven put their best efforts forward on Saturday. We were disappointed that the bull run was canceled and we were unable to attend (already scheduled to run in Pa) as that’s usually our litmus test for the state meet. Moving up to 4a is a different beast and we hope we can compete with teams like Walter Johnson, Leonardtown, and Walt Whitman.”
Fifth at last year’s state championship, BCC is a team looking to make a splash Saturday. They return much of their team from last season. Their best performance this season was taking the win at the competitive MDXC Invite. They were second at MOCO champs to Walter Johnson, and while they won a weak south region, their one-five spread was just over a minute. On the team’s outlook for Saturday Coach Gildon Kirk says “We are proud of how strong and consistent our girls have been this year. We are looking forward to seeing how we stack up against the best teams in the state on Saturday.”
Walter Johnson enters as a podium contender, and it’s not just because of tradition. Their team is very strong, and it returns some experienced championship runners. During their season, a top performance was their second place finish in the elite division at Bull Run. In the post season, they dominated a strong MOCO championship, and they beat a top contender in Frederick at Regionals. Looking to Saturday, long time Coach Tom Martin says, “Walter Johnson WJ Pride and Tradition.” “I expect our girls to compete with heart and to have fun doing it.”
The Individuals
There probably is a favorite to win, but there are some heavy hitters in this race, and there could be a pack of ten to fifteen girls still together late in the race. Depending on the weather, which appears to be close to perfect xc weather, a modern day course record is a possibility.
Elena Blodnikar (Leonardtown), Katherine Morey (Churchil), Caroline Gregory (Frederick), Katie Greenwad (WW), Grace Finnegan (RM), MacKenzie Raue (WJ), Megan Raue (WJ), Mirae Dinaro (WJ), Amelia Slagle (Frederick), Ani Bailin (BCC), Sophie Harjes (BCC),
2022 State Meet Video
Course preview
https://chasingthestandard.com/2023/09/bull-run-course-preview-2/