The History
2023 Top 3 Teams: Severna Park, Howard, Linganore
2023 Top 5 Individuals: Carter Brotherton (Great Mills), Claire Sivitz (Howard), Lauren Stine (North Hagerstown), Josephine Kamas (Severna Park), Kathleen Schwaner (Chopticon)
2022 Top 3 Teams: Towson, Frederick, CMW
2022 Top 5 Individuals: Hannah Toth (Westminster), Lauren Stine (North Hagerstown), Caroline Gregory (Frederick), Carter Brotherton (Great Mills), Juliana Brawner (Frederick)
2021 Top 3 Teams: Howard, Northern-Calvert, Towson
2021 Top 5 Individuals: Caroline Gregory (Frederick), Ella Meccia (Northern-Calvert), Elizabeth Pickett (Bel Air), Elizabeth Holcombe (Howard), Caroline Perrone (Linganore)
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
Severna Park
The Severna Park girls are beyond dominant, and they have not been challenged all season. They started the season off at Seahawk decimating the field. They left the state for a couple meets and took care of business there. Upon their return they beat the field at the Anne Arundel County Championships and the 3A East Regional Championships. While everyone still has to race, it would seem everyone is racing for second. Head Coach Josh Alcombright says, “We have a young, extremely deep team so the goal all season is to continue to develop and work on being consistent daily whether it’s racing or training. As a program we have some lofty goals these next few years and that includes winning our 3rd straight title on Saturday. We are confident that if we execute and run our race things will work out.”
Towson
Towson has looked strong throughout the season and the Generals look to be in good position Saturday for a podium finish. In the regular season they were a top five team at Barnhart and Bull Run. In the post season, they almost beat the field at the Baltimore County Championships and at their regional meet, they scored twenty seven points to beat the field. They have a strong top five but closing that gap will be a great benefit to them. For Saturday, Head Coach Gil Stange remarks, “We’re not really into expectations. We’ve got a nice blend of experience and new energy [in our top] seven, and if it works out that we improve our 1-5 total, 1-5 average, or 1-5 gap from Bull Run, that’s great, but it’s really not why we’re there. We’re there to have fun and run our race on a course where we’ve had some success. We want to enjoy the ride.”
South River
South River has had a fantastic season, and they look to close it on a high note. To start their season, they were fifth overall at Seahawk, though they were the first 3A team. They won the Chesapeake Invite a week later, and they were medium school champions at Bull Run. In the post-season, they were second place behind Severna Park at both the county and regional championships. Head Coach Caleb Foster says, “Our girls’ team has worked extremely hard from day one with the goal of constant improvement to become something greater. As we approach the State meet, we approach it with the same attitude we started the season with – trusting our teammates, trusting ourselves, and having fun. As far as placement, the girls have been consistently performing at a high level each race, and will be a team to look out for in the top of the pack.”
The Individuals
Josephine Kamas (Sev Park), Brielle Whitworth (Edgewood), Maddy Quiro (Sherwood), Maddy Kelly (Clarksburg), Charlotte Chang (Wooton), Gentry Bowie (Northern), Alex Lohse (Towson), Isabel Meadows-Soto (Old Mill), Cecelia Van Lierop (Towson), Jocelyn DiAngelo (Sev Park), Lauren Stine (North Hagerstown), Claire Sivitz (Howard), Alyssa Mattes (River Hill), Lexie Fitzsimmons (Sev Park), Charlotte Bunting (South River)