East Ridge Girls Ranked 4th in State!

http://downthebackstretch.blogspot.com/2011/08/stillwater-monticello-top-class-aa.html

2011 Pre-season Rankings for Girls Cross Country

(with comments from Class AA girls' ranker Dave Emmans, the Wayzata girls' coach)

1.       8AA Monticello – 347 – Monticello returns 4 all-state runners, most notably, Erica and Amber Seidenkranz who finished 5^th and 6^th respectively overall in last year’s state meet.  All seven return and by far are the overwhelming favorites to improve on their 2^nd place finish to Eden Prairie in 2010.

2.       1AA Lakeville South – 619 – Last year’s 3^rd place squad returns 6 out of 7 runners.  Anne Brekken 25^th overall from 2010 leads the way for a young and talented squad.

3.       6AA Eden Prairie – 633 – EP loses the big three, Platner, Lawton and Rudin.  But with two state championships in the last three years, don’t count out the Eagles.  They return their next four runners and always have athletes ready to fill.

4.       4AA East Ridge – 643 – East Ridge climbs to 4^th  place based on their incredibly young team.  They are led by 10^th grader Bailey Ness, 13^th place finisher in last year’s state meet.  Huge up-side for this 3^rd year high-school.

5.       7AA Elk River – 805 – Elk River loses its top runner from last year but returns their next five runners from a 4^th place finish at the 2010 state meet, and a state championship in 2009.

6.       3AA Prior Lake – 836 – This will be an odd year and Prior lake looks to keep the trend going with a 2^nd place finish in 09, and a 4^th place finish in 07.  This hard-running senior dominated group is led by 30^th place senior, Taylor Scholl.

7.       6AA Wayzata – 840 – Wayzata finished 7^th last year and looks to improve on that finish with freshman Anna French, 28^th last year leading the way.

8.       8AA Alexandria – 846 – Led by perennial top three finisher Jamie Piepenburg, now a senior, Alexandria looks as if they may have enough to come out of a very strong 8AA section.  They will have to contend with top ranked Monticello and others.

9.       5AA Andover – 1105 – Led by last year’s 4^th place finisher, Nicole Heitzman, Andover looks to improve on last year’s 5^th place finish.  They have 6 out of 7 returning.

10.   1AA Albert Lea – 1257 – Injured Chrissy Monson made a late run last year after losing most of the season due to injuries.  She looks to be at full-strength this spring and leads a young Albert Lea team that could be a force later in the year.

11.   8AA Brainerd – 1266 – Brainerd loses their own top three from a team that finished 6^th last year.  They have their next four back and will have to contend with 8AA to get to state.

12.   3AA Rosemount – 1289 – 5 out of 7 return from a 10^th place 2010 squad. 

Individuals

1.       Maria Hauger, 11, Shakopee – Two time state champion has a 10:54 3200 this spring.

2.       Jamie Piepenburg, 12, Alexandria – Last year’s 2^nd place finisher, the only person stopping her from a state championship is Hauger.  Has run 10:45 3200 this spring.

3.       Erica Seidenkrantz, 12, Monticello – 5^th, 6^th and 11^th the past three years, Erica will look to keep her steady improvement going.

4.       Nicole Heitzman, 11, Andover – Last year’s 4^th place finisher improved on her 7^th place finish the year before.

5.       Amber Seidenkratz, 10, Monticello – 6^th and 10^th the past two seasons, the Seidenkrantz  sisters lead a formable one-two punch for number one ranked Monticello.

6.       Haylie Zenner, 12, Fergus Falls – Always a powerhouse in the 800, Zenner burst on the cross country scene last year finishing 11^th over-all. 

7.       Bailey Ness, 10, East Ridge – 37^th in 8^th grade and 13^th as a freshman is a recipe for big things for the diminutive sophomore.

8.       Chrissy Monson, 11, Albert Lea – Sidelined by injuries last year, Monson is having a great spring.  She was 12^th as a freshman.

9.       Taylor Scholl, 12, Prior Lake – Spending much of the year in the top 12 last year, Scholl looks to improve on her 30^th place finish last year.

10.   Kaelyn Williams, 12, Robbinsdale Cooper – 8^th last year and 25^th the year before, Williams proves you don’t have to run track to be a force.

11.   Elizabeth Frick, 11, Eagan – 14^th last year with an 11:41 3200 this spring.

12.   Jenna Truedson, 9, Bemidji – 17^th last year, having a good spring.