GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEW
Three things to watch
Will Muskego and Shorewood get a chance to repeat? Last fall, both Muskego and Shorewood won team state titles running away. The Warriors won for the second straight season and although it wasn't as dominant as their 2018 championship, they had a comfortable 39-point cushion over second-place Onalaska. Shorewood won in Division 2 for the second time and did so in similar fashion to Muskego, by 41 points. Each team brings back six of the seven runners who competed at state last year, including their top runners, and also feature plenty of depth throughout the program. The Warriors and Greyhounds enter the season as the favorites repeat as champions, but will there be a state meet for them to run at? The decision on postseason formats does not need to be made by the WIAA until at least 30 days before the state meet is scheduled, which would be October 1.
Who’s in for a breakout season? Arrowhead placed fifth at state last year and graduated only one senior from their seven-runner state lineup. Whitefish Bay (seventh place), Waukesha West (eighth) and Homestead (11th) each bring back three of their top four runners from high-finishing state teams. The Highlanders featured Leane Willemse, the area's secondhighest finisher at state (11th). Right behind Willemse was Oak Creek's Isabela Ross, who as a junior now leads a Knights team that missed qualifying for state by five points and brings back its top six runners from the sectional meet.
In Division 2, Port Washington took seventh place at state but was just 49 points removed from third. The Pirates have plenty of promise this fall as they return all seven girls who ran at state, as well.
A loaded Division 1 field: The 2019 season was one that, in Division 1, was headlined by youth. Onalaska junior Kora Malecek won the state title. The next eight finishers were all either sophomores or juniors, and only seven of the top 33 runners were seniors. That means that loads of talent will be back in 2020, but not all will be competing this fall. Dozens of schools across the state have opted to postpone their fall sports season to the spring, and it's likely that even more won't be able to make it all the way to the postseason without canceling.
10 athletes to watch
Mya Hartjes, soph., University School: Few freshmen had the type of season that Hartjes did in 2019. She shaved off nearly two minutes from her time in her first varsity race when she took second at the Wisconsin Lutheran sectional and then was the area's second-highest finisher in the D2 race when she took 11th at state.
Rachel Helm, jr., Muskego: A sophomore leap established Helm as one of the top runners in the state and played a pivotal role in Muskego going back-to-back. She was fourth at the Classic 8 meet, 14th individually at state, finishing two spots behind older sister and 2020 graduate Brittany, and then shaved nearly 40 seconds off her personal record at NXR Heartland.
Bella Lozier, jr., Shorewood: Lozier finished fourth in Division 2 as a sophomore after winning five meets during the season, including both the conference and sectional races.
Julia Neustedter, sr., Brookfield Central: Neustedter made a jump of more than 100 spots at state between her freshman and sophomore seasons and then came away with a 15th-place finish as a junior. She also has won two straight sectional races and claimed the Greater Metro title last year.
Alyssa Nielsen and Lucy Duchac, jrs., Arrowhead: Nielsen and Duchac formed the 1-2 punch last fall for Arrowhead. They finished within one second of one another at both the conference and sectional meets, and then were 30th (Nielsen) and 31st (Duchac) at state.
Isabela Ross, jr., Oak Creek: Ross was the eighth-fastest freshman in the state when she took 42nd in the D1 meet and made strides last year to finish 13th overall.
Sophie Scopp, sr., DSHA: The thirdplace runner in the Greater Metro each of the last two years, Scopp is also one of only five runners from the area to finish in the top 30 in the D1 race in both 2018 and '19.
Kate Sperka, sr., Muskego: She has been the highest state finisher from the area each of her first three years (second, second and fourth) and has done so despite not being fully healthy in either of the last two seasons.
Bethaney Stacey, sr., Port Washington: Stacey came across the line onetenth of a second after Hartjes did at state, leading Port to seventh place. She was also second at the North Shore meet, behind only Willemse.
Leane Willemse, sr., Homestead: A North Shore and sectional champion, Willemse was the second-highest D1 finisher from the area when she crossed the line in 11th.