GIRLS RUNNERS TO WATCH
Paige Fassbender, sr., Slinger: The defending North Shore champion also is the defending champion at Slinger’s Owl Invitational. She finished 37th last season in her first state meet appearance.
Zoe Goodmanson, sr., Pewaukee: In addition to becoming a four-time Woodland Conference champion, Goodmanson could make her fourth state appearance. Her best place at state came as a freshman when she took 17th in Division 2, but her best performance was last year when she took 19th in Division 1 with a time of 19 minutes, 21.3 seconds.
Maggie Keiper, jr., Whitefish Bay: The runner-up at the North Shore meet, she has claimed back-to-back 27thplace finishes at state in Division 1. No one in the league did better.
Jordan Koepke, soph., Martin Luther: She won five races last season, including the Metro Classic meet where
she 25 seconds. beat the She second-place took 10th at runner the Division by Brittany 2 state Helm, meet. jr., Muskego: Overshadowed Helm is an accomplish by Jochims and competitor Spreka, in her own right. She had four top 10 finishes and took 17th at the state meet last season.
Kate Jochims, sr., Muskego: She has finished in the top 10 of every high school race she has competed in, including state where she took 10th in Division 1 as a freshman, third as a sophomore and fourth last year.
Aitza Romero, soph., Milwaukee King: She was injured for a good portion of last season but still qualified for the state and took 49th in Division 1. A strong track season and summer of running have her poised for better things.
Kate Sperka, soph., Muskego: The reigning area cross country athlete of the year won five straight races heading into the state meet where she took second in Division 1 behind graduated senior Peyton Sippy of Janesville Craig.
Sami Stieve, sr., Germantown: Last year’s Greater Metro runner-up won invitationals hosted by West Alllis Cenral, Franklin and Waterford last season. She is a three-time state qualifier whose best finish came as a sophomore when she took 26th in D1.
Kylee Wunschel, sr., Menomonee
Falls: The three-time state qualifier's best finish last season was a firstplace showing at the Fond du Lac Invite. She later took third in the Greater Metro meet behind former DSHA standout Meghan Scott and Stieve. Her ninth-place finish at state makes her the No. 5 returner in Division 1.