2015 1A Girls Individual Pre-Season Preview

The girls 1A chase could get a little tighter this year for Anna Sophia Keller (Sabrina Mendoza photo)

The Single A classification has been one-sided but exciting to watch since Anna Sophia Keller came on to the scene several years ago as a freshman. Keller will enter her third stanza as the girl to beat but the intimidation factor may be gone. Daly Galloway and the Brauer sisters are no longer afraid to challenge ASK. The results of the state track championships bear the truth in which Keller had to run for her life in the 3200m and 1600m.

1. Anna Sophia Keller (Jr.) Effingham St. Anthony- On paper ASK is the preseason favorite for the third year in a row as well as the official 2014-2015 triple crown winner in 1A cross country and track. Her times were 16:27 for three-miles, 10:36.25 for the 3200m, and 4:59.46 for the 1600m are unbelievable. As much as it is conceivable that ASK could win her third title in a row, she could be upset along the way this season as well. Keller was slowed by a sore hip this past spring (perhaps growing pains?) which gave the notion that she is vulnerable. To make matters worse is that she didn't run a ton of mileage over the summer because of said soreness. Now the question will be whether the psyche of ASK will begin to self-doubt. Only time will tell!

2. Daly Galloway (Jr.) Gardner-South Wilmington- If Galloway were to believe that she was the season favorite, then she could only dream of the other possibilities out there. She almost did the impossible against ASK in track running a 10:46 3200m and placing a very close second in the state championship- not to mention running a 5:09 4th place performance in the 1600 finals. Most notably, though, is that she officially is a 100% certified sub-17 returnee, running 16:52 for a runner-up finish last November. Galloway blazed 17:36 in July at the Detweiller at Dark.

3. Arielle Summit (So.) Urbana University- According to Coach Mynatt, she is having a bit of a shaky summer due to a hip/hamstring track injury. “She is working with trainers who seem to have isolated the issue,” he says. What also makes the injury seem manageable was that the ran 5:14 in the 1A 1600 finals and placing sixth. Given ideal health, though, as the third best finisher and returner with a Detweiller time of 17:17, it’s pretty safe to say that she’ll finish third again

4. Katelyn Robbins (Fr.) Liberty- Now it would be doing quite a bit of injustice over-hyping this incoming freshman but she ran a time of 11:11 at 1A middle school state xc, which was only two seconds short of ASK’s middle school record. But it would also be doing injustice under-hyping her. On the track, she ran a 5:13 1600m and 2:23 800m leading both of those 8A races, which is really good.

5. Maria Brauer (Sr.) Petersburg PORTA- The 4th best returner and finisher with a time of 17:21 at Detweiller. Most notably in track is that she really made ASK have to work for her triple crown- running a 5:03 runner-up finish only milliseconds behind. Let’s just say she’ll be coming back for a final year of solid cross country running!

6. Annemarie Michael (Jr.) Urbana (University)- The 17:27 that Michael ran last year at state is nothing to sneeze at. Plus, she is the 5th best finisher and returner. The other half of the Illinek duo also ran a 5:13 1600m and 2:21 800m before her track season ended due to injuries. Coach Doug Mynatt’s status report is that “she just now able to put in miles” and that she “has been able to maintain her fitness level in the pool without the impact of running,” for she is an “excellent swimmer”. Let's hope that she can maintain great health when called back into action.

7. Kirstie Ramsey (Jr.) Kewanee Wethersfield- Ramsey ran 5:29 for 1600m in track and showed up for prelims, but we all know she is a reliably good cross country runner being the 10th best returner. As the Patriot Invitational Champion, she ran her a personal best 17:40.

8. Adrienne Brauer (Sr.) Petersburg PORTA- Adrienne came up a little short of expectations as the 15th best returning finisher, but she has run with her sister Maria plenty of times in cross country before. On the track, she really came through running season bests of 11:23 and 5:03 for the 1600 and 3200. As a 1A state finalist, she placed third (5:05) in the 1600m.

9. Isabella Wolke (Jr.) Arlington Heights (Christian Liberty Academy)- Wolke ran an 18:00 in November, making her the 9th best returner and 9th place finisher, but most impressive was her 11:19 4th place finish in the 1A 3200 finals.

10. Keri Burmester (Sr.) Red Bud- Burmester is the 7th best returner with a 17:52 7th place finish. She also had a great track season running 11:21 and 5:21 bests in the 1600 and 3200, plus she placed 6th and 9th in the 1A 1600 and 3200 finals.

11. Anna Tamborski (Sr.) Petersburg PORTA- Tamborski finished 6th place last year (17:50) and is the 6th best returner, she unfortunately has a tougher field to deal with this year, so being even near the top ten says a lot!

12. Faith Houston (So.) St. Joseph (Ogden)- She ran an 18:02 on November and is the 11th best returner; enough said!

13. Carly Garnett (Jr.) Carthage (Illini West)- Even though Garnett ran 18:26 for cross country, she missed qualifying state at a tough Elmwood Sectional. Her track times and state placements don’t lie though with 11:28 3200m and 5:13 1600m marks, finishing fifth and eighth (with an 11:30/5:18 double) in the 1A finals of those respective events.

14. Leslie Drone (Sr.) McLeansboro (Hamilton County)- A 5:28 1600m performer and an 11th place showing of 11:59 bodes well for this season. But most impressive of all is her 18:10 all-state finish at Detweiller. Drone is the 13th best returner.

15. Abby Gawthorp (Sr.) St. Joseph Ogden- With an all-state finishing time of 18:15, she stands as the 14th best returner. In the track, she also ran an 11:51.

16. Colleen Madden (Sr.) Carlinville- Madden is the 16th best returner who ran 18:23 for all-state.

17. Haley Weidner (So.) Manlius Bureau Valley- Weidner is the 17th best returner with all-state honors. In the 2014-15 season, she ran 18:21 for 3 miles and 5:35 for the 1600.

18. Maya Sadler-Stov (Fr.) Macomb- In eighth grade, she ran an 11:55 at Maxwell Park placing ninth in IESA 2A state and a 1600m time of 5:31 (15th place) in the 8AA field.

19. Taylor Renfroe (Sr.) Tolono (Unity)- Renfroe is the 18th best returner and an all-state veteran with a time of 18:27; as well as a 1600 finalist with a time of 5:25 (11th place).

20. Eva Bruno (Jr.) Seneca- She is the 19th best returner with a time of 18:30. Besides that, she ran a 5:27 1A prelim in the 1600m.

21. Kara Martin (Sr.) Herrin (H.S.)- As the 20th best returner, she looked really good on the track competing in the 2A division. She ran 11:40 for the 3200m, 2:19 for the 800m, and a 5:09 finals performance (5:08 prelim) in the 1600 that got her fifth in the state race.

22. Ryan Block (Jr.) Knoxville- She is the 22nd best returner. Times of note include 18:36 and 11:55 for 3 miles and the 3200m.

23. Jordan Harmon (Fr.) Tolono (Unity)- Looking pretty good as an incoming freshmen running as an 8th grader IESA 2A state times of 12:01 (12th place) for cross country, 5:27 (12th place) for the 1600, and 2:31 (25th place) for the 800.

24. Maura Farrell (Sr.) Herrin (H.S.)- The 26th best returner and generally seen running along with her teammate Kara. Also ran a 3200 time of 11:52 in the 2A IHSA state race

25. Madison Franseen (Fr.) Rockford (Christian)- Incoming freshmen all-stater who ran 12:04 (16th place) at Maxwell Park course for IESA 2A state. Also ran 5:27 for an 11th place eighth grade finish at IESA AA state for track