The individual race for the Midwest running Katelynne Hart was one to reflect on
Everyone knew that New Yorker Katelyn Tuohy was the one to watch based on her dominating post-season stretch of racing coming into Portland. When it was revealed that Tuohy was still conducting her strong workouts followed by a rock strong attitude that she was about winning first, it became clear the race for second was up for grabs.
Katelynne Hart is a fast starter in her own respect. And she went out fast along with Texan London Culbreath who immediately trailed Tuohy after the first 400. By the opening half mile it was essentially over. Touhy continued to speed away and hit the first mile in a blazing 5:06. Hart was joined by another New Yorker Kelsey Chmiel in 5:22. Hart continued to move along with Chmiel and work together for awhile until Chmiel broke away for second.
Tuohy continued her rapid record pace running with a big lead at two miles in 10:36. No one was within 30 seconds of her at this point. She would break the tape in a meet record 16:44, Chmiel was a distant second in 17:25. Hart took third in 17:41.
The Midwest team as a whole ran one of its strongest races of the season as four of the top five girls earned all-american honors. First entrant Emma Wilson of Greencastle, IN finished strong to place 14th in 18:02. Next up was Taylor Ewert of Beavercreek, OH in 18th running 18:06. Fellow Ohio native Morgan Gigandet from Troy HS finished 20th to run 18:09. The final runner Gracie Sprankle of Oletangy Liberty, OH did not earn all-american honors but still competed very respectively in 38th place overall.