Girls Brooks XC Northeast Championship
State Champions collide in the Girls Northeast Championship race.
Virginia Kraus is the Pennsylvania State Champ, as well as the reigning Northeast Regional Champ from 2024. She ran 17:34 on this course a year ago, and is the name to beat until proven otherwise.
NJ State Champ Leah Starkey took 12th here last year, but is much improved since her Freshman campaign. She has set numerous Course Records in NJ throughout the Season, and will be looking to make her first National Meet. Allison Lee took 7th in that MOC race, and will be looking to be in the mix.
MA State Champ Abby Hennessy is also undefeated this year, and has been showing signs of big growth. She's closest to home at Franklin Park, and that edge could come in handy.
Tsadia Bercuvitz, Maggie McCormick, and Fiona King are all top talent from New York, who has already made a National Meet. If they toe the line, they have nothing to lose, which mean they could put undue pressure on the top end of the race, and risk it all.
Chase Gilbert is the top entrant from CT, and made the big show a year ago in 17:56.9, the second-best returner outside Kraus.
Rounding out the top spots are NH's Madeleine Lane and Alexis Paterna, who shared an epic dive at the line at New England's to go 1-2.