Female MileSplit All-State members open up their season on seemingly hard courses
This past weekend, 4 members of the MileSplit Mississippi All-State High School girls team, among other notable runners, performed, with 3 of them being their first race of the season.
Julia Stradinger
- Up first, #2 ranked high school girl Julia Stradinger opened up her season on her home turf at the Jackson Prep XC Invitational, winning in 20:35. While that team doesn't necessarily scream anything crazy, I would personally add that Jackson Prep's course probably ran at least 1:15 slower than a course like Choctaw Trails, if not more than that. For example, 5:17 1600m runner Sophie Santucci placed 2nd in 20:47 and were the only two girls to break 21 on that day. So... either every single person in that race had an off day, or it was just a tough course on a hot day. And from what I saw on Saturday, the conditions seemed pretty brutal.
- On the team standings, the Jackson Prep girls showed that they are a force to be reckoned with as they put their scoring 5 inside of the top 7 against some notable competition. They will have a big test in how their fare at Memphis Twilight next weekend, as they will square up against some of the best teams in the South, as well face off against in-class rival Madison Ridgeland Academy.
Riley Jackson
- Up next, the Hernando girls opened up their season at another tough course, this time the 5 star city Invitational hosted by Senatobia High School. #3 ranked runner Riley Jackson took the win in 21:26, 15 seconds ahead of MHSAA 6A State Champion Jessica Cartwright. The pair from Hernando took down 2:21 800m runner from Tennessee Danielle Booker of Whitehaven. The Hernando girls also took a convincing win, scoring 21 points and a 23:02 5k average - this 5k time would have placed in the top 5 at this meet. Hernando will also be at Memphis, so like Stradinger, Jackson and Cartwright will be tested against some of the best competition in the South, as well as a matchup between themselves and Prep.
Brookelyn Morgan
- Finally, like mentioned earlier, notable Mississippi freshman and #4 ranked runner in the state Brookelyn Morgan of Tupelo had an impressive showing in Florence, AL on Saturday, as she now leads the state with her 19:47. Morgan was beaten by Alabama 800m State Champion and 5:28 1600m runner Savannah Williams, but beat a notable competitor in 19:08 5k runner Katie Mae Coan. Morgan now has an off week next week, and will then travel to Mooreville, one of the faster courses in the state.
