With the high school cross-country season in Washington set to begin in February of 2021, The Runner WA has put together a list of the top 50 runners to watch for this coming spring season. These rankings are based on their 2019 season performances and the 2020 COVID season this fall if they had run a time trial or virtual meet.
Here are the girls ranked 31 through 40.
40. Jemma Willcox, Edmonds-Woodway
2019 Time: 18:56.9
2019 State: 19th (3A), 18:56.9
2020 Time: N/A
Analysis: Jemma Willcox was a consistent runner throughout the season for Edmonds, and even in the biggest of meets, she brought forth her best efforts. Just missed out on the podium by three spots at the 3A State Cross Country Meet, Willcox finished her sophomore campaign with signs of great potential going into 2021 breaking the 19-minute barrier for the first time in her young career.
39. Kaia Swegler Richmond, South Whidbey
2019 Time: 18:50.5
2019 State: 17th (1A), 19:31.7
2020 Time: 20:36
Analysis: One year after a podium absence at the 1A State Cross Country Meet, Kaia Swegler Richmond came away with her best finish in Pasco placing sixth overall in her junior season. The steeplechase specialist from South Whidbey ran a new 5k personal best mark of 18:50.5 and is the fastest returning upperclassman and most experienced in 1A.
38. Kylee Shakespeare, Central Valley
2019 Time: 18:48.9
2019 State: N/A
2020 Time: N/A
Analysis: Kylee Shakespeare did qualify for the 4A State Cross Country Meet for the second time in a row but didn't participate due to health reasons. Even though we didn't get to see her race at the biggest stage, her performances at the Battle for the 509 and the Richland Invite, where she came away with a 5k personal-best mark of 18:48.9 (509) and a 3-mile personal-best mark of 18:06 (Richland) earns her a spot on this list. The end of the season was a bit of a slump for Shakespeare, but expect her to bounce back.
37. Sonja Bylcker, Cedarcrest
2019 Time: 18:56.5
2019 State: 9th (2A), 18:56.5
2020 Time: N/A
Analysis: Sonja Bylcker's ninth-place performance and 5k personal best time of 18:56.5 at the 2A State Cross Country Meet was a bit of a surprise to many given she had a rollercoaster of a sophomore year. Beating previous podium finishers such as Washington's MaryAlice Mitchell, Sequim's Riley Pyeatt, and Port Angeles' Kynzie DeLeon showed the big improvement for Bylcker and what is to come in her junior year.
36. Evelyn Buetow, Sehome
2019 Time: 18:53.5
2019 State: 11th (2A), 18:57
2020 Time: N/A
Analysis: Evelyn Buetow is just beginning a high school running career that is shaping into an impressive one. The top returning freshman from the 2A State Cross Country Meet comes into 2021 with a 5k personal best time of 18:53.5 and was Sehome's first podium finisher since the 2017 season. I compare her to one of Sehome's greatest runners because of her strength and competitiveness, three-time state cross country champion Emily Pittis, as I see her eventually winning a state title or two shortly soon.
35. Trygvve Trivett, Monroe
2019 Time: 18:37.3
2019 State: 32nd (4A), 19:05.8
2020 Time: N/A
Analysis: One of the top freshmen in all of Washington last season. It took one race for Trygvve Trivett to make a name for herself, and it came at the WESCO Cross Country Championships, where she finished second overall in a 5k personal best time of 18:37.3. In that race alone, Trivett beat some of the state's top athletes such as Glacier Peak's Aviry Stratton and Alexis Parker, Edmond-Woodway's Ellie Gard and Jemma Willcox, Marysville Getchell's Jasmine Nguyen, and Snohomish's Ellie Baxter.
34. Monserrat Lopez, Bothell
2019 Time: 18:41
2019 State: 29th (4A), 19:04.2
2020 Time: N/A
Analysis: As the lone senior, Kerstin Ly, from last year's Bothell varsity group moves on, Monserrat Lopez takes over as the team's top runner for an experience Cougars cross country team going into 2021. It may appear Lopez has been going backward in her training the last two seasons after placing 11th at the 4A State Cross Country Meet her freshman year, but the reality is she isn't far off from where she was.
33. Hannelore Schreder Peters, Garfield
2019 Time: 18:53.9
2019 State: 18th (3A), 18:53.9
2020 Time: N/A
Analysis: Hannelore Schreder Peters has plenty to be proud of for what she has accomplished over the last three years as one of the more improved runners in our state, especially since she missed the podium by two spots at the 3A State Cross Country Meet her junior year. Garfield doesn't get enough credit for developing great runners in their program such as Anna Dailey, Isabelle Olive, and Isabel Schmidt. The similarities of those three are they have placed fourth or higher at state, and Schreder Peters could be among that company if she were to have another breakout year.
32. Alyssa Becker, Klahowya
2019 Time: 18:52.4
2019 State: 4th (1A), 18:59.5
2020 Time: 17:42 (Track)
Analysis: Historically, it was one of the best cross country seasons in a long time for the Klahowya Eagles in 2019, and it was because of their top runner Alyssa Becker. The fastest returning senior from the 1A State Cross Country Meet has had quite the COVID season running a new 5k personal best time of 17:42 on the track, as well as a cross country conversion time of 18:08, 44 seconds faster from where she was the same week as the state meet her junior year. Big things are coming for Becker in the next few months.
31. Emily Wells, Emerald Ridge
2019 Time: 18:52.6
2019 State: 20th (4A), 18:52.6
2020 Time: N/A
Analysis: Had Emily Wells raced as much in her junior year as she did in her sophomore year, I think we would have been able to see her break her 5k personal-best mark of 18:35.2 and perhaps climb higher on the podium at the 4A State Cross Country Meet. Her 2019 state time was a big improvement from the previous season, even if her placing wasn't as high.
To view previous 2021 top 50 Washington cross country rankings, click below:
Note: The 2021 Washington girls' top 50 cross country rankings were compiled by The Runner WA's cross country and track and field analyst Keenan Gray.