PREVIEW: 10 Class AA Girls Who Are Gunning For A State Title

Emily Covert (Washburn, Jr)

The fact that Covert, a 10:31 3200 runner who missed winning the event at State by less than half a second, is ranked third, is a testament to the depth of competition within MN girls XC. Covert has been on the distance radar since she started competing in 7th grade, and has steadily improved year after year. Sure, her race tactics have occasionally been questionable: she's sometimes gone out a little too hard at first in big races. However, this also shows she's unafraid to lead, an extremely valuable asset for an elite runner. She's also arguably the gutsiest runner in the state, so don't count her out come championship time. 2017 appears like her best shot yet of capturing her first State title.