Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted
The one thing that the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted girls don't have in common with the rest of the teams on this list? They (barely) did not qualify for State last season, as Section 5A may be the best girls section in Class A right now. But make no mistake, the HLWW girls look ready to have an exceptional 2018 season. Not a single member of their sections team graduated, and on paper, they look like potential podium contenders. Based on 5k PRs, they place 3rd in the state in a virtual meet. Led by likely All-State runner Gracie Mallak (who missed the honor by a place in 2017), with a strong second runner in Gwen Helgeson, HLWW has the power up front to act as solid lowsticks. They also have a trio of runners that have broken 20:10 (though mostly at the very quick Litchfield Invite course), a mark that's impressive in both quality and quantity. If the HLWW girls run near these times again in 2018, they should rebound nicely from missing State altogether last year, very possibly to a top five finish.
Top 2017 Returners
| 1) Gracie Mallak | 2020 | 18:49.25 | |
| 2) Gwen Helgeson | 2019 | 19:50.00 | |
| 3) Erin Brabec | 2019 | 20:01.16 | |
| 4) Brooke Baumann | 2022 | 20:09.25 | |
| 5) Katelyn Routhier | 2022 | 21:23.40 | |
| Average Time: 20:02.61 Total Time: 1:40:13.06 1-5 Split: 2:34.15 | |||
| 6) Danielle Wood | 2021 | 22:13.75 | |
| 7) Ivy Fasching | 2023 | 22:22.20 | |