Photo: Nate Unger/MileSplit Minnesota
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We're just a week away from the first day of the 40th Roy Griak Invitational, and while many athletes travel from across the region just for a chance to race at the historic meet, there is plenty of in-state talent that is looking to defend home turf.
Check out six of Minnesota's top girls through the first few weeks of the season!
Brynlee Wegener, Blaine
One of the state's top returning runners picked up right where she left off, winning the Anoka Early Bird in 18:14.80 to open her fall campaign. Wegener was fourth at the MSHSL Class AAA State Championships a year ago and added a runner-up finish at the state true team meet in the 1600m and 3200m last spring. With a loaded resume and a clean opening win, she looks like one of the favorites in the AAA girls race this fall and is the fastest girl across the state so far.
Mackenzie Myran, Saint Michael-Albertville
The freshman-to-sophomore jump was kind to Myran, who spent last spring finishing third in the 1600m and 3200m at the MSHSL State Championships. She's seemingly carried that form into cross country pretty comfortably, winning both of her early season outings including a 18:20.90 at the Steve Hoag Invitational. A section champion a year ago, Myran is already looking like one of the runners to build a race plan around this fall.
Annika Hall, Chisago Lakes
The junior has been dominant through the early going, winning all three of her outings so far including an 18:42.00 at the Pine City Invite and an 11:49.20 two-mile at the Irish Invitational. Hall was a state runner-up in both the 1600m and 3200m last spring and a section champion in cross country a year ago, and her early season form suggests she's only going to keep gaining momentum over the next several months.
Lyla Drayna, Edina
After an 11th-place finish at the MSHSL Class AAA State Championships a year ago, Drayna has come back with more firepower this fall. The sophomore posted an 18:10.50 at the Brave Like Gabe Invitational to open the season and followed it up with an 18:38.00 at the Pleasant Valley Spartan Invite, finishing second in both outings to start the fall. A section champion in the 400m last spring, Drayna is one of the more versatile athletes in the state and will only improve from here.
Evelyn Hoppe, Edina
Hoppe has made a smooth transition into cross country after a spring track season that saw focus on the 400m and 800m. After switching back to the grass, the sophomore posted an 18:43.60 at the Brave Like Gabe Invitational and followed it up with a 19:06.00 at the Pleasant Valley Spartan Invite, finishing third in both and showing early season consistency as she continues to develop as a distance runner.
Anniston Rolf, Saint Francis
The junior opened her cross country season with a third-place finish at the Irish Invitational, and followed that up six days later with a big win at the Rocket Run in 18:49.30, where she won by 34 seconds. Rolf picks up where a strong spring left off, having been a state qualifier in the 1600m and 3200m and a section champion in the 1600m. Her early cross country results suggest she is rounding into form at the right time heading into a stretch of bigger meets.
Photo: Nate Unger/MileSplit Minnesota
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