EPISCOPAL FRESHMEN ADA MERE (LEFT) AND NEVA LAMBERT (RIGHT) LEAD A TALENTED FR. GROUP IN LOUISIANA
College football isn't the only sport which has Watch Lists. MileSplit LA gives you 13 girls to watch as the La. high school cross country season begins this weekend with a full slate of races across "the boot."
The runner-up to her big sister, Lucy, in the 1600m (5:07) and 3200m (11:30) at the LHSAA State Outdoor Meet. Molly will return to LHSAA cross country action after running as an independent in 2023. But, she gained valuable experience on the state course at Northwestern State University as a seventh grader when she helped to lead Episcopal to a state championship.
Speaking of Episcopal...Ada Mere led the Knights to a successful defense of their state championship last year. Mere finished second in Division 2 with a time of 18:27.
Lambert wasn't the only middle schooler who stood out for Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Coach Claney Duplechin. Ada Mere was right behind Lambert with a third-place finish.
4. Myrina Brown (Christ Episcopal School)
CES is a state-championship caliber program which will continue to be a force in Division 5 as evidenced by results from last year's state meet. Brown finished as the runner-up to teammate Noah Watson. Brown's time was 19:41. She was one of only three eighth graders in Louisiana to break 20:00 on the challenging course.
5. Courtney Habetz (Academy of Sacred Heart--New Orleans)
Habetz ran a 20:02 as an eighth grader at last year's LHSAA State Cross Country Championships. She finished ninth in Division 2. Her time ranked No. 4 among all 8th grade runners at state.
6. Mary Claire Leckhert (Louise S. Mcgee)
Leckhert's 20:05 at the 2023 LHSAA State Cross Country Championships was good enough for an 11th place finish in Division 4.
7. Madison Easley (Slaughter Community Charter)
Easley came through the line with a time of 20:34 at the 2023 LHSAA State Cross Country Championships. She finished at No. 17 in Division 4.
8. Molly O'Sullivan (Academy of Sacred Heart--New Orleans)
O'Sullivan finished with a time of 20:52 at the 2023 LHSAA State Cross Country Championships. She finished No. 19 in Division 2.
Finished at No. 30 in Division 3 at the 2023 LHSAA State Cross Country Championships. She also ran a leg on Parkview Baptist's state championship 4x800 team at the LHSAA State Outdoor Meet in May.
10. Rosie Varisco (Academy of Sacred Heart--New Orleans)
Varisco ran a time of 21:10 at last year's LHSAA State Cross Country Championships.
Patin finished fifth in the Class B 3200m at the 2024 LHSAA State Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a time of 13:19.
James finished No. 7 in the 3200m at the 2024 LHSAA State Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a time of 13:25.
Adams is the only runner on this list who did not participate in an LHSAA state meet last meet, but made the list after talking to her coach, Tex Martin, who coached Emma Bourg at Convenant Christian. Bourg is now competing for the University of New Orleans. Martin said that while Adams' and Bourg's time are similar at the same age, it's their attitude toward training and competition that has him excited about the possibilities for Adams over the next four years.
EPISCOPAL FRESHMEN ADA MERE (LEFT) AND NEVA LAMBERT (RIGHT) LEAD A TALENTED FR. GROUP IN LOUISIANA
College football isn't the only sport which has Watch Lists. MileSplit LA gives you 13 girls to watch as the La. high school cross country season begins this weekend with a full slate of races across "the boot."
The runner-up to her big sister, Lucy, in the 1600m (5:07) and 3200m (11:30) at the LHSAA State Outdoor Meet. Molly will return to LHSAA cross country action after running as an independent in 2023. But, she gained valuable experience on the state course at Northwestern State University as a seventh grader when she helped to lead Episcopal to a state championship.