Who are the top runners coming back this year? Who will make the most impact this fall.
During the next few weeks, MileSplit RI will highlight the athletes (boys and girls) we feel to keep an eye on this season. Among the top 14 boys at last year's state meet, seven are gone to graduation. For the girls, just three have graduated. The competition will be stiff once again. Both of our returning state titlist, La Salle Academy junior D.J. Principe and Barrington senior Emma McMillan will back on the trails with McMillan aiming for a record, fourth consecutive individual crown.
Without further ado...
Ellie Lawler
South Kingstown, sophomore
Lawler shares two things with three-time state champion Emma McMillan. She competes on the swim team during the winter months and, like the Barrington High standout, she also excels with a pair of racing shoes on her feet.
At last year's state meet, the Rebel underclassman was third overall as a ninth-grader where she clocked a major PR of 18:03.25. She proved that performance was no fluke by finishing tenth at the New England Championships and qualifying for the Nike Cross Nationals with a stellar fourth-place effort at the NXN Northeast Regionals where she was the first R.I. finisher with her time of 18:44.0 on the snow-covered and challenging terrain of Bowdoin Park in New York. Lawler is coming off an outdoor season where she was fifth in the 3,000m with a best of 10:19.88. Look for this SK runner to once again be up with the leaders this fall.
