Prep girls’ cross country preview: 5 to watch

QUINCY GALE

School: Bellingham

Year: Sophomore

Outlook: Gale assembled a terrific season last fall, taking 13th during the Class 2A State Championship Meet with a time of 19 minutes, 28 seconds. With a couple of top Bellingham runners now graduated, Gale could be counted to take over the team’s top spot.

ELLIE ROWAN-ARNETT

School: Sehome

Year: Junior

Outlook: Rowan-Arnett was one of the Mariners’ top runners last fall and finished 25th during the Class 2A State Championship Meet with a time of 19 minutes, 47.16 seconds. She’ll be a big reason as to whether or not Sehome claims another state title.

AMY JO MURPHY

School: Nooksack Valley

Year: Senior

Outlook: There may be not better runner in the Northwest Conference than Murphy. She’s gotten better and better each season and took fourth place during the Class 1A State Championships with a time of 19 minutes, 15.51 seconds.

MIMI MEGGISON

School: Meridian

Year: Senior

Outlook: Meggison saved one of her best performances for the state meet last season, finishing 10th place with a time of 19 minutes, 48.31 seconds. Expect another strong season, one that could end with a top-five finish.

SARAH BALL

School: Lynden Christian

Year: Senior

Outlook: Ball has established herself as one of the Northwest Conference’s Class 1A runners. She finished with an 18th-place Class 1A State Championship Meet finish with a time of 20 minutes, 10.33 seconds last fall.

This story was originally published September 9, 2015 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Prep girls’ cross country preview: 5 to watch."