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Anna Sophia Keller (St. Anthony HS, Effingham) dominance during this 2013 cross country season started at the end of her eighth grade season when she lost the IESA 8^th grade 800 Meter Run to Annemarie Michael. That drive of not wanting to lose again showed this fall.

Keller went undefeated this year. It was the way that she won is where we should take notice. Her average margin of victory was over one minute during the season. She ran under 17 minutes for 3 miles three times during the season. At the NXN Midwest Regionals, she stayed with the pack the entire way finishing sixth. She declined a trip to Portland this season so she could concentrate on swimming for her club team.

Where the delay at the start of the 1A Girls Race at the IHSA State Meet affected some of the runners, Keller admitted after the race that the delay actually calmed her down. She stepped to the line and performed in a big way running the fastest time of the day (16:35…she tied with 2A winner Mailin Struck).

Her margin of victory in that race was amazing 45 seconds. That is unheard of in a state competition. It will be fun to see what she does during the outdoor track season. Remember, she ran 10:30 for 2 miles on the roads at the Spartan Classic in St. Joseph. Will her times rival that in April and May in 2014? We shall see.

We do need to mention two more athletes in this class. Kelsey Hildreth (Byron HS) went undefeated during the season until she ran against Keller at the state meet. A year ago, she finished 47^th. Rachel Devereux (St. Teresa HS, Decatur) leaves her high school career as a four time all-state runner in cross country. She finished fourth this season. More importantly, she leaves running in four state meets and being on four state championship teams. No other runner in state history can stake that claim.

We congratulate Anna Sophia Keller of St. Anthony HS as the DyeStat Illinois 2013 1A Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.