* Paityn Noe (left) won this week's NPOTW poll for the cross country season; Samantha Humphries (right) is a nominee for week 10 of the season
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This season has been a memorable one for Ballard's (IA) Paityn Noe. Going into this 2022 season, one of her main focuses was to break 17-minutes in the 5K.
Week after week, the senior kept chipping away toward that objective on the cross country course. She put all the pieces together last weekend at the Iowa 3A Cross Country Championships where she ran a new lifetime best of 16:48.58.
Her performance equaled a 157 speed rating and she set a new Lakeside Municipal golf Course record along the way.
During the week, Noe gained 56-percent of the nation's vote.
After another loaded weekend of state championships, it's now time to vote for our next winner.
We will recognize a winner every week in this poll, with nominations handed out on Monday. The poll will end on Friday and winners will be announced the following Monday.
Here are the nominations for the National Girls Performer Of The Week Poll:
Katie Clute, Olmstead Falls (OH): The University of Oregon commit continued her undefeated season by adding her first OHSAA State Championship title to her resume. She clocked a 17:25.10 for the victory and earned a 148 speed rating.
Abbey Nechanicky, Wayzata (MN): The University of Colorado commit won her second MSHSL State Cross Country title this weekend with a 16:47.61, which became a new state meet and course record. Her performance scored a 158 speed rating, and she also led Wayzata to the team title with 39 points.
Samantha Humphries, Flower Mound (TX): This junior led Flower Mound to a 1-2-3 finish and the team title at the UIL 6A State Cross Country Championships. She clocked a 17:36.4 for 5K at Old Settler's Park.
Eliana Black, Cambridge Christian (FL): One of the top underclassmen in the country finished her regular season undefeated while she raced to her first 1A state title in 17:55.10. This became her eighth-straight sub-18-minute 5K race this season.
Jolena Quarzo, Brownsville (PA): After finishing second at the PIAA State Championships the last two years, Quarzo, the NC State commit, won her first cross country state title in 18:11.30.
Ana Peters, Lake Oswego (OR): Last year, Peters finished 40th at the OSAA 6A State Championships. This year, the sophomore won the state title by a second with a new personal best of 17:56.80. She broke 18-minutes for 5K for the first time in her career this weekend.
NPOTW Winners:
- Week 1: Abbey Nechanicky, Wayzata (MN)
- Week 2: Claire Stegall, Nolensville (TN)
- Week 3: Helen Sachs, Holland West Ottawa (MI)
- Week 4: Karrie Baloga, Cornwall (NY)
- Week 5: Ciara O'Shea, Madison Central (KY)
- Week 6: Karrie Baloga, Cornwall (NY)
- Week 7: Gillian Bushee, Herndon (VA)
- Week 8: Chiara Dailey, La Jolla (CA)
- Week 9: Paityn Noe, Ballard (IA)