* Gianna Rahmer is one of the underclassmen in the country
Photo Credit: Tim McDonald/MileSplit Arizona
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Last weekend's cross-country action signaled a shift in the 2024 season, meaning that from here on out the stakes are only going to get higher as the post-season draws near.
In the busiest weekend of the season so far, the nation's young stars let everyone know that they aren't fazed by big meets and fast competition.
Whether it was under the lights at the Toka Sticks Golf Course, or under the sun in Otsego, Michigan, a few of the up-and-coming distance stars held their own all across the country.
COROS MILESPLIT 50 RANKINGS:
NATASZA DUDEK
Ann Arbor Pioneer (Mich.)
Class of 2028
As the next star of the Ann Arbor Pioneer program, Dudek is already making a lot of noise. The freshman won her first three races of the year while settling for second in her last two. Dudek opened up the season at 18:22 and has set a new personal best three different times since. Most recently, she finished runner-up at the Otsego Bulldog Invitational, where she clocked 17:24.15, creating a 27-second gap between her and the third-place finisher.
AYUUB HASSAN
Lotus School for Excellence (Colo.)
Class of 2027
As a freshman, Hassan only broke 17:00 once, crossing in 16:57 at regionals. Just three races into his sophomore year, Hassan has already ran 15:03, and nearly broke 15:00 at the Desert Twilight. The sophomore finished eighth overall in an absolutely loaded Boys Sweepstakes field. Heading into October, Hassan is the fastest that Colorado's 2A class has to offer and is the seventh-fastest sophomore in the country.
Eldorado (N.M.)
Class of 2028
In just her second race of her freshman campaign, Rahmer clocked her first sub-18 performance of the year, finishing in third at the Desert Twilight in Gilbert, Arizona. Rahmer, who already has four state titles to her name from her eighth-grade season, was the only freshman inside the top 10, and the top underclassmen of the meet as a whole. The Golden Eagle standout currently sits No. 4 amongst the nation's top freshmen and is the 13th-fastest athlete in the NXR Southwest, as well as the defending champ.
JACK MCGOVERN
Rockhurst (Mo.)
Class of 2028
Three races, three PB's, and a sub-16 performance sum up the first month of McGovern's high school career, as the freshman has made an immediate impact on a nationally-ranked Rockhurst squad. At the Gans Creek Classic, McGovern took off 25 seconds from his previous best, finishing 10th in 15:36 to help his team win the title over Rock Bridge. McGovern was also the No. 3 runner for the Hawklets, stepping into a huge role in his first season at the high school level.