* Kate Loescher won big at the Great American XC Festival
Photo Credit: Dan Louglin/MileSplit North Carolina
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Highlighted by the star-studded field at the Nike XC Town Twilight Invitational, October's first weekend of racing lived up to the hype.
While some athletes traveled across the country for their racing endeavors, others stayed put and took care of business close to home.
The National Performer of the Week poll will close at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, Oct. 10, and the winner will be announced shortly after.
Take a look at five of the top-performing girls from last weekend.
POLL: National Boys XC Performer of the Week (Sept. 30-Oct. 6)
This Week's Nominees:
Jane Hedengren, Timpview (Utah): Despite traveling over 1,500 miles across the country to Terre Haute, Indiana, Hedengren was cool, calm, and collected as she broke the tape in 16:50.6 to win the Nike XC Town Twilight Invitational. The BYU commit had never run faster than 17:14 for 5k, but a competitive race under the lights was just what she needed for a 25-second personal best. Hedengren won by 10 seconds as she was the lone athlete under 17:00.
Kate Loescher, Colonial Forge (Va.): After finishing fifth at the Great American XC Festival a year ago, the determined senior knocked off 53 seconds from her season best, stopping the clock in 17:26.7, a nine-second personal best. Loescher led 18 other girls under 18:00 but was the only one able to dip under 17:30 in Cary, North Carolina. The state's top 6A returner looks to be in a great spot heading into the latter half of her season.
Katelyn Rupe, Salina Central (Kan.): On one of the toughest courses that Kansas has to offer, the future North Carolina Tar Heel ran the second-fastest time of her high school career, running 17:04.7 at the Bob Schmoekel Invitational. Rupe broke the course record for the third year in a row, nearly adding another sub-17 performance to her resume. The six-time state champion is 3-1 on the year and has not run slower than 17:20 this season.
Cassidy Armstrong, Ballard (Wash.): The Seattle-based junior had a busy yet successful weekend on the grass, winning the individual title at Metro XC and finishing runner-up at the HOKA John Payne Invitational three days later. In her first race of the week, Armstrong clocked 17:26 as she won by over a minute. On Saturday, Armstrong was the top non-senior, running 17:08.4 to take second.
Summer Wilson, Irvine (Calif.): Following her transfer from JSerra Catholic (Calif.), the Irvine junior wasted no time in her first race donning the green and white. Wilson ran 16:19.4 to put 17 seconds between herself and the field, notching a new personal best over three miles. Wilson held off a strong Trabuco Hills (Calif.) contingent but was able to use her experience and talent to pull away with ease.
NPOTW's Previous Winners:
Week 1: Daniela Scheffler, Uniontown-Lake (Ohio)
Week 2: Paige Sheppard, Union Catholic (N.J.)
Week 3: Rylee Blade, Santiago Corona (Calif.)
Week 4: Lilly Beshears, Rogers (Ark.)