* Tsadia Bercuvitz is the top runner in New York this season
Photo Credit: Kyle Brazil/MileSplit New York
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October's last weekend of racing was a great one as athletes around the country notched big-time wins as their quest for hardware continues.
From the new-look Mt. SAC course in Walnut, California, to state history in Pella, Iowa, there was a little bit of everything.
The National Performer of the Week poll will close at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, Oct. 31, and the winner will be announced shortly after.
Take a look at five of the top-performing girls from last weekend.
This Week's Nominees:
Abigail Errington, South Pasadena (Calif): The senior picked up her second win of the season, running the fastest time of the day at the 76th Annual Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational. Errington clocked 16:57 on the new course, enough to take down the Girls Sweepstakes field by six seconds. Errington is one of only 43 California girls to break 17:00 in a 3-mile race this fall, and sits No. 2 in CIF Division 4. A year ago, Errington placed 43rd at state, and is in a great spot to snag a medal.
Addy Ritzenhein, Niwot (Colo.): Her first race in nearly a month went according to plan, as the defending NXN champion successfully defended her Colorado 5A Region 3 title, running 17:24.3 for the 55-second win. The junior is undefeated on the year, and is one of just 12 girls nationwide who have run sub-16:45. Ritzenhein owns the top time in Colorado's 5A class, roughly 23 seconds quicker than any challenger.
Paige Sheppard, Union Catholic (N.J.): New Jersey's brightest star did it again, running a new lifetime best over the weekend. At the Union County Conference Championships, Sheppard clocked 17:13 as she crossed the line over 30 seconds before anyone else. The sophomore also led her squad to a perfect score, with the Vikings fill up the entirety of the top five finishers. She is the only girl to break 17:20 this year, and is the by far the favorite in her next three races.
Marissa Ferebee, Pella (Iowa): Six races, six wins, and the No. 7 time in the country? I guess you could say the Iowa junior is having a decent campaign. In her latest win, Ferebee punched her ticket to state after running 16:37.99, the fastest time in Iowa history. For context, Ferebee already had that mark after running 16:38.1 in September, but became the first Iowan to ever break 17:00 twice in the same season.
Tsadia Bercuvitz, Ithaca (N.Y.): One of the many undefeated stars on this list, New York's top sophomore dipped under 18:00 again, winning the STAC XC Championship in 17:52.4, nearly winning by two minutes. This was the fourth time in five races that the Ithaca (N.Y.) standout won by over a minute, and her second-fastest 5k performance of the year. For now, she sits No. 8 in New York's sophomore class record books.
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.)
Week 5: Kate Loescher, Colonial Forge (Va.)
Week 6: Gabbie Bishop, Providence Academy (Ark.)
Week 7: Victoria Garces, Midland Dow (Mich.)