* Averi Lowen won the NXR Southeast title over the weekend
Photo Credit: Dan Loughlin/MileSplit North Carolina
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A few Nike Cross Regionals and the New York Federation Championships provided dozens of NPOTW contenders.
The National Performer of the Week poll will close at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, November 28, 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:
Jane Hedengren, Timpview (Utah): Did anyone have a better weekend than the BYU commit? After watching her future teammates win the national title, Hedengren shook off the field at NXR Southwest, running an unprecedented 15:50.01. Wow. This is the fastest time ever run by a high school girl, and just the second time a high schooler had run sub-16. Hedengren pulled away from a loaded field by 41 seconds, including defending NXN champion, Niwot's (Col.) Addy Ritzenhein. This immediately makes the senior the favorite heading into December.
Lilly Beshears, Rogers (Ark.): Considering it's been 72 days since Beshears lost, it only makes sense she took care of business at NXR South, taking down defending Foot Locker champion Elizabeth Leachman, a junior out of Boerne Champion (Texas). Beshears clocked 17:07.4, crossing the line 11 seconds ahead of the field. This was the junior's fifth win in a row, and she's due for a big performance next month.
Holly Barker, Trabuco Hills (Calif.): While practically every other state being done with their in-state season, runners out in California are prepping for the CIF State Championships. The future Colorado Buffalo won her third-straight race, breaking the tape at the CIF SS Championships, winning by five seconds. Barker was runner-up at state a year ago, and is one of a handful of contenders for the DI crown.
Averi Lowen, Bowdon (Ga.): The sophomore is on a roll as of late, winner of her last nine races, most recently breaking the tape at NXR Southeast, running a new lifetime best of 16:59.18. Lowen's huge performance also broke Emily Borsare's (McIntosh) 19-year-old state record of 16:59.51. Lowen is now the sixth-fastest sophomore in U.S. history, and the seventh-fastest underclassman.
Julia Kelly, Downingtown West (Penn.): In her first-ever NXR Northeast experience, the freshman phenom kept her cool and finished fourth to punch her ticket to NXN in Oregon. Kelly clocked 18:37.4, marking her seventh consecutive race under 18:40. Kelly is already the fastest freshman in Pennsylvania history, and can add to her debut season's legacy.
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.)
Week 8: Marissa Ferebee, Pella (Iowa)
Week 9: Katelyn Rupe, Salina Central (Kan.)
Week 10: Mia Sirois, Barrington (Ill.)
Week 11: Zariel Macchia, William Floyd (N.Y.)