There were not any Maryland teams or runners coming into the meet with real strong chances of qualifying for nationals, so NXN Southeast was more an opportunity for all to end the season with a fast time on a quick course at WakeMed for the Maryland girls.
The best performance of the day belonged to Paint Branch senior Bethlehem Taye. Third place at the Montgomery County Championships as well the 4A state race, Taye was Maryland's fastest on they day down in Cary as she finished 14th to earn All-Region honors with a new personal best 5K time of 18:08. The returning 4A state outdoor 3200 champ will certainly go into indoor with a lot of confidence of her ability to run fast times on the track as well with sub 11 in the 3200 on her mind.
The Walter Johnson girls, 3-time 4A state cross country champions, were Maryland's highest team finishers in 8th place with 294 points. Abbey Green was the top finisher for the Walter Johnson girls in 31st place at 18:34 and second fastest individual from Maryland behind only Taye.
The team's remaining top 5 under 20 minutes in Emily Murphy (75th, 19:09), Jasmine Garrett (78th, 19:10), Kati Kirsch (124th, 19:46), and Sadie Keller (133rd, 19:54).
Sherwood's Amanda Hayes-Puttfarcken (48th, 18:48), Bethesda-Chevy Chase's Zoe Nuechterlein (53rd, 18:51), and the Dulaney pair of Kristin Meek (58th, 18:57) and Brynn Jones (62nd, 18:59) all joined Taye and Green clocking 19 minute performances at WakeMed from Maryland.
Meek and Jones led the Dulaney girls to a 13th place finish with 335 points by the 4A state runners-up. Also in the championship race from Maryland fielding teams were the Broadneck girls in 23rd place and Centennial girls in 25th place.
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