Alice Ilea

Two more wins: the East Ridge Middle School meet on Tuesday in 11:41.3, 32 seconds clear, and Oak Park on Thursday in 10:45.1, 38 seconds clear. That makes ten races and eight wins this fall, and the two losses are to Heffernan and Motycka. Her projection is a hair better than Motycka's, but Motycka beat her at Nights of Thunder. Red Sea Running Club and Tavares Middle School are one program, and she has raced under both names.

Won the Bulldog Invitational middle school race in 10:58.2 in the morning and Running on the Range in 10:46.8 that night, 51 seconds ahead of the field at the Range. Eight races, six wins, and the two losses are to the two girls above her. Third because Motycka beat her at Nights of Thunder and they have not met since.

Five races in three weeks. Won Jim Ryun and Indian River, second to Heffernan at the Horse Park, won the Windy Hill invitational on Tuesday in 11:27.3, second to Motycka at Nights of Thunder on Saturday in 10:56.0. She is the only girl here who has raced both of the two above her, and she has lost to both of them once. Third is exactly where that puts her.

Three races, two wins and a second. She won Jim Ryun in 11:05.9, won Indian River in 10:56.8, and ran 10:35.5 for second at the Horse Park, seven seconds faster than the 10:42.2 that won her the public school title at state last fall. She is the only girl in this ten who has raced both Heffernan and Motycka: she beat Motycka by 1.3 seconds at Jim Ryun and lost to Heffernan by 17.7 on Saturday. That is exactly where she sits.

The ranking still comes off Jim Ryun, where she held off Brianna Motycka by 1.3 seconds. Then she went to Indian River and won that too, in 10:56.8. Vero hands time back, so the faster clock does not move her, but two starts and two wins is the best month anybody on this list has had. She won the public school race at state last October in 10:42 for Tavares.

Won the head-to-head of the weekend, holding off Brianna Motycka by 1.3 seconds at Jim Ryun. Her 10:42 from last year's state meet said top-three returner; the opener confirmed it.