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Providence (Jacksonville)

1A Region 1 · District 2 · also appears as: Providence

#1 Preseason 1A Girls#6 Week 1 1A Girls

Preseason returner projection (Girls): proj. rank 1 in 1A · score 81 · top-5 avg 20:31.2 · spread 1:35.8 · 7 returners from state
Sara Palmer (SR) 19:57.5; Maggy Koenig (7th) 20:07.8; Emma Akhundjanov (SO) 20:18.6; Katie Cunningham (SR) 20:39.0; Leeza Loftin (JR) 21:33.3

Current roster (16)

AthleteClassThis season (5k)Last season (5k)Races
GEmma Akhundjanov202919:43.020:18.62
GSara Palmer202721:02.019:57.52
GKatie Cunningham202722:12.020:39.02
GLeeza Loftin202823:18.021:33.32
GLyla Frady202823:34.022:23.92
GGigi Akhundjanov203224:03.01
GCalah Drake202725:08.01
GAddison Hatcher202825:35.023:37.72
GMaggy Koenig203220:07.81
BSean Cunningham202716:23.015:47.82
BBrody St.Denis202717:09.017:26.82
BTrace Crowley202818:20.018:07.72
BBraden Hansen203024:36.01
BElijah SANDERS2
BHank BROWN2
BMerrick Meyer202718:46.51

Team results

DateMeetRacePlaceScoreAvg
2026-08-21Cecil Field Summer ClassicGirls Elite2264321:57

Team ranking writeups

#6 — 1A Girls Week 1 · 210 points

Cecil Field. Five-man average 21:57.8, spread 3:51.0.
Emma Akhundjanov 19:43, Sara Palmer 21:02, Katie Cunningham 22:12, Leeza Loftin 23:18, Lyla Frady 23:34, Gigi Akhundjanov 24:03, Calah Drake 25:08.

First in the preseason. Sixth now. The biggest drop on any 1A board this week, and it happened because they showed up.

Providence entered six of their seven state returners at Cecil Field. Only Maggy Koenig, their projected number two at 20:07.8, was missing. Here is what the other five did against a 28.8-second expectation:

| Runner | 2025 state | Cecil Field | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Akhundjanov | 20:18.6 | 19:43 | −35.6 |
| Sara Palmer | 19:57.5 | 21:02 | +64.5 |
| Katie Cunningham | 20:39.0 | 22:12 | +93.0 |
| Leeza Loftin | 21:33.3 | 23:18 | +104.7 |
| Lyla Frady | 22:23.9 | 23:34 | +70.1 |

One runner improved by 35 seconds. Four gave back between 70 and 105 seconds when the class average was 29. Their preseason 1:35.8 spread — the tightest projection in 1A — opened to 3:51.0 on the course.

We are not going to dress this up. A team that races in August and runs badly is treated worse by this method than a team that stays home, and Providence is the clearest case of it in the state. It is also true that they ran badly. The preseason number said 20:31.2; the course said 21:57.8. Both are data, and only one of them is from this year.