Top 50 Returning Girls: Division II - Class A

Girls: Division II Class A

Has anyone won FIVE Individuals TSSAA Cross Country State Championships in their career? If not, over the next four years or so we may be witnessing a first for the State of Tennessee. Abby Faith Cheeseman will be a freshman this year but returns as the defending Division II Class A State Champion. We caught up with her last week and embedded this interview in a previous piece: 

Behind her in the rankings is St. George's Lauren Rutlin. She challenged Cheeseman for the first 2.5 miles at Sander's Ferry last year before needing to be held off the course. I wouldn't hold that against her though as the same fate befell the favorite in the AA division earlier in the day. She's kind of a wild card coming into every cross country season since she doesn't compete in track in the spring as she is also a dedicated Lacrosse player. As a team the Gryphons are approaching dynasty status as they return four in the top twenty and six total below. Even with season ending injuries and DNF's last year, the team still managed to eke out a victory. This year they'll likely do the same. 

While this Division may seem a little boring on the surface, a curveball was thrown in right at the last minute. Auldyn Plant, formerly of Nolensville High School, has enrolled at University School of Nashville. The junior brings with her an 18:44 cross country PR and finished 3rd overall in last May's Large Division I 3200m State Championship beating quality runners like Vanderkolk, Walters, Hayes, and Braese in the process. If she's able to beat those types of runners in the spring, it'll be interesting to see if she can make a run at the top of the podium in this division in the fall. She, like Rutlin, is an enigma as it pertains to her ceiling. 

Auldyn Plant ran her PR of 18:44 at Jesse Owens last year and would rank 3rd among returning runners in this division.

*Since publishing two changes have been made in the database. Sarah Catherine Donovan's accounts have been merged and Ava Cason of USN's profile has been updated with the correct graduation year. She was listed as a senior last year but is Class of 2022. Her PR is 21:19 which would place Top 15 in these rankings. Continue to reach out for necessary changes in this or any other article previously published. Thank you.* 

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