Top Ten Greatest High School Runners (Girls)

How could you forget Lynn Jennings? Ari Lambie, who is from the same HS as Lynn also deserves mention.

Sartor Resartus wrote:

My picks:

1) Mary Cain

2) Mary Decker

3) Melody Fairchild

4) Lynn Bjorklund

5) Kim Gallagher

6) Mary Shea

7) Julie Shea

8) Kim Montensen

9) Sarah Baxter

10) Cathy Schiro

I feel bad about leaving off, in no particular order: Ajee Wilson, Jordan Hasay, Polly Plumer, Debbie Heald, and Amber Trotter

Well I definitely would not put Hasay in the Top 10. She was damn good in HS, but not a Top 10 of all time. Heald was a phenom because of her tremendous win against the Russkies.

Btw, approximately how old are you Sartor? If you're a young fellow, you have a good appreciation of the sport's history which many young athletes and coaches definitely do not.

number ln e wrote:

rupp should be top 10

Oh, you stop it!

Is find a place for Hasay in that list for her *impact* on high school running. Without a doubt she was the biggest high school running in several decades. I think her presence is as important of her victories.

Middle Distance Coach wrote:

Btw, approximately how old are you Sartor? If you're a young fellow, you have a good appreciation of the sport's history which many young athletes and coaches definitely do not.

You are too kind. I'm in my early 30s though.

mass pole. wrote:

How could you forget Lynn Jennings? Ari Lambie, who is from the same HS as Lynn also deserves mention.

I am not very familiar with Lynn Jennings's high school career. However, I started this thread to hear the perspective of other people, so please enlighten me as to why she should be included.

There were some very good girls out of New England at the same time as Lynn. Darlene Beckford, the Welch sisters, Ceci Hopp. Lynn was not that much better than any of them in high school.

Sartor Resartus wrote:

[quote]mass pole. wrote:

How could you forget Lynn Jennings? Ari Lambie, who is from the same HS as Lynn also deserves mention.

I am not very familiar with Lynn Jennings's high school career. However, I started this thread to hear the perspective of other people, so please enlighten me as to why she should be included.[/quote

Graduating from HS in MA in 1978, she left behind countless records, including the national high school indoor 1500meter run. She ran the Boston Marathon unofficially at age 17 in 1978 and finished in 2:46, a time which would have placed third in the open women's division and a record for her age group.

Suzy Favor

Sartor Resartus wrote:

You are too kind. I'm in my early 30s though.

Decker was significantly greater than Cain currently is

jyv wrote:

Decker was significantly greater than Cain currently is

Please explain your reasoning for that statement.

I would assume this is because she was better on the world/national stage?

Womens competition was much weaker in the 1970s (though I suppose that could theoretically work in her favor, some sort of "impact factor"). Ryun and Lindgren do get some points in my book for being better national/world than guys today, as does Mary Decker. 2) However, Mary Cain is so much faster, especially over mile and two mile, that she makes up for it. Like if Alan Webb had run ~3:49, or if Rupp had run, say, 13:1x, I would probably put them ahead of Ryun or Lindgren.

While I disagree with what I would assume to be your argument, I don't find it unreasonable.

Lynn Jennings ran a 4:38 mile indoors in HS, without the benefit of the fast tracks of today (like BU, or the armory) she also ran 10:10 for 2 miles indoors her senior year. She did run the Boston marathon her senior year unofficially which cost her the outdoor track season that year.

ray wrote:

There were some very good girls out of New England at the same time as Lynn. Darlene Beckford, the Welch sisters, Ceci Hopp. Lynn was not that much better than any of them in high school.

Lynn won three straight State Titles in xc, she was better than all of them. If she doesn't run Boston her senior year, the track times would be much different and out of reach.

1. Mary Cain

2. Jordan Hasay

3. Kim Gallagher

4. Kim Mortensen

5. Lynn Bjorklund

6. Emily Sisson

7. Polly Plumer

8. Mary Decker

9. Caitlin Chock

10. Melody Fairchild

... I feel very good about the top 8. After that, it starts to get more questionable... not as many great girls as there have been great boys. Cranny and Efraimson (and possibly Baxter) could all make the top 10 this year, though, to make things a bit more clear.

Sartor Resartus wrote:

My picks:

1) Mary Cain

2) Mary Decker

3) Melody Fairchild

4) Lynn Bjorklund

5) Kim Gallagher

6) Mary Shea

7) Julie Shea

8) Kim Montensen

9) Sarah Baxter

10) Cathy Schiro

I feel bad about leaving off, in no particular order: Ajee Wilson, Jordan Hasay, Polly Plumer, Debbie Heald, and Amber Trotter

I am not sure how you can rank an athlete 5th who at one point held every H.S. middle distance record including the 4x8 and DMR...that athlete would be Kimberly Ann Gallagher. For perpective, when Kim Gallagher ran 2 flat in the 800, it was the WJR, Mary Cain would have to run 1:54x to match that feat. Gallagher and Decker's performanes were from 30 and 40 years ago, you can't allow the passage on time diminish what they accomplished in their era.

Btw, the top 3 should have been easy to pick out becasue they are in class by themselves, Gallagher, Decker and now Mark Cain. Nice attempt young fellow.

I was wondering when someone was going to mention polly! seconded :)

jyv wrote:

Sartor Resartus wrote:

You are too kind. I'm in my early 30s though.

Decker was significantly greater than Cain currently is

Evidence doesn't sport that. Decker was a phenom in HS and yes, I'm old enough to remember, but she wasn't better than Cain is today.

Francis Larrieu!

Nice seeing Bjorklund on your list. No way Hasay is number 2 and Decker at 8 is quite humorous. Cain, Decker, Gallagher are top 3 by far.