Cross Country: Parkville resident wins IAAM title

It may be difficult to believe now, but Ellie Gonzalez joined a summer running program prior to her freshman year at Catholic High because "she was a little out of shape," according to Catholic coach Cathy Kearns.

A year later, Gonzalez is not only in great shape, she's the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland champion after her record-setting 17:59 shattered the six-year-old meet record set by Bryn Mawr's Chrissy Johnson in 2005 by 31 seconds on the 3.1-mile Oregon Ridge Park course on Wednesday.

Gonzalez, a Parkville resident who runs in the C Conference for the Cubs, placed a whopping 1:30 ahead of runner-up Holly Cook, a senior from John Carroll and the A Conference's top finisher.

"I just have never seen anyone who runs the way she does, honestly," Kearns said of Gonzalez. "The intensity is always there."

Not lacking confidence, Gonzalez said winning the race was pretty much a sure thing.

"I like to go out fast and I knew it was going to be my race," she said. "And no one was going to be close to me. So I might as well (start fast)."

Gonzalez placed second in last year's IAAM meet behind McDonogh's accomplished senior Madeline Dulac.

Gonzalez, the reigning 1,600 and 3,2000 outdoor and 800 indoor champ said, "I really haven't had any competition in my conference this year. Last year I mostly followed. I am better at leading now. I know what to do."

Glenelg County School's Hannah Mansbach (3rd, 19:48), Mount de Sales' Jessica Harris (4th, 20:00), Archbishop Spalding's Caitlin Anson (5th, 20:02), Notre Dame Prep's Summer Legambi (6th, 20:07), St. Mary's Mary Reiser (7th, 20:15), Spalding's Cara McNellis (8th, 20:26), Spalding's Erin Beherns (9th, 20:30) and Spalding's Caitlyn McGuinness (10th, 20:33) and rounded out the top 10.