Few high schoolers can run with Marlee Starliper, so the Northern sophomore went up against college runners on Friday to chase a quick time.
And Starliper got just that, running a time of 16:39.68 for 5,000 meters at the Sam Howell Invitational at Princeton University in New Jersey. That's a US No. 1 time this season so far, topping London Culbreath's previous nation-leading time of 16:44.83 from the Texas Distance Festival.
It's also the second-fastest outdoor track time by a Pennsylvania high schooler all-time and third when including indoor (Tessa Barrett ran 16:11 at indoor nationals in 2014 and Madeleine Davison ran 16:34.86 outdoors in 2016).
Starliper took second in the "seeded" section of the 5K, behind only Princeton University junior Allie Klimkiewicz, who closed hard to take the win in 16:38.97. Starliper was the lone non-collegian in the field. She spent the entire race near the front of the pack, alternating the lead. She ran fairly even splits and got slightly quicker in the final 2K of the race.
It's the first we've seen Starliper since her fourth-place finish in the mile at indoor nationals. Before she won the AA XC state title in the fall, Starliper ran 16:50 in the XC 5K at the Carlisle Invitational.
Full seeded girls 5K results are below:
Women 5000 Meter Run Seeded
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Meet Record: # 16:05.52 2006 Cack Ferrell, Princeton
Name Year School Finals
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1 Allie Klimkiewicz JR Princeton 16:38.97
2 Marlee Starliper Unattached 16:39.68
3 Melia Chittenden FR Princeton 16:45.87
4 Lillian Anderson JR Dartmouth 16:50.85
5 Brianna O'Brien FR Connecticut 16:57.09
6 Olivia Lantz JR Dartmouth 16:57.94
7 Clare Schoen SO Misericordia 16:58.84
8 Katie Leisher JR Temple 17:01.36
9 Melissa Reed SR Princeton 17:02.66
10 Leigh Moffett SR Dartmouth 17:10.61
11 Mary Visca JR Stevens Inst 17:17.78
12 Sarah Forman JR Siena 17:18.87
13 Rebecca Ley SO Monmouth 17:20.82
14 Rachel Granovsky SO Princeton 17:26.62
15 Kristina Schwartz Red Newt 17:28.59
16 Nicole Giannetti SR Haverford 17:32.80
17 Carole Harsch JR Penn 17:34.56
18 Michelle Joyce FR Temple 17:35.02
19 Lindsey Lucas SR Sacred Heart 17:38.78
20 Tara Connelly SR Sacred Heart 17:42.30
21 Marin Warner JR Penn 17:44.71
22 Michelle Myland SR La Salle 17:47.29
23 Alyssa Condell FR Penn 18:10.50
24 Teghan Henderson Unattached 18:19.28
25 Shannon Bauer SR Siena 18:26.38
26 Ally Rome FR Princeton 18:27.80