* Gianna Rahmer of Eldorado broke an eight-year standing record at the New Mexico State Cross Country Championships by nearly two minutes.
Photo Credit: Bobby Reyes/MileSplit
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With state meets well underway, many underclassmen have been putting their names on the map.
As the cross country season ends, several are heading to national qualifying meets in hopes of competing against the country's elite.
In this week's edition of Future Stars, we looked at six young athletes who broke state class records and shocked regional competition. Where will the post-season lead them?
Check out our latest edition of Future Stars below.
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Gianna Rahmer
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Eldorado (NM)
Class of 2028
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Casually dropping a new course record this past Saturday at the New Mexico State Championships, Rahmer clocked a time of 16:58.01. Only having run one other 5K this season in 18:38, the eighth-grader scored a massive personal best, shaving off nearly two minutes.
She had never run under 18 minutes before.
Her next feat is NXR Southwest, where she will run against the likes of Jane Hedengren, Bethany Michalak and Addison Ritzenhein.
Isabella Keller
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St. Anthony Effingham (IL)
Class of 2027
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What a weekend it was for Keller.
Coming off of a stellar performance last weekend at the IHSA State Championships -- where she collected her first 1A State cross country title -- the freshman from Effingham showed her strength again at NXR Midwest.
Clocking a time close to her 5k personal best, Keller took third, ultimately finishing in 17:18.60. What's more, she ran the third-fastest freshman time in the meet's history.
Julia Score
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Bishop Chatard High (IN)
Class of 2026
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Also racing at NXR Midwest this Saturday, Score dropped the 17th-fastest performance of the weekend.
After her third-place finish at the IHSAA State meet in late October, the sophomore was ready to run on the national stage for the first time for her cross country career.
The Bishop Chatard leader ran her third-best time of the season and was one of the four underclassmen to dip under 17:30 at 17:25. Although she may not attend NXN this year, her name will no doubt show up next year.
Grady Lenn
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De Pere (WI)
Class of 2026
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Following his third-place bid at the WIAA State Championships in October, Lenn took on NXR Heartland on Sunday.
With a challenging line up of Robert Mechura, Manny Putz, Juan Gonzalez and Clay Shively to run against, Lenn placed among the top 25 performers.
The De Pere sophomore finished ninth, recording a new personal best of 15:01.10 -- his closest mark to sub-15.
Lenn was the top finishing underclassmen.
Jaden Merrick
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Cedar Falls (IA)
Class of 2026
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In late October, Merrick was the runner-up for the Iowa Class 4A State Championships, where he scored the third-fastest time in the course's history.
This past weekend, the sophomore followed at NXR Heartland.
Merrick certainly crushed it, pocketing a PR of 15:01.90 and finishing slightly behind Lenn, a fellow sophomore, in 10th.
The Cedar Fall Tiger shaved off nearly 50 seconds from his 77th finish at Heartland last year.
Landon Kimmel
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Tippecanoe (OH)
Class of 2026
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Dipping under 15 minutes for the first time this season and placing third at OHSAA D1 State two weekends ago -- where he currently holds the sophomore state class record in Ohio -- Kimmel has certainly made progress from his freshman cross country campaign.
This past weekend at the NXR Midwest, the Ohio sophomore placed 15th, shaving off nearly 20 seconds and running 15:06.40.
With his PR of 14:42 at Trinity/ Valkyrie, Kimmel definitely holds the potential to propel himself forward with potential post-season races and the looming indoor and outdoor seasons.
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