Northern’s girls cross country team came out strong this year, and teammate Marlee Starliper helped drive them to the finish line. Through practice, dedication, and perseverance, this Northern sophomore set the record for the fastest 5k in the nation. Beating the nation's previous record time of 16:50.3, Starliper ran a 16:50 at the 25th Annual Carlisle Cross Country Invitational, and improved her personal record by over a minute. 

When asked about her race, Starliper said, “Being number one in the nation is something that I truly never imagined. That outcome from the race was so unexpected, but I am extremely thankful for it because it helped me realize that I am capable of achieving bigger goals than those which I had previously set. Surprises like that make me love running as a sport even more.”

Her coaches, teammates, parents, and sister are extremely proud of Starliper’s accomplishments. Because of them, the Sentinel named Marlee Athlete of the Week, and she made headlines throughout the county.

Around the school, teachers and students talk about what she’ll accomplish in Cross Country in the future. When asked, Starliper's face glowed. “I definitely want to run in college. I'm hoping to improve a lot as a runner during those years and would love to someday run in the collegiate nationals. I don't know exactly what I want to do yet after school, but I have thought about possibly running professionally as a career choice.” Since Marlee is only a sophomore, there will be plenty of opportunities for her to improve and potentially lower her personal record even more. 

For now, Starliper, and the rest of her team, will focus on getting ready for their district and state competitions on October 28th, at Big Spring, and November 4th, at Hershey.

Northern faculty, staff, and students can't wait to see how far she will go. For now, we enjoy watching her run cross country for Northern, and will always be Polar Bear Proud of her accomplishments.

Aly Huth