Ishpeming Junior is First-Team All-American
Photo of Amber Smith (l) by Victah Sailer.
Amber Smith, a junior at Westwood High School in Ishpeming, Michigan, placed fifth at the Footlocker Cross Country Nationals in San Diego on December 14 with a personal best time of 17:48. Smith's fifth place finish earns first-team All-American honors. In an interview with the Mining Journal, "the Upper Peninsula's largest daily newspaper", Smith said that "the cool conditions were ideal compared with the national race last year in humid Orlando, Florida." Smith also called the course with the "pretty big hill" in San Diego's Balboa Park "not that tough". Smith, named "UP Runner of the Year" by the Upper Peninsula Cross Country Coaches Association, is probably used to the hills of Ishpeming, home of the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame.

Zoe Nelson of Kalispell, Montana, won the Footlocker girls title in 17:30 and Chris Solinsky of Stevens Point, Wisconson won the boys title in 14:40.5.