One of the most consistent distance runners in the nation, Orem UT sr Amber Harper grabbed both distance events here to win the Most Outstanding girls runner award. She was celebrating her signing to run for Brigham Young University next year and was getting ready for a trip to Russia with a group of Utah runners who will run in meets against Russian runners.

Harper led the 1500 from the start, but didn't put the chasers away until the last lap and won by 3 seconds in 4:37.95.
Splits: Lap 1 (300 meters) 56.3, lap 2 76.1, lap 3 74.3, lap 4 71.3.

300 meters

finish - Ashley Johnson and Kine Bjerga are 2nd and 3rd, giving Utah a 1-2-3 sweep. bell - Harper is pulling away.

The 3200, run 2 hours and 45 minutes later, was closer, with Harper winning in 11:04.21. Los Alamos NM soph Kristen Hemphill 11:05.40 led four more girls across in the next 5 seconds.

Girls 1500 Meter Run
=======================================================================
 Sponsor: Michelle Lynn-Orion Payment System
Gr Southwest: + 4:31.54  1994        Rosie Gardner, Salt Lake, UT              
 HS National: * 4:16.60  1982        Kim Gallagher, Ft. Washington, PA         
    Name                    Year School                  Finals  Points
=======================================================================
  1 Amber Harper              12 Orem, UT               4:37.95    10  
  2 Ashley Johnson            12 Hyrum, UT              4:41.05     8  
  3 Kine Bjerga               12 Cedar City, UT         4:41.70     6  
  4 Elizabeth Goshu           11 CO, CO                 4:44.28     5  
  5 Whitney Hardt             11 Round Valley, AZ       4:49.63     4  
  6 Valerie McGregor          12 Marana, AZ             4:52.16     3  
  7 Megan Karl                11 Henderson, NV          4:53.16  
  8 Amanda Moore              12 Watonga, OK            4:53.85  
  9 Kirsten Anthony           11 Colorado Springs, C    4:56.63  
 10 Brittany Somers           12 Los Alamos, NM         4:58.56  
 11 Shanna Sparks             12 Carson City, NV        4:59.17  
 12 Sheyanne Lewis            12 Gallup, NM             4:59.92  
 13 Brooke Edsall                Lomega, OK             5:02.02  
 14 Merry Placer                 Flagstaff, AZ          5:02.25  
 15 Yolanda Chee              12 Las Vegas, NV          5:04.00  
 16 Anna Miller               10 Los Alamos, NM         5:08.45  
 17 Amanda Gramley            11 Las Vegas, NV          5:09.29  
 18 Jenny Richard             12 Enid, OK               5:10.05  
 19 Monica Starkweather       12 Sandy, UT              5:10.68  
 20 Jessica Stony             12 Enid, OK               5:18.77  
 
Girls 3200 Meter Run
=======================================================================
 Sponsor: John Baker
Gr Southwest: + 10:18.71  1997        Amy Swier, Aztec, NM                     
 HS National: *  9:48.59  1996        Kim Mortensen, Thousand Oaks,CA          
    Name                    Year School                  Finals  Points
=======================================================================
  1 Amber Harper              12 Orem, UT              11:04.21    10  
  2 Kristen Hemphill          10 Los Alamos, NM        11:05.40     8  
  3 Annie Falor                  Flagstaff, AZ         11:06.54     6  
  4 Britney Almaguer          11 Elko, NV              11:07.18     5  
  5 Holly Simeon              12 Park City, UT         11:09.19     4  
  6 Nichole Torgerson         12 Murray, UT            11:18.38     3  
  7 Kari Hardt                09 Round Valley, AZ      11:19.31  
  8 Heather Wood              11 Los Alamos, NM        11:38.09  
  9 Katy Engstrom             11 Winnemucca, NV        11:47.51  
 10 Natasha Wicks             12 Las Vegas, NV         11:48.41  
 11 Michelle Mower            11 Layton, UT            11:52.48  
 12 Melanie Velarde           11 Albuquerque, NM       11:59.27  
 13 Amanda Gramley            11 Las Vegas, NV         12:12.47  
 14 Stasha Ploskonka          11 Albuquerque, NM       12:52.43   

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