Emily Betz, a rising junior at East Ridge High School, helped lead her cross-country team to a fifth-place finish at the 2012 state meet and finished 12th in the 3,200-meter run at the state track and field meet in June. She's looking forward to helping her teams get back to state in the upcoming school year.
Quick Q&A: Emily Betz, East Ridge cross-country and track
By KELLY PARSONS, Star Tribune
When did you start running? I started cross-country in eighth grade but I started track in seventh grade for my middle school.
How did you get involved in running? Basically my parents were like, 'Oh, do you want to do this?' and I was like 'OK.'
Did you play other sports? I played soccer and softball and basketball all the way up to eighth grade in our recreation league.
East Ridge is projected to have a strong team this year. What's that like going into the season? It's exciting. I hope that we can all do good this year and place well at state.
How much running do you do a week? I'm not really sure [of the mileage]. We practice every weekday and then on Saturday. Sometimes we have morning practices.
What has been your favorite high school memory so far? I like the pasta parties before every meet, and just hanging out with the team.
What's your goal for the season? To help my team win state and do well.
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KELLY PARSONS, Star Tribune
The list produced by the Star Tribune’s Ron Haggstrom shows 10 players and extends outside the Twin Cities.