West Ottawa's Helen Sachs is Holland Sentinel Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year

PARK TWP. - Helen Sachs has been a force ready to be unleashed at the highest level for years.

The West Ottawa runner was one of the fastest middle school runners in the country, then earned all-state honors as a freshman in cross country, finishing fifth in the state.

But the next level came quickly.

Sachs won the Division 1 state championship in cross country, dominating the field to win by 25 seconds.

If that wasn't enough, her performance led the Panthers to a dominating state championship, winning by 75 points in the program's first title.

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No surprise that Sachs was selected as The Holland Sentinel Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Knowing her potential is one thing, but seeing it happen in reality is another as Sachs surprised herself with the title.

"I knew I could do it, but it's kind of crazy because I didn't think it was really gonna happen," Sachs said after the race. "I didn't run as fast as I wanted to, but I knew it was just kind of getting a place for my team today. Probably about a mile in (to the race) I felt pretty confident because I didn't hear anybody behind me and I just had to keep grinding. I went out and thought, Nobody's holding on, so I don't know if they can catch me from here.'"

Sachs put an incredible amount of distance between herself and the rest of the field.

"I knew I was running well, but I kept looking for my teammates and trying to encourage them in my head. It's the first state championship win ever for 5K in school history, so it's kind of just a surreal feeling that it's happening. I just finished the race, which is what I've been doing all year," Sachs said. "I'm just so proud of my team and how far we've come."

And how far Sachs has come in such a short time.

Already extremely talented and fast, she contiues to grow in her racing strategy, mental game and tenacity on the course.

Now, the title has given her the confidence to take even the next step, which she already has, winning the Nike Cross Midwest Regional Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.

Even bigger things are on the horizon for this state champion, who somehow is only starting her ascent as an elite runner.

"Helen is the most talented athlete we’ve evert coached and she backs it up with an incredible work ethic and coachability," West Ottawa coach Kyle Barnes said. "Progress is never linear and this summer/season Helen had a major upswing in her training in racing. She was dominant most of the season and I think West Michigan and America has only seen the beginning of Helen Sachs."

FIRST TEAM

• Helen Sachs, West Ottawa (ROY)

• Addie Birkholz, West Ottawa

• Meredith Cook, Zeeland East

• Emma Drnek, Zeeland East

• Trina Farris, Hamilton

• Alyssa Gerritsma, Holland Christian

• Addie Grill, Zeeland East

• Emma Gunnett, West Ottawa

• Bella Hoffer, Zeeland West

• Jordyn Klaasen, Zeeland West

• Allison Kuzma, Zeeland East

• Alisa Mason, Holland

• Jane Olney, West Ottawa

• Arianne Olson, West Ottawa

• Ava Porres, West Ottawa

• Megan Postma, West Ottawa

• Tessa Rindfliesch, Zeeland West

SECOND TEAM

• Nidia Martinez, Fennville

• Julia Frampton, West Ottawa

• CC Kuras, Zeeland East

• Hayley Heinrich, Zeeland East

• Megan Kuzma, Zeeland East

• Taryn DiLaura, Zeeland East

• Merissa Mendoza, Fennville

• Acacia Williams, Calvary

• Emma Margaron, Holland

• Ambria DePoy, Holland

• Abby Wilson, Holland

• Meredith Walters, Holland

• Alina Martinson, Holland Christian

• Leilani Schoonmaker, Saugatuck

• Heidi Spahr, Zeeland West

• Steph Dodd, Zeeland West

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: West Ottawa's Helen Sachs is Holland Sentinel Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year