Rohrer completes inspirational run for title

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

SAN DIEGO -- In order for Anna Rohrer to return to the individual pinnacle of high school cross country, it took a team to make it possible.

When the standout from Mishawaka, Ind., won the 2012 Foot Locker National Championship , she did so with the support of "Team Rohrer", a large group of family and friends outfitted in red T-shirts thanks to her aunt Kim who made their presence all over the 5-kilometer course at Balboa Park's Morley Field.

A year ago, Rohrer was in a wheelchair, unable to defend her title following surgery to repair navicular fractures in both feet.

But thanks to her support system of doctors, specialists, coaches, family, friends and the Mishawaka community, Rohrer made it back to San Diego for another run at a national title Saturday and delivered one of the most inspirational performances in the meet's 36-year history.

With "Team Rohrer" adorned in fluorescent green T-shirts to match the Midwest team's uniforms, Rohrer gave them plenty to cheer about by demonstrating her strength and mental toughness one more time to win the championship in 17 minutes, 12.8 seconds, becoming the fifth female to win two titles.

"I've been working so hard and so long and I never stopped thinking about this and believing in myself and thinking about getting back and taking one last cross country championship," Rohrer said. "It makes me really happy to serve as an inspiration to others who are hurt right now. I've had so many people tell me they look up to me when I'm competing because they know how hard injuries are and all that I've been through. This just serves to show that it really is possible."

Rohrer was involved in a tight battle up front against senior Ryen Frazier of Ravenscroft School in North Carolina -- younger sister of Wesley Frazier, a two-time Foot Locker national finalist (2009-10) -- but made a well-timed surge ascending the final hill to create a significant gap and become the second girl to win national titles in non-consecutive years, along with Jordan Hasay in 2005 and '08.

"It definitely really hurt, but it really hurt everyone," Rohrer said. "My strength in running is my strength. The hill I used as the opportunity to move ahead and it really worked out at the top. Just crossing the line and remembering how it was, I'm just so grateful to be back here and I'm just so thankful to be injury-free right now."

Frazier finished second in 17:22.5 to lead the South team -- which had four runners in the top 10 -- to its first victory in meet history with a 41-44 win over the Midwest, with Rohrer leading six All-Americans in the top 15.

Frazier, who missed four months during her sophomore season with a stress fracture in her right tibia, understood the significance of Rohrer's comeback.

"I really can respect what she's done," Frazier said. "My injury wasn't as serious as hers, but just knowing what she had to go through to get back here and how much I hated cross training, I can really appreciate what she's been through to race again at this level."

Makena Morley of Bigfork, Mont., the only four-time finalist in the field, was the leader through the first mile in 5:19.4, before being passed by Rohrer and Frazier midway through the race.

Morley, the 23rd female runner to race in four national finals, secured her third All-America selection with a third-place finish in 17:28.7.

Paige Hofstad of New Braunfels, Texas, who was second Dec. 6 at Nike Cross Nationals in Oregon, was the top junior at Foot Locker and placed fourth in 17:32.6, followed by Hannah DeBalsi of Staples, Conn., who rounded out the All-American first-team honorees by placing fifth in 17:46.9.

Libby Davidson of E.C. Glass in Virginia was the fastest sophomore by taking sixth in 17:47.9 and Annie Hill of Kalispell, Mont., was the top freshman following an eighth-place finish in 17:51.3.

Frazier, Hofstad and Davidson were supported by Gabriella Karas of Martha Layne Collins in Kentucky, who was ninth in 17:55.8, and a 20th-place effort from Weini Kelati (18:20) -- a junior from Eritrea competing for Heritage High in Virginia -- on the victorious South team.

With the presence of Hill and the Morley sisters -- including freshman Bryn who placed 26th (18:32.5) -- on the West team, which finished third with 56 points, it was the first time three Montana runners competed in the national final.

"I was happy to see Anna back. I remember being here when she won two years ago and what an amazing competitor she is and I was looking forward to racing her again," Morley said. "I'm super excited about (third). I was going for the win, I wasn't holding anything back in my last race. I feel more comfortable going out hard and being up there near the front, but Anna and Ryen were both really strong."

Rohrer showcased that power by stretching a one-second lead at the 2-mile mark to a 10-second victory, improving on her winning time of 17:25 from two years ago.

"We had to find a place on the course to make a gap because with Ryen, we didn't want it come down to a kick the last 100 or 200 meters. She put a surge in at the top of the hill and I saw a considerable gap form. I knew she was tired but Ryen was tired too," Mishawaka coach Chris Kowalewski said. "She amazes me. I was more nervous than she was, but she is so calm and focused. She's a phenomenal talent."

Katie Rohrer, Anna's mother, said it was a victory just to qualify for another Foot Locker national final with all the hurdles and obstacles her daughter was presented in the past year.

"We just stayed hopeful and prayed a lot. Any time there was a shred of doubt, we knew that there was always hope. Anna has very strong faith and she continued to believe that this was possible," Katie Rohrer said. "I get welled up when I think about the sacrifices she's had to make and all she had to do to get back here. I have so much respect for her for how she's handled herself throughout all of this, so this is definitely a pretty sweet way to end."

There were still doubts even in September after Anna returned from a trip to Notre Dame and she experienced pain and discomfort in her feet again.

"That was the low point. We thought it was going to push back her comeback a month. I was scared it might even force us to stop her season before it even started," Kowalewski said. "But her self-discipline and mental toughness are incredible. How much she pushed herself to make this possible is really amazing. It's nice for her to come back here and be validated."

After months of uncertainty of whether her comeback journey would lead to another national championship, Rohrer finally found clarity at the top of the hill.

"Going up the hill, I was telling myself 'I'm tougher and I'm stronger and I've been through this before,' so I know what to expect," Rohrer said. "It's just hard to think of the words to describe it because a year ago this was so far away and I was in no position to be able to get back and run.

"It's just scary to not know, just to have the uncertainty of when am I going to run, is it going to hurt, am I going to be OK? But I know my body well enough now, so I was expecting some soreness, but it's actually feeling better than I expected, so I'm really grateful for that."

So is her father Wendell and the rest of "Team Rohrer."

"Anna is a strength runner and when I watch her, the difference between her freshman year and now is huge," Wendell Rohrer said. "It doesn't get any better than watching her finish like that."