MAXWELL ON THE TRAIL
Maxwell ran some track in middle school and had a lot of success, but soccer appeared to be her first love.
When she got to high school, she felt she needed an endurance sport in the fall to help her to excel at soccer in the winter.
"It was water polo or cross country," she said. "I knew a lot of water polo people but what they do under the water can be a little violent. I went with cross country."
Maxwell led the Cougars to four state titles.
Photo by Craig Morley
Good decision. She loved the closeness of the team, training in beautiful, scenic, wide-open places, and going to weekend meets at far away locales.
Under Collins, San Lorenzo Valley is a state power. The Cougars have won four state Division IV titles and placed second four other times. Maxwell finished third as a freshman in 17 minutes, 55 seconds over the rolling 3.1-mile course in Fresno.
As a sophomore she was eighth in 18:06 and the Cougars finished second. Last year, Maxwell fell ill late in the season and her allergic reactions to pasta did her in. She fell at the state meet, but gamely finished the race anyway, placing 195th in 25:01. She had similar late breakdown at the Central Coast Section meet where she finished third after winning as a freshman and sophomore.
"It was a tough time for sure, but once we figured out the problem, Anna was better than ever in track," Collins said.
The late-season collapse will only spur her on for 2013, Collins said.
"She has a lot of fire and redemption brewing for this season," he said. "She definitely is out to conquer the demons from last season."
