Adams sets winning pace; Jacobs takes team title
Antioch’s 39th annual Pat Harland invitational was not close from an individual standpoint Saturday morning at Fox River Park in Silver Lake, Wis.
Marengo’s Katie Adams easily captured first place on the 3-mile course with a winning time of 17:41, but the battle for the team title went down to the wire between the Indians and Jacobs.
It took a great team effort, but the Golden Eagles edged Marengo 36-46 to win the championship of the 16-team meet. Warren was not too far behind with a third-place score of 62 points, while Vernon Hills (103s) came in fourth place.
“That was a good performance because Marengo is such a strong team,” said Jacobs coach Kevin Christian. “Our girls went out conservatively, and they really hit the middle part of the race hard to come back and beat (Marengo).”
After Adams (seventh in Class 2A in 2011), it was Jacobs sophomore Lauren VanVlierbergen that was all alone in second place with a time of 18:28.
Jacobs senior Sam Baran took third place in 19:13, while freshman teammate Alex Lorenz (19:27) placed sixth. The Golden Eagles’ top-five pack was rounded out by junior Kayla Guiliano in 11th and senior Tori Tamburrino in 14th.
“My coach (Christian) wanted me to stay with the pack and let Adams go, so we had a lot of space between our runners today,” said VanVlierbergen. “It was pretty hilly and pretty hot out here today, so the running conditions were not very good.”
Warren’s solid pack was led by senior Meg Tully in seventh, Rachel Shoemaker in ninth, Greta Doden in 12th and Becky Haight in 13th. Emily Jahn (22nd), and Tori Nelsen (28th) were also strong finishers for the Blue Devils.
“They did a fantastic job,” Warren coach Brett Heimstead said. “They’ve been working hard, and this is the best we’ve run all year from top to bottom, so it’s all coming together at the right time. “(Tully and Shoemaker) each ran their own race, and I can’t ask for more than two top-10 finishers in a big race like this.”
Vernon Hills’ push for fourth was led by Kristen Whitney in 10th, Samantha Hershman in 18th, Shannon Skeoch in 19th and Lexi Reich in 23rd.
“Whitney has been strong all season and she’s helping to bring our young runners up with her, so we’re pleased with her effort every week,” said Vernon Hills coach Suzanne Richert. “We’ve really got more than a trio, so we’re working to keep that pack solid, and Shannon Skeoch made a push to stay with (Hershman) today.”
Without key runner Jamie Brew in the lineup, Grayslake Central was led by Korina Gomez in fifth, Elsie Rehberg in 26th and Jordan Larson in 30th.
“Korina Gomez ran fantastic, and this is her favorite course, so we knew she was going to do well,” Grayslake Central coach Jim Centella said of the hilly Fox River Park course. “Elsie was sick all last week, so today she worked her way up during the race after going out conservatively.”
The host Sequoits were led by senior Alyssa Aschenbrener in 21st place. Sophomore Danielle Griesbaum led Lakes’ troops in 24th. Freshman Kortney Schardt added a 27th-place run for the Eagles, while Antioch’s Ashley LaPointe placed 32nd.