Girls cross country: New look showing potential at Palatine

Palatine has several fresh faces on its girls cross country team this fall, and it looks like they're quick learners.

Senior Danya Lloyd and sophomore Liz Lechowicz both are new faces in the Pirates' effort, but they ran like veterans on Thursday.

Lloyd (18:57) and Lechowicz (18:58) went 1-2 on Thursday leading host Palatine to a hard fought 21-36 Mid-Suburban League West victory over Hoffman Estates at Deer Grove East.

Lloyd, who was running her first race of the season, paired with Lechowicz in pulling away in the final mile.

"We wanted to take 10 quick steps every turn," said Lloyd of the Pirates' late surge. "Our thought process was to increase the gap. We knew we had to go."

Hoffman Estates junior Megha Ramanathan (19:11) and sophomore Anna Miller (19:27) pressured the Pirates' front runners early before finishing in third and fourth place for the Hawks.

"We were trying to stick with the Palatine girls," said Ramanathan. "I got a little flustered at the end and I wasn't able to get them."

Senior Izzeh Stankiewicz (19:35), junior Lauryn Simons (19:43), and senior Jaclyn Frank (19:57) went 5-6-7 in closing the door on the Hoffman challenge.

"The team has been great and has been helping a lot," said Lechowicz, who finished 12th at the Hinsdale Invitational and has emerged as one of the Pirates' early leaders. "We have been working hard and everybody has been really supportive."

"We are a bit raw and a bit inexperienced," said Palatine coach Joe Parks. "We're mixing the pieces, and I definitely like what I see and what we could do."

Hoffman is also a team that is looking to build as the season progresses. The Hawks were missing junior Allison Schroeder, one of their top runners, yet still gave the Pirates a stiff challenge.

Senior Misbah Baig (20:12) and senior Giselle Benitez (20:19) supported the Hawks' effort by taking eighth and ninth place.

"I liked our fight," said Hoffman Estates coach Kirk Macnider, "We were in position to win the race, but we may have got out a bit too fast. Both teams were battling, and I'm proud of the kids."