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Girls cross country: Carmel collects Taylor triumph

Competing in hot and humid conditions was a daunting task for girls cross country runners Saturday morning in Ingleside, but Carmel Catholic rose to the challenge on the 3-mile Bulldog Athletic Complex course.

In a race moved up to 8 a.m. to avoid the worst of the day's heat, the Corsairs put together a fantastic team effort to topple host Grant 60-87 for first place at the 19th Annual James "J.T." Taylor Invitational.

Grayslake North captured fifth place with 109 points while Wauconda (222 points) placed eighth in the 12-team meet.

Carmel's winning combination featured senior Aileen Hull in fourth, sophomore Ezzie Posner in ninth, senior Lauren Laughlin in 12th, freshman Brigit Hull in 15th and senior Molly Machala in 20th.

"This was easily our best effort of the year," said Carmel coach Jim Halford, whose team also got a 22nd from Abigail Kuderna and a 25th from Carly Sasman. "It was one of those races where everybody ran well, and Brigit (Hull) probably would have been in the top 10, but she was sick."

Grant ran without 2016 all-stater Danielle Osmon, who is expected to be out four more weeks due to a quad injury. Another Grant junior, Eva Cardy, shined in Osmon's absence, winning the race in 18:54.63, her best time on the course.

"It's a tough course, but it helps knowing where every little bump on the course is," said Cardy, who just missed all-state as a sophomore with a 26th-place finish at state. "We lost a few really good seniors (to graduation) so it's going to be tough, but we have the potential so I think we can get back there (to state)."

After Cardy, the Bulldogs got a seventh from sophomore Eliza Scoggin, a 24th from senior Samantha Kaye, a 31st from senior Roxanne Temple and a 32nd from junior Jana Nehila.

"Any time you're missing an all-state runner, it hurts," Grant coach Jeff Durlak said. "But it gives our other runners a chance to step up. (Cardy) is starting to round back into form. She started the season sick, and I think today was a huge confidence-booster for her."

Grayslake North was led by Kelli Tosic in fifth, Caroline Riss in sixth and Gabriella Conceicao in 14th.

"All three of them were together for the first mile, but Gabby (Conceicao) has been dealing with a little Achilles issue," first-year Grayslake North coach Anthony DeStephano said. "I think Kelli (Tosic) ran her first really complete race. She was really determined to put it all together. The team overall had a great week of workouts."

Junior Dakota Thompson paced Wauconda in 17th place. Junior Megan Knuettel (23rd) led Lakes, which did not have its full varsity squad. Hannah Grant added a 27th-place run for the Eagles to edge Wauconda's Morgan Thompson (28th).

"Megan Knuettel has been running pretty consistently so I was fine with her race today, and I think she is ready for a breakout race next Saturday at Peoria," Lakes coach Keith West said. "Hannah Grant ran a seasonal breakout race, adjusting for the heat that puts her at her season-best time, and I really like the course here."

Sophomore Leialani Akalaonu added a 36th-place run for Grayslake North. Round Lake was paced by junior Jahaira Gonzalez in 42nd place.

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