Hoffman's Schmidt just keeps wowing 'em
Where have you been, Melissa Schmidt?
The Hoffman Estates junior has exploded onto the cross country scene after not participating in the sport her first two years.
Schmidt had turned a few heads by taking first in Thursday's Mid-Suburban League West Division dual meet at Palatine.
Schmidt kept the heads spinning Saturday, taking first and setting a course record in 18:09 to lead Hoffman Estates to the team title with 66 points at the Libertyville Invitational at hilly Adler Park.
What makes it even more amazing is that Schmidt had never attended a cross country invitational - let alone run in one.
But the junior made quite a first impression as she nipped Rolling Meadows' Christina Gastfield (18:09.68) at the wire.
"I just pushed at the last minute," said Schmidt, who overtook Gastfield in the final 100 meters. "It was hard, but I knew I had to give it everything I could."
Gastfield dealt with a tight left calf before the race, but the sophomore grinded out the 3.0-mile course and had control of the race on the last straightaway before Schmidt's final push.
"It was right at the end," said Gastfield, who didn't have time to respond to Schmidt's winning move. "It was so close. Next race I'll just have to go faster."
Hoffman Estates placed four runners in the top 16 to win its second consecutive Libertyville title.
Surprising Buffalo Grove (74 points) took second, while Prospect (93 points), Rolling Meadows (116 points) and host Libertyville (123 points) rounded out the top five teams.
Individually, Lockport's Megan O'Brien (18:13.24) took third, followed by Hoffman's Hannah Worman (18:16.91) and Prospect's Annette White (18:26.91).
"It's nice to get back out and run fast," Worman said.
"Our goals are higher this year. We know what it's like to have a winning team."
Gaby Duenas (18:51.52) took eighth place and Kathy Kenley (19:26.06) added a 16th for the Hawks.
BG had four runners in the top 15: freshman Olivia Jones (18:39.96) and junior Cari Geyer (18:49.44) took sixth and seventh, while sophomore Sarah Peluse (19:06.77) and junior Erin Cleary (19:25.65) were 10th and 15th.
"The race got off to a fast start and I just tried to stay strong the final two miles," said Jones, who ran the first mile in 5:45.
Prospect had 4 runners in the top 21, despite battling a flu bug.
White was followed by junior Kasey Krum (19:22.65), senior Alyssa Glennon (19:38.99), and sophomore Savannah Snead (19:42.45), who took 14th, 20th, and 21st places.
"Our top three kids have been sick, so we're a little down from that," said Prospect coach Dave Wurstser. "When we get our top three back healthy, we'll be in pretty good shape."
Rolling Meadows had 4 runners in the top 26. Gastfield was followed by sophomore Colleen Vrshek (12th, 19:18.64), senior Amanda Whowell (22nd, 19:42.92) and sophomore Rebecca Zych (26th, 19:48.68).
Fremd's Rachael Palumbo (19:09.18) took 11th place. The senior was hampered last season with a stress fracture in her left fibula, but she is off to strong start this season.
"Finally," said Palumbo of being healthy. "It was good to get out there and run against some strong competition."
Peoria Notre Dame Invite: Palatine had 5 runners finish in the top 32 to take the Peoria Notre Dame Invite title with 95 points. Sophomore Sarah McIntosh (17:44) finished second behind Lake Park's Lindsay Flannagan (17:04) to lead the Pirates.
Also for the Pirates, Courtney Brown was 19th in 18:24; Ruth Allen took 21st in 18:27; Tory Wright placed 30th in 18:38; and Becca Sund was 32nd in 18:40.
Pacing Libertyville were senior Anne Strychalski (17th, 19:28.42), junior Megan Janezic (18th, 19:34.58) and senior Hannah Reilly (25th, 19:46.75).
"We got off to a good start," said Libertyville coach Harry Carlson, "We've been working really hard, and it kind of showed toward the end of the race. I felt the effort was still there, this is still a talented bunch of girls."
Vernon Hills' Danielle Dickman (19:22.24) took 13th place. Last year, the senior finished 13th in the Class 2A state meet.
"I've been a bit off-track mentally," said Dickman who was runner-up at Libertyville last year. "But I know I have some time before the more important races start kicking in. I just have to stay focused."