Barrington’s full lineup impresses at Wheeling
Barrington’s girls cross country team has shown bits and pieces of its potential throughout the season.
The Fillies put it all together on warm fall morning at Wheeling’s Heritage Park in cruising to the Wildcat Invitational title with 27 points in the 15-team field.
Barrington placed five runners in the top 10, with junior Becca Batliner taking first individually in a comfortable 18:07.
Lake Zurich took second with 80 points, followed by Huntley (98 points), St. Viator (105 points), and Lake Park (178 points).
Barrington had its full lineup for the first time since it took second at the St. Charles East Invite on Sept. 3, and it showed in a commanding performance.
“It’s better,” said Barrington coach Deb Revolta whose team is ranked 10th in the Illinois Cross Country Coaches poll. “We finally had everybody and if we can build off this that would be nice.
“It shows what they are capable of doing.”
Batliner took the lead early, pulling away from St. Viator’s junior Hanna Winter (18:18) and sophomore Meghan Carroll (18:27) in the second mile before extending her advantage in the final mile.
The Fillies junior finished 10th in Class 3A last season, but a left foot injury wiped out her sophomore track season and slowed her approach this fall.
Clearly, though, Batliner is back and leading the Fillies’ charge.
“It’s great,” said Batliner of her first big invitational title this season. “We all have those races where you kick yourself after, knowing you can do better. But to have a race where the team does well and you run your race is special.”
Senior Ella Tracy (18:34) and junior Rachel Simon (18:44) took fourth and fifth place for Barrington, with senior Caroline Carley (18:48) and sophomore Caroline Reynolds (18:55) adding seventh and 10th place.
“I’ve had to step up, and now with Becca (Batliner) back everything is flowing,” said Tracy. “This isn’t our best, and we’re waiting to see our best. It was our first real opportunity to see everyone race at once, we did what we needed to do today.”
Sophomore Meaghan Gelinas (18:58) took 11th place to sput a solid pack for Lake Zurich.
“We wanted to stay together as a pack and try and pick off Barrington,” said Gelinas. “I thought we stayed together pretty well today.”
Freshman Katie Fabbrini (19:17) and senior Elizabeth Berton (19:29) took 14th and 16th place, followed by senior Cassie Houghton (19:41) and junior Angela Ufheil (19:47) who took 19th and 21st place for the Bears.
“We’re working on staying together as a pack,” added Berton, “And I think we came out and did the best we could today.”
Huntley also offered a solid pack in securing third place. Freshman Kelly Meehleib (18:51) led the charge in securing ninth place for the Red Raiders. But the key for Huntley was a solid performance by senior Emily Kahl (19:34), senior Sarah Scarbro (19:50), senior Amy Kahl (19:56), and sophomore Delaney Loprieno (20:10), who finished 18th, 23rd, 24th, and 27th.
“I just wanted to get out there and establish a good pace,” said Meehleib who was in sixth place at the 2-mile mark. “The team has been really good together, and we’ve all been supporting each other.”
Winter and Carroll gave St. Viator a powerful 1-2 punch in leading the Lions to fourth place. They pressured Batliner in the opening 2 miles before easing to a second- and third-place finish.
“Everybody really went out hard in the first mile, before we started spacing out in the second mile,” said Winter. “I’m definitely pushing the second mile and going out a lot harder than I did last year.”
Carroll started the season with a cast on her right wrist, but the sophomore is starting to heat up at the right time for the Lions.
“It was a good race,” said Carroll, “And I’m definitely getting stronger as the season progresses.”
Lake Park, ranked No. 2 in the ICCCP, did not run its top seven runners, but sophomore Nicole Alfano (20:20) and junior Venus Zepeda (20:21) finished 32nd and 34th leading the Lancers to a fifth-place finish.
Lakes senior Kathryn Dean and senior Hannah Wittman have powered the Eagles attack all season and the duo didn’t disappoint on Saturday.
Dean (18:50) and Wittman (19:15) finished 8th and 13th place in leading a Lakes squad that is currently ranked 13th in the ICCCP for Class 2A to a sixth-place finish.
“We work as a team for most of the race,” said Wittman. “Our team is a lot deeper this year.”
Sophomore Katie Geraghty (19:18) finished 15th in leading Buffalo Grove to seventh-place finish.
Junior Caitlin Murphy (18:45) used a strong final mile in finishing in sixth place and helping Carmel take ninth.
“I knew I had to put the effort in,” said Murphy, who moved up three spots in the final mile. “I knew the temporary pain would get me to the finish, and then I would be happy.”