Palatine powers up in Peoria
Palatine's girls cross country team is off to a flying start.
The Pirates offered a strong pack in storming to the Richards Springs Invitational title with 94 points, outdistancing New Trier (140 points) and Glenbard West (159 points) in the 58-team field.
Palatine won the Hinsdale Central Invite two weeks ago and showed no signs of slowing down on Saturday, placing five runners in the top 26 with an impressive 7-second split at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
Senior Liz Cox (18:02) and junior Amy Kieliszewski (18:04) finished 15th and 16th, followed by senior Cassidy McPherson (18:05) and sophomore Kelly O'Brien (18:05) in 18th and 19th. Senior Jessica Lincoln (18:09) completed the scoring by taking 26th.
Sophomore McKenzie Yanek of Pleasant Valley, Iowa won the individual race in 16:48, with Glenbard West sophomore Lindsay Graham (17:02) and New Trier junior Mimi Smith (17:04) taking second and third.
St. Viator senior Meghan Carroll (17:36) ran to an impressive seventh-place finish for the Lions.
Schaumburg junior Ali Gutt (18:10) took 28th in leading the Saxons to a 10th-place finish.
Hoffman Estates second at Minooka: Senior Solome Haile (18:11) took second in the top flight at the Minooka Flight Invitational, leading Hoffman Estates to a second-place finish with 19 points as Wheaton Warrenville South took the title with 17 points.
Junior Alondra Aguirre (18:17) took second in the second flight, and sophomore Meagan Biddle (18:10) took first in the third flight to bolster the Hawks.