Fox Valley girls cross country roundup
Palatine took a step in the right direction on a perfect autumn morning on Saturday. Junior Tess Wasowicz (17:38) and sophomore Jessica Lincoln (17:52) finished 1-2 to lead the host Pirates to the 3A regional title at Deer Grove East with 38 points.
Barrington (45 points) finished second followed by Lake Zurich (60), Cary-Grove (84), Prairie Ridge (147), Crystal Lake South (173), and McHenry (200).
All seven teams will advance to next Saturday’s 10:30 a.m. Schaumburg sectional at Busse Woods.
Barrington offered a solid challenge to Palatine, with junior Becca Batliner (18:01) and senior Ella Tracy (18:17) taking third and fourth.
Lake Zurich won the North Suburban Conference title last week and had no letdown on Saturday. Sophomore Meaghan Gelinas (18:19) led the way by taking fifth place.
Freshman Talia Duzey (18:38) finished in 10th place to spark Cary-Grove.
“The start and finish are probably the scariest parts, when I’m in the middle part I don’t really think about it,” said Duzey of her race. “The last 800 meters I definitely wanted to push.”
Junior Sarah Englund (14th, 19:02), senior Kathie Wollney (17th, 19:09), senior Paige Freund (19th, 19:12) and sophomore Natasha Geiger-Powell (24th) also aided the Trojans’ attack.
“We haven’t qualified for the sectionals the last two years, so this is pretty exciting,” said Cary-Grove coach Mark Anderson. “I think we’re back to the Cary-Grove style of pack running, and their confidence is way up.”
Junior Becca Hoklas (23rd, 19:30) helped Prairie Ridge advance. Sophomore Malgorzata Waz (19:38) took 26th for Crystal Lake South and junior Quin Rogers (18:58) secured 13th place in propelling McHenry.
Huntley, Jacobs, Dundee-Crown advance. Huntley was the winner in the Class 3A Rockford Guilford regional at Rock Valley College in Rockford. Huntley recorded 42 points as a team to advance. Jacobs and Dundee-Crown also advanced. Jacobs finished with 46 points for second place, and Dundee-Crown recorded 148 points for fifth place.
Lauren VanVliergergen of Jacobs finished third overall (18:20), and Kelley Meehleib of Huntley came in fourth overall (18:31). Four runners from Larkin also advanced: Kelci Hogue (37th, 21:19), Crystal Nava (41st, 21:57), Amanda Lane (42nd, 22:18), and Emma Dwyer (46th, 22:45).
Hampshire advances. Hampshire placed seventh with 203 points in the Class 2A Kaneland regional at Elburn Woods. Cassie Kruse led the way for the Whip-Purs, finishing in fourth place overall (18:53). Yorkville took first place with 39 points. Two runners from Burlington Central also advanced: Jane Crocetti (30th, 20:17) and Courtni Neubauer (34th, 20:43).
Harvest Christian’s Knox advances. Harvest Christian freshman Kylee Knox placed 39th overall (21:44) at the class 1A Aurora Christian regional at the Oakhurst Forest Preserve in Aurora. Westmont was the team winner with 22 points.