Girls cross country: Glenbard West takes flight at Falcon Classic

The Class 3A girls cross country coaches' poll was authenticated Saturday at a rain-saturated St. James Farm Forest Preserve.

At the Wheaton North Falcon Classic - a nontraditional format in which one athlete per school runs in seven flights - Glenbard West truly proved deserving of its top-ranked status.

The Hilltoppers crowned four champions and had no runner finish worse than fourth in a dominant 14-44 victory over Arrowhead (Wisconsin).

Glenbard West coach Paul Hass has quite the luxury at his disposal; 2015 state runner-up Lindsey Payne was in the second flight behind freshman sensation Katelynne Hart.

The two were untouchable in the two championship flights as Payne recorded the fastest time of the morning in Warrenville with her clocking of 17 minutes, 24.9 seconds.

One flight later, Hart eased to the No. 1 flight title in 17:30.8.

"I just go out there and run my race," Payne said. "I knew I had to adjust to the conditions. Other than (the rain), it was a pretty normal day. I just had to go through with my pace."

Hart has been the centerpiece of the Hilltoppers' four invitational victories after individual triumphs at Lake Park and Peoria Notre Dame.

"I feel like it was good that we got to experience racing by ourselves," Hart said. "I did miss having Lindsey and Katie (Hohe) and everyone in the race with me."

Hohe, a sophomore, and senior Janie Nabholz captured the third and fourth flights for the Hilltoppers' other titles.

"Finding my pace was my main goal," said Nabholz, the final link to the Hilltoppers' 2013 state championship. "The course was pretty difficult. I felt like I had a good race today."

Chloe Connelly, Grace Oh and Abby Hoffman were second, fourth and fourth for Glenbard West in their flights.

"We just basically want them to do their very best," Hass said of the format. "Run your race, and things should work out like they should."

Flight No. 1 featured Sarah May (York), Cassy Tsagaris (Waubonsie Valley), Meghan Donovan (Naperville Central), Anna Arrick (St. Charles East) and Coral McFarland (Bartlett).

Tsagaris has been the Warriors' top-rated runner all four years in the program.

"(The format) is a way to get girls to run with you," said Tsagaris, who was No. 13 in the 27-runner field. "I have learned over the years that you have to be positive."

Donovan and freshman Emily Scott, who won the fifth flight, led the Redhawks' eighth-place finish.

"You're not running with your teammates, so I focused on my own race," said Donovan, who was a spot behind Tsagaris. "Normally we run in a pack. I still had people from other teams to run with."

Arrick and McFarland were right behind Tsagaris and Donovan.

"I think I did well considering the weather conditions," McFarland said. "I fell at one point in the back corner. I just focused on trusting my training."