Girls cross country: Wilson, Prospect repeat as MSL champs

Prospect's Brooke Wilson has always had a knack for picking her spots in a race, and both the Knights and Wilson were at the top of their game in Saturday's Mid-Suburban League girls cross country race.

With a damp course beneath a gray sky, Wilson went shoulder to shoulder the first 2 miles with Barrington junior Jocelyn Long and Schaumburg junior Maddie Marasco.

But early in the final mile, the Prospect senior found her spot and decided to go. Wilson didn't look back in running to her second consecutive MSL title. She crossed the line in 16:51.66 and helped the Knights to their second consecutive team title with 55 points at Busse Woods.

"I felt that was a place to make a definitive move," said Wilson, who surged to the lead just before the final back loop. "I definitely wanted to open a gap before the final kick."

And it worked out pretty nice for Wilson, who became the first runner to win consecutive conference titles since Prospect's Brooke Wolfe accomplished the feat in 2010 and 2011.

Long (17:00.49) and Marasco (17:03.44) gave Wilson all she could handle in the first 2 miles but had no answer for the senior's race-changing surge.

"I definitely could tell she was picking it up," said Long, who held off Marasco for second place. "At that point I was giving it my all. I wish I could have stayed with Wilson longer - it was nice challenge."

While Wilson and Long both finished in the top five at the Class 3A state meet last season, Marasco showed on Saturday she's ready to join them in that elite level.

"I expected this kind of race," said Marasco. "I knew the girls were going to go out fast today and I had to go out with it. I saw Brooke (Wilson) start to accelerate and I knew I had to go, after that it was a matter of holding on with Jocelyn (Long)."

But there would be no catching Wilson on this day, as the Knights senior entered the chute with a nine-second cushion.

"I definitely wanted to come out and have a good race - if I won the title that would be great, but more importantly I wanted to help our team to another team title," Wilson said.

With Wilson leading the charge, Prospect placed seven runners in the top 26 to secure its second consecutive title. Palatine and Hersey were tied for second at 67 points after their first five runners, but the Pirates were awarded second place on a sixth-place runner tie-breaker.

Barrington (101 points) took fourth place followed by Schaumburg (110 points) and Fremd (123 points).

"We had a plan and wanted to get out hard and move at certain spots - they executed," said Prospect coach Pete Wintermute.

And the Knights definitely made some nifty late moves, such as sophomore Marissa Valentini (18:01.68) edging Elk Grove senior Emily Stegmeier (18:01.96) for seventh place.

Senior Molly Leeney (18:26.04) then followed by picking off a few runners in the last 50 meters to secure 10th place. Sophomore Jenna Baltes (18:35.37), senior Aileen White (18:40.75), junior Mikayla Olsen (18:41.92), and sophomore Julia O'Grady (18:54.50) then cemented the victory by stringing together 16-21-22-26 positions.

"Totally excited," said Valentini who missed last year title run due to an injury. "This is what we've been working for all summer."

"Awesome," added Leeney of the Knights' back-to-back title drives. "Last year it felt really great to win, but this year is even better."

Palatine and Hersey gave the Knights all they could handle.

Senior Danya Lloyd (17:26.27) led the Pirates in fourth place. She was followed by sophomore Kate Lechowicz (ninth place), junior Lauryn Simons (14th place), senior Anna Buckstaff (17th place), and senior Izzeh Stankiewicz (23rd place).

"It was a team effort today, we all picked it up," said Danya Lloyd whose sister Nadya (31st place) was the sixth place tie-breaking runner for the Pirates. "Super proud of my team."

"Prospect just finished the race a bit better than we did," said Palatine coach Joe Parks, "but I thought the girls moved pretty well throughout the race."

Hersey had its best finish since a third-place effort in 1997.

Senior Hailey Bowes (17:44) and senior Sarah Harden (17:46) pushed the Huskies' attack, finishing in fifth and sixth place. Next was sophomore Teagan Beckley (12th place).

"I started off timid but worked my way up," said Bowes. "We've come a long way and it has been a very dedicated team."

Freshman Katie Fredian (19th place) and freshman Erin Barton (25th) finished off the scoring for the Huskies.

"It was a close race," said first-year Hersey coach Danielle Freeman of her team's effort. "We looked good today, but we didn't look great. We still have room to improve and we are looking forward."

Long set the tone for Barrington and was followed by freshman Alyssa Norris (15th place) and sophomore Eve Hoeltgen (18th place).

"Very happy with how the girls ran today," said Barrington coach Deb Revolta. "They laid it out there and didn't back down."

Marasco led a Schaumburg charge which was aided by junior Lauren Kubinski (11th place) in pushing the Saxons to fifth place.

Senior Linda Varela (13th place), junior Nupur Pokharkar (20th place), and freshman Rebecca Markham (24th place) powered Fremd to a sixth-place finish.