Girls cross country: Naperville North, Glenbard West's Hart make it three straight at state
PEORIA - Katelynne Hart has ascended to new heights.
The Glenbard West junior continued her streak of never losing a cross country or track state series event Saturday at Detweiller Park.
"(Hart) may be the greatest athlete in the history of Illinois," Wheaton Warrenville South girls cross country coach Rob Harvey said after the Glenbard West junior won her seventh consecutive state championship in cross country and track with her third straight title in Class 3A. She completed the course in 15 minutes, 59.82 seconds.
"I told her it would be great if she graduated early. It's the only way anyone can beat her."
"I wouldn't argue with (Harvey on Hart)," said Naperville North coach Dan Iverson, whose team also won its third straight state championship over fellow national power Yorkville 80-87. "She is that good."
Batavia freshman Katrina Schlenker suffered only her second defeat of the season - also to Hart, at the Naperville North Twilight Invitational - placing second.
"It definitely means a lot," said Hart, who twice also has won the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs at state track. "The state of Illinois is great competition. It's the same each year. I was hoping my best (time) would be the state record."
Hart will have to wait until next fall to better the mark of former Naperville North great Judy Pendergast.
Meanwhile, the team title in Class 3A was a battle for the ages. For the third straight year Yorkville had to settle for second place.
"We had to run better than them," Iverson said. "They ran well."
Naperville North's Alex Morris placed third overall.
Maggie Gamboa, Campbell Petersen, Lucy Westlake and Audrey Mendrys all finished in the top 24 among the 25 team qualifiers to edge Yorkville. Naperville North has won three consecutive Class 3A cross country and track championships.
"It was a special day," Morris said. "I feel blessed to run for Naperville North."
"We wanted to focus on doing our best," Gamboa added.
Downers Grove South captured its first trophy in its history behind stalwart Brenna Cohoon finishing eighth to power the third-place Mustangs (127 points).
WW South (239) was sixth behind sophomore Sam Poglitsch, who was all-state for a second straight year with her seventh-place finish.
"(State) is a fun race," Poglitsch said. "It's a great experience."
IC Catholic Prep was sixth in Class 1A behind freshman Carly Manchester, who finished eighth.