As the cart drives on the grassy fields of Naperville North, postseason girls cross country is in session for Regionals. The DVC champions, Naperville Central, Benet Academy, and the rest of the Naperville area high schools are here for their regional competition, looking to punch their tickets to next week’s sectionals. The Huskies host in the final season for legendary head coach Dan Iverson. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
A close race in the early going
There are 12 teams at the starting line, and the runners are off. Other schools in this race include Batavia, Downers Grove South, East and West Aurora, Bolingbrook, and Willowbrook.
Batavia’s Avery Hacker gets off to an early start with Metea’s Kaylee Russell, as well as a few Downers Grove South Runners, and Naperville Central’s Carly Ernst and Lauren Quigg.
Going into mile one, Avery Hacker takes the lead along with Downers Grove South’s Brynn Bartkus.
Trailing in the top 9 are Huskie runners Sophia Schulz, Georgia Karstens, and Elliana White; Neuqua Valley’s Ariana Namvar, Kaylee Russell, and Benet Academy’s Ashlyn Willis.
Another pack runs in place with Naperville Central’s Lauren Quigg, Wildcat Anoki Raikar, Central’s Carly Ernst, and Mustang Srinika Gundlapally.
Two more Huskies, Charlotte Crannell and Chloe Piot, are leading the rest of the runners, which include Metea’s Swara Kendale, Redhawks Katelyn Burke and Maddie Calvey, Waubonsie’s Dhanya Shanmugasundaram, and Redhawk Kaitlin Orf.
Sarah Read, Faye Farrell, and Clare Bremner from Benet are also in the top 50 pack, as well as Mia Bertolini and Abigail Swanson from Waubonsie and Valentina Namvar and Addison Guskey from Neuqua.
Batavia’s Avery Hacker builds on her lead
From the grass to the track, Avery Hacker maintains her lead with Brynn Bartkus trailing behind the Batavia Bulldog. Schulz and Karstens remain in the top four while Elliana White runs in the top six.
The next pack sees Namvar and Ashlyn Willis on the move with Downers South’s Nia Ortega.
Kaylee Russell keeps pace in between the three Downers South runners, Nora Maier, Rose Jones and Gianna Lamb, as Lauren Quigg, Raikar, Ernst, and Gundlapally fall in behind them.
The second mile sees Hacker with a huge lead while Bartkus follows behind in the top two.
Batavia’s Gwendolyn Krodel and Huskie Sophia Schulz are sticking in the top 5 while Willis trails behind the Bulldog and Huskie.
The next group shuffled slightly with Karstens, Ortega, and Namvar. Elliana White runs in the top nine with Raikar and Russell going neck and neck while Redhawk Lauren Quigg catches up.
Downers Grove South closes out in first
At the finish line, Avery Hacker takes first place with a time of 17:00.
Finishing in 2nd place is Brynn Barkus of Downers Grove South, and Huskie Sophia Schulz crosses in third place with a time of 17:40.
Schulz’s teammate Georgia Karstens would place fourth.
Redwing Ashlyn Willis placed 5th and Nia Ortega finished in 6th place.
Wildcat Ariana Namvar finished the event in 7th place with a school-best time of 18:03.
Finishing in 9th place for the Huskies is Elliana White with a personal best of 18:10.
Mustangs Kaylee Russell and Srinika Gundlapally finish in 10th place and 21st place, respectively, helping Metea qualify for sectionals as a team.
Wildcat Raikar finishes in the top 13 as Neuqua also secures a team sectional spot.
Redhawks Lauren Quigg and Katelyn Burke would both finish in the top 16, with Calvey, Orf, Ernst, and Goode rounding out the top 25.
The Redhawks move on by finishing fourth as a team.
Naperville North finishes as the regional runner-up, with Chloe Piot and Paige Cupp rounding out the scoring with top-35 finishes.
Downers Grove South takes home the Regional title thanks to five runners finishing in the top 20.
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