It’s the 50th anniversary of the IHSA state competition down at Detweiler Park in Peoria! And we begin our day with Benet Academy’s girls team competing in 2A for a state title.
2A Girls Race
Off the gun, benet in the middle of the pack, pacing themselves against Lake Villa, Crystal Lake, and Fenwick.
One mile in, freshman Tatum David is alone chasing the truck, pacing at five minutes, 21 seconds.
About twenty seconds later comes a tight back with Redwing Emily Spellman leading the way, Joy Jackson, Meaghan Andrews, and Amelia Parisi also in the top fifty at the first mile.
Just over two miles in and Richlan County’s Tatum David is still moving right along right behind the pace truck, with no one behind her it seems. Did I mention she is just a freshman?
Brooke Stromsland from Lakes High School and Latin’s Ava Parekh are in third and fourth. Benet’s Emily Spellman is sitting in the top ten at the 2 and a half marker with Meaghan Andrews and Joy Jackson a few seconds behind her.
Coming to the finish and it’ll be David who finishes in first, in 16 minutes, 4 seconds. Not too shabby for her first time at the state meet. Stromsland from Lakes and Parekh from Latin finish 2nd and third.
After the top five finishes, the girls start streaming in with Benet’s Emily Spellman finishing in 12th place with a time of 17 minutes 48 seconds. Meaghan Andrews was just one second behind her. Joy Jackson just misses the top 25, finishing 26th with a time of 17 minutes 59 seconds. Those team finishes would help Benet Academy take home the state title in class 2A with 110 points.
3A Girls Race
Now we move on to 3A with Glanbard West’s Katelyn Hart looking for her fourth straight individual title to round out her senior year. Metea’s Sophia Sandy and Waubonsie Valley’s Ashley Heidenrich stretch at the start as individuals as Naperville North looks to once more take home the team title, for the fourth straight year.
The huskies are off at on an end for this start but that doesn’t phase them much as the gun goes off and everyone gets out of the blocks cleanly on a sunny and warm afternoon.
First mile in and to know one’s surprise, Hart is alone at the front of the pack.
About thirty seconds later, the race streams in with Huskie Maggie Gamboa leading the way alone with Wheaton South’s Samantha Poglitch and Batavias Katrina Schlenker. Audrey Mendrys, another huskie, warrior Ashley Heidenrich, and Metea’s Sophia Sandy all in the top 25 one third through the course.
Second mile and we check in with Hart at the front of the pack, pacing at 5 minutes and 22 seconds.
Gamboa, Schlenker, Poglitsch and Grant’s Aly Negoveitch all keeping pace with eachother for sports 2-5 at the 2 mile marker. Ashley Heidenrich leads a thick pack a few seconds later that holds Sophia Sandy and Audrey Mendrys.
To the finish line for the 3A individual state title and Hart grabs hold of her fourth to cap off a great running career for Glenbard West in 16 minutes 5 seconds. Second goes to Poglitsch from Wheaton Warrenville South and Third to Schlenker from Batavia. Naperville North’s Maggie Gamboa crosses in fifth in 16 minutes 44 seconds. Teammate Audrey Mendrys would also finish in the top 25 in 7th. Waubonsie’s Ashley Heidenrich takes home 11th in 17 minutes 5 seconds, while mustang sohpia sandy brings home 22 in 17 minutes 14 seconds. North’s Lucy Westlake, Kate Donaldson, and Molly Morton would all finish in the top fifty, which would help Naperville North capture their fourth straight state title with 90 points.
