The forecast called for rain in today’s Girls DVC cross-country Championship meet. Maintenance crews were out, but it wasn’t enough to keep out the mud. The rain also didn’t stop the excitement at Waubonsie Valley as girls from all six DVC teams were ready to compete. Naperville North girls cross country looks to repeat as champions from last season, but a strong Naperville Central team looks to dethrone them. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
The gun sounded at 10:50 as temperatures stood at a brisk 50 degrees. 74 girls are off and running, and to no surprise, Naperville North’s Liv Phillips approaches ahead of everyone else, along with Neuqua Valley’s Addison Guskey.
Huskies in the front to start
In the first mile, Phillips is ahead only to be trailed by three Naperville North runners Julie Piot, and the Tandon twins, Shania and Rianna. Mia Bertonlini is the first Warrior to make an appearance in the top five. Guskey follows, and then it’s Lola Satre Morales and her teammate Abby Mogg. Emma Berres is close by. Metea Valley’s Maya Hall is the first Mustang in the top 10, followed by Ava Hendren and Byrnn Pfeiffer. Neuqua’s Sienna McEneaney gains some distance between Chloe Piot, Kayla Marx, and Allie Opalka. Multiple other runners are close by in the top 20.
Naperville North girls cross country prevails in the end
Phillips’ lead grows larger on the second-mile mark over Julie Piot. The rest of the top 10 stay relatively the same. Mogg passes Satre Morales and Guskey to stay just outside the top five. In the middle of the pack, Lauren Quigg, DeKalb’s Sam Vander Bleek, Brianna Pelligrini, Katie Byers, Maggie Kalish, Josephine Olson, Fabiola Gipson, and Byrnn Vine all make out the top 50. DeKalb has back-to-back runners in Brenda Aquino and Iran Manriquez looking to finish strong.
Phillips crosses the finish line with a time of 17:54 followed by Julie Piot at 18:21.20 who gets congratulated by Phillips. Shania Tandon is third with a time of 19:00.50. Waubonsie’s Bertonlini edges out Rianna Tandon by point tenth of a second and cracks the top five. Mogg and Satre Morales go back-to-back six and seven, just behind her are Pfeiffer, Gusky, Emma Berres, Anika Lovisa, and Ava Hendren. Kacedan and Marx from North take thirteen and fourteen. McEneaney has a lead at fifteen ahead of Metea’s one and two Kamea Baker and Maya Hall. Katherine Heap, Miller, and Opalka round out the top 20.
Naperville North is victorious again as they repeat as DVC Champions taking the meet with a score of 28.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
