Let’s go racing at Katherine Legge Park for the girls cross country Red Devil Invite. Benet Academy and a pair of other Naperville area high schools; Metea Valley and Naperville Central are competing on a sunny Saturday morning in Hinsdale. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Hersey runners have a large pack near the front
Things get off to a good start for everyone at the sound of the starters gun with Francesca Mora of Chicago Latin leading the race including a pack of runners from Hersey, including Gracie Mabry, Alexa Izenstark, Alexandra Kopacz, Sofia Donner and JoJo Messer.
Benet runners Ashlyn Willis, Sara Luo, Faye Ferrell, Clare Bremner, Emma Greco and Liliana Pervan hope to help the Redwings. Metea Valley’s pack includes Kaylee Russell and Julia Hannon, along with Raya Townsend, Kailyn-Kira Chhe and Swara Kendale.
About a mile in, Mount Prospect’s Meg Peterson and Glenbard West’s Alexa Novak take the lead with Mora trailing both runners. Ella Satre of Hinsdale Central and Gracie Mabry of Hersey are neck in neck for the top 5. Trailing from behind is Hersey’s Alexa Izenstark and Nia Ortega from Downers Grove South. This includes Hinsdale Central’s Lily Hodneland, Batavia’s Avery Hacker and Caroline Cundiff of Sacred Heart, plus Fenwick’s Juliana Gamboa keeping pace. Sophomore Charlotte Danahy of Naperville Central is in the running for the top 10 as more runners continue to follow. Ashlyn Willis from Benet Academy and Kaylee Russell are a bit further back around the top 30.
Meg Peterson and Alexa Novak race into the lead
As the runners approach the final mile of the event, Alexa Novak and Meg Peterson are keeping pace with each other. Later on, Ella Satre and Avery Hacker are neck in neck as Gracie Mabry looks to reel them in. This pack is followed by Izenstark and Ortega staying together with a huge gap on the course. This is later followed by Hodneland, Mora, Cundiff, and Danahy within close distance from each other.
At the finish line, it’s Meg Peterson taking home the top spot with a time of 17:33 with Alexa Novak placing second with a time of 17:38. And Avery Hacker coming in 3rd place with a time of 17:40.
Naperville Central places in the top four with Hersey taking the team title
Ella Satre finishes the day in 4th place. Gracie Mabry and Alexa Inzenstark both placed 5th and 6th place. Naperville Central’s Charlotte Danahy would go on to finish the day in 12th place. Katelyn Burke and Emma Breese finish in the top 35 for the Redhawks with Macy Bjork and Hannah Zei chipping in to Central taking a fourth place finish.
Hersey takes home first place as team with a score of 56 and five of the top 17 runners. Glenbard West finishes in second place.
Full race results can be found on athletic.net.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
