Journal & Topics Media Group

Girls XC: Prospect, Loyola Win Regional Titles


Here’s a look at how the Journal-area girls cross country teams performed at regionals Saturday, Oct. 24 and who’s advancing to sectionals Saturday, Oct. 31.

 

Hoffman Estates Regional (3A):

Advancing to sectional: Prospect (20), Glenbrook South (53), Evanston (103), Schaumburg (131), Rolling Meadows (131)

Missing cut: Conant (152), Hoffman Estates (182), Maine West (226), Elk Grove (227), Maine East (289)

Advancing area teams:

Prospect: Hailey Erickson (1st place, 18:59), Audrey Ginsberg (2nd, 19:07.82), Cameron Kalaway (3rd, 19:17.12), Annika Erickson (4th, 19:23.09), Elena Barbaric (10th, 20:01.48), Reese Lettow (11th, 20:04.90), Samantha Patterson (12th, 20:09.11)

Glenbrook South: Molly Durow (5th, 19:24.72), Maggie Jortberg (6th, 19:29.11), Jackie Milott (13th, 20:50.81), Maya Malecki (14th, 20:54.01), Alex Kleeman (15th, 20:55.82), Grace Tauber (18th, 21:03.53), Tara Wirtschoreck (20th, 21:08.03) 

Rolling Meadows: Colette Lampa (16th, 20:58.77), Anita Konopka (17th, 20:59.73), Renata Santinello (27th, 21:37.30), Alexis Petrielli (29th, 21:38.61), Shreya Chacko (42nd, 22:17.23), Molly Tavares (49th, 22:52.02), Irene Park (50th, 22:52.49)

Top 5 Advancing Individuals: Hoffman Estates’ Val Daniel (7th, 19:32.29), Conant’s Lucy Scales (19th, 21:04.62), Elk Grove’s Kayce Wadas (25th, 21:24.67),  Conant’s Calli Bessemer (26th, 21:25.8), Conant’s Andrea Kehaiova (33rd, 21:44.98)

Highlights: Glenbrook South’s Maggie Jortberg didn’t win the race, but she did do something you don’t see every day. Jortberg finished 22nd in the regional last year at Prospect with a time of 19:29.3. The Titans sophomore ran at Busse Woods Saturday and finished sixth in 19:23.1. She posted nearly identical times one year apart on different courses, but jumped up 16 spots in the finishing order. Prospect won its 13th regional title in program history and fourth in a row with a convincing win after the Knights runners swept the top four spots. Prospect’s seven runners all finished in the top 12 of the regional. Prospect’s Cam Kalaway took fourth at regionals last year to lead the Knights, but finished third this year after Hailey Erickson (18:59) jumped past her this year. Audrey Ginsberg missed regionals last year after finishing 10th as a freshman, came out strong and finished second Saturday in 19:07.82 for the Knights. Prospect’s Reese Lettow advanced to sectionals for the third time in her career. Conant finished last in regionals last year, but jumped to sixth this year and would have advanced to sectionals as a team, but the IHSA moved the cutoff line for teams from six to five this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. Conant did advance three individual runners and Elk Grove qualified one runner, but Maine West just missed out. Maine West’s Krysta Block (21.47.66) finished 34th, but missed the sectional meet by one position. Maine East’s top runner was Annabella Reed (22:26.7) in 46th place.

 

Loyola Academy Regional (3A):

Advancing to sectional: Loyola (63), Barrington (71), New Trier (96), Lake Zurich (105), Hersey (130)

Missing the cut: Palatine (149), Glenbrook North (220), Wheeling (224), Deerfield (232), Fremd (241), Buffalo Grove (261)

Medalist: Hersey’s Anna Harden (17:58)

Area teams:

Loyola Academy: Morgan Mackie (3rd, 18:14.8), Maeve Norman (5th, 18:39.3), Ellie Grammas (7th, 18:46.6), Sarah Jay (23rd, 19:57.1), Lauren Woodward (25th, 20:03.5), Lizzie Quackenbush (26th, 20:05.4), Hayes Flanagan (34th, 20:18.7)

Hersey: Anna Harden (1st, 17:58), Mackenzie Ginder (20th, 19:41.9), Jane Stefaniak (22nd, 19:51.3), Norah Viers (39th, 20:30.5), Katie O’Brien (48th, 20:50.1), Jenna Sanders (52nd, 21:03.9), Renee Skiera (61st, 21:40.3)

Journal-area advancing individuals: Wheeling’s Brenda Torres (9th, 18:51.6), Buffalo Grove’s Maja Wegrowski (11th, 18:58.9), Palatine’s Anne Marie Jordan (14th, 19:15.9), Palatine’s Ruth Hall (19th, 19:40.6)

Highlights: Loyola Academy won its eighth regional title in program history and second consecutive after edging Barrington by 8 points in a great battle in Glenview. It would be hard to find many regionals tougher than this one. Only five teams advanced and in 2019, nine of the teams in the regional finished top five, including five that placed top two in their respective regional. Fremd’s top runners were Amanda Markham (33rd, 20:10.7) and Ella O’Brien (35th, 20:19.8), but they failed to qualify anyone for sectionals a year after the Vikings finished second in regional action. Palatine was also second last year in their regional, but finished sixth to miss sectionals as a team, though they advanced two individuals to sectionals. Hersey’s Anna Harden was the only runner to finish under 18 minutes and won the race by 9.6 seconds over Lake Zurich’s Brooke Johnston (18:07.6). Loyola’s Morgan Mackie finished third as a freshman this year, making her the top of the class in the regional for newbies. Buffalo Grove freshman Maja Wegrowski became the Bison’s first sectional qualifier since 2018. Wheeling finished fifth at regionals last year to advance as a team, but sophomore Brenda Torres is advancing to her second sectional alone this year after the Wildcats finished eighth.

 

Grant Regional (3A):

Advancing to sectionals: Cary-Grove (74), Lake Forest (80), Warren (89), Libertyville (101), Zion-Benton (121)

Missed the cut: Grant (141), McHenry (157), Mundelein (221), Stevenson (242), Highland Park (253), Round Lake (283)

Medalist: Grant’s Aly Negovetich (17:33.59)

Highlights: Stevenson was led by freshman Adeline Gobble (19:54.49) in 20th place, but she missed qualifying for sectionals by two spots and just under 2 seconds. Round Lake’s Jennifer Cortes (19:52.53) finished 18th for the last qualifying spot and McHenry’s Alyssa Moore (19:54.02) finished right between the two. Stevenson’s other six runners finished outside the top 50.

 

Lake Park Regional (3A):

Advancing to sectionals: St. Charles East (42), St. Charles North (59), South Elgin (96), Maine South (105), Geneva (120)

Missing the cut: Bartlett (130), Taft (165), Elgin (251), Lake Park (252), Leyden (283), Streamwood (352)

Medalist: South Elgin’s Naomi Ruff (17:43.49)

Advancing Journal-area team:

Maine South: Maria Marcucci (15th place, 19:35.86), Olivia DeLuca (16th, 19:37.15), Tara Murphy (22nd, 19:58.05), Kendall Oslowski (23rd, 20:06.38), Ryan Mullarkey (29th, 20:17.69), MaryClare Koch (34th, 20:25.63), Rachel Smith (47th, 21:12.34)

Highlight: Leyden finished second last year at regionals after all the other teams were forced to sit out due to the CPS teachers strike, but the Eagles weren’t as lucky this year. Stephanie Dominguez (20:32.7) was the highest finisher this year in 36th place. Maine South’s Maria Marcucci led Maine South in 15th. Marcucci finished 4th in regionals last year and 10th as a freshman in 2018.

 

Whitney Young Regional (3A):

Advancing to sectionals: Oak Park-River Forest (22), Lane (64), Jones (70), Lincoln Park (130), Niles West (135)

Missing the cut: Whitney Young (145), Morton (166), Von Steuben (260), Curie (261)

Medalist: Oak Park-River Forest’s Josephine Welin (16:55.03)

Advancing Journal-area team:

Niles West: Lily Carey (8th, 19:08.77), Nora Graham (27th, 21:01.92), Ela Kinaci (32nd, 21:34.33), Alexis Mazzanga (33rd, 21:35.01), Heba Mathew (39th, 21:50.65), Julie Hanson (40th, 21:56.51), Dia Patel (52nd, 23:49.59)

 

Mather Regional (2A):

Advancing to sectionals: Northside (38), St. Viator (43), Fenton (85), Resurrection (95), Ridgewood (145)

Missing the cut: Senn (166), Mather (174), Elmwood Park (177), ITW Speer (225) 

Medalist: Northside’s Elia Ton-That (18:41.1)

Advancing Journal-area teams

St. Viator: Nadia Diaz (2nd, 19:43.7), Madeline Reddin (7th, 20:30.7), Livia Salituro (8th, 20:57.2), Stella Raftery (12th, 21:40), Sidney Jones (14th, 21:49), Meave Serb (36th, 23:34.1), Sophie Limberakis (41st, 24:01.3)

Resurrection: Veronica Dworak (3rd, 19:54.8), Mary Stachula (15th, 21:51.2), Nina Boyd (24th, 22:53.3), Maeve Hogan (26th, 22:59.7), Caleigh Ryle (27th, 23:02.2), Emma Kantor (40th, 23:48), Rachael Lally (45th, 24:22.6)

 

Harvest Christian Academy Regional (1A):

Advancing to sectionals: IC Catholic (28), Rosary (40), Wheaton Academy (89), Harvest Christian Academy (123), Aurora Central Catholic (156)

Missing the cut: Timothy Christian (183), Montini (195), Willows Academy (203), Westmont (206), St. Edward (251)

Advancing Journal-area individuals: Christian Liberty Academy’s Julia Wolke (3rd place, 19:54.1) and Willows Academy’s Francoise Lechner (16th, 21:20.95)

 

Latin Regional (1A):

Advancing to sectionals: DePaul Prep (32), Chicago University (41), Parker (57), Regina Dominican (108), Cristo Rey Jesuit (135)

Missing the cut: Chicago Hope Academy (155), Chicago Academy (191), Lycee Francais de Chicago (207)

Medalist: Chicago U-High’s Amanda O’Donnell (19:45.03)

Advancing Journal-area teams

Regina Dominican: Muriel Reese (14th, 22:20.06), Anna Greifelt (20th, 23:00.06), Mary Storino (21st, 23:17.48), Meghan Martens (25th, 23:45.78), Tamia Quach (35th, 24:27.32), Maureen Holihan (41st, 25:36.91)

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