The Oswego East girls cross country regional held on a sunny but chilly Saturday morning. Naperville North the heavy favorite after winning the DVC meet a week ago. There will be three heats run in the regional. Each team’s top two runners in heat one, the three and four runners in heat two and five, six and seven in the third heat.
The Huskies going with seniors Maggie Gamboa and Audrey Mendrys as their one and two. Oswego East, Oswego, Moline, East Moline, Rock Island, and West Aurora make up the rest of the field with the five DuPage Valley Conference schools.
Naylah Allen from Oswego East and Audra Soderlind from Oswego out in front at the start.
About a mile in, Gamboa and Mendrys have worked their way to the front. Freshman Liv Phillips from Naperville Central in the hunt as well. Carissa Hamilton and Maria Widmann from Neuqua Valley just a little ways back. Keeley Behr and Sarah Maggio from Metea Valley also there with Kate Teuting from Naperville Central and Madison Zarembski from Oswego East.
The next mile sees Gamboa and Mendrys expand their lead with Soderlind and Phillips the only pair within shouting distance.
Down the final stretch and Maggie Gamboa pulls away from her teammate and wins with a time of 17:50. Mendrys finishes in second place in the heat and Audra Soderlind third. Liv Phillips takes 4th in the heat ahead of Hamilton and Widmann, but the trio ends up finishing seven, eight, nine overall.
Heat 2
Into heat number two, Waubonise Valley competing in this heat with Alex Vulich and Carmen Solis. Campbell Petersen and Lucy Westlake the three and four for Naperville North, although many teams would be thrilled to have them as their one and two.
About a mile into the race and Petersen and Westlake have staked out a lead over Kate Sonderlind and Peyton Brueck from Oswego and Morgan Dick and Ana Barroso from Oswego East. Ava Hendron and Addison George from Naperville Central in there with runners from Neuqua Valley and Metea Valley and West Aurora.
Campbell Petersen certainly doesn’t seem to mind setting the pace as she goes on to win the heat with a time of 17:56. It actually ends up being the 2nd best overall time. Lucy Westlake takes second in the heat and fifth overall.
Heat 3
Into heat number three and surprise surprise, more Huskies at the front of the pack. Sophie Golobitsh, Kate Donaldson, and Logan Brennan all bunched together. The Oswego East, Oswego, Naperville Central and Neuqua Valley packs follow behind needing strong finishes as the top five teams will advance to next week’s sectional.
Sophie Golobitsh catches fire and runs away from everyone in the heat. Her time of 18:10 is 4th best on the day as Naperville North puts up a perfect score of 15. Oswego East cross country finishes in second place as a team with Oswego in third. Neuqua Valley and Naperville Central advance as teams as well in 4th and fifth while Metea Valley runners Keeley Behr and Sarah Maggio advance as individuals.
Final race results can be found HERE.
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