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2006 Hinsdale Central Girls Cross
Country in the News
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www.dailyherald.com
Red Devils stake claim in Peoria
By Michael Eaken
Daily Herald Correspondent
Posted Sunday, September 17, 2006
PEORIA — Hinsdale Central is on a mission this
year after narrowly missing out on its first
trophy in girls cross country last season.
Hinsdale Central finished fourth in last
season’s Class AA state meet, 8 points behind
third-place Palatine.
The Red Devils returned to Peoria on Saturday
and showed they will not only be serious
contenders for a trophy in November, but they
may just take home the state title.
Hinsdale Central placed five runners in the
top 30 in running away with Peoria Notre Dame
Invitational title with 93 points against a
strong 45-team field at Detweiller Park.
“I wouldn’t say I was surprised,” said
Hinsdale Central coach Mark McCabe of his
team’s fast start, which includes a victory at
their own invitational and a runner-up finish
to Naperville North at the Lake Park
Invitational. “But it’s awful nice when you
have a couple races to verify what you
thought.”
Sandburg (158 points) and Lincoln-Way East
(174) finished a distant second and third,
while defending state champion Naperville
North (183 points) and Batavia rounded out the
top five.
Caitlin Comfort of host Peoria Notre Dame won
her second consecutive individual title,
cruising the 3-mile state course in 17:17
under sunny skies and temperatures in the
mid-70s. Her time was 22 seconds faster than
Janna Mitso, who won the Peoria Woodruff title
on the same course the previous Saturday.
St. Charles East sophomore Lizzy Hynes (17:25)
took second place, followed by Sandburg’s
Kristin Sutherland (17:38), Limestone’s Nicole
Bensen (17:44), and defending state champion
Lauren Haberkorn of Marist.
Michelle Stratton (18:20) finished 14th to
lead defending state champion Naperville North
to fourth place.
Michelle Brunk (18:23) took 17th place in
leading Palatine (227 points) to seventh
place, one spot behind Stagg (212 points).
Tory Wright (18:49) and Emma Maslanka (18:53)
finished in 35th and 39th place, for a
developing Pirates squad.
“It takes patience,” said Brunk of the
Pirates’ inexperience. “And I think we’re
going to get better. We just need to work on
certain things and need to regain our focus.”
Oak Park-River Forest (260 points) and Lyons
Township (266 points) took eighth and ninth
place.
Jen Harkey (19:10) and Mary Hartley (19:12)
finished in 53rd and 54th place to lead Neuqua
Valley (287 points) to 10th place.
Sam Salinas (19:08) took 51st place to lead
Bartlett (424 points) to 11th place.
Meghan Gojney (18:21) finished 15th and
Georgia Wiard (19:07) took 50th in leading
Hersey (424 points) to 13th place.
“Today I was really relaxed before the race,”
said Gojney of her breakthrough sophomore
season. “I think this meet gives me a huge
boost of confidence.”
Sophomore Amanda Kompanowski (18:49) finished
in 36th place for St. Viator.
© 2006 Daily Herald, Paddock Publications,
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