Suburban Life

Red Devils motor to title at own regional

By Dave Owen
Staff writer
Published: 10/25/06

Redwings' Higgins takes regional crown

Hinsdale Central's girls cross-country team faced literal and figurative hurdles in Saturday's regional meet at Katherine Legge Memorial Park.

But dodging puddles left from heavy rains and enduring an illness that slowed one of their usual top runners (Elaine Kuckertz), the Red Devils barely flinched in producing three of the top-four individuals and a team-championship score of 36.

Benet (63), Naperville North (83), Neuqua Valley (83) and Downers Grove South (105) also advanced to this Saturday's Lockport sectional.

"Every meet we go in to the girls have a general idea of where they should fit in place-wise," Hinsdale Central coach Mark McCabe said, "and today our frame of reference was to put three in the top five and five in the top 15.

"We did that despite the fact that Elaine Kuckertz, who's usually one of our top three, has been sick all week. She ran anyway, but was our sixth runner today. So all the girls stepped up and ran solid, competitive races."

Sophomore Roey Hines, herself slowed by illness early this year, continued to gain stamina Saturday as she sped to a second-place time of 18:31 (four seconds behind winner Abby Higgins of Benet).

"Roey last winter and spring had mono, and she didn't start running until June," McCabe said. "Even now, she's still regaining 100-percent strength. You saw these last few weeks she's really coming on, especially today on a slow, challenging course that was soft and damp. But she looked very strong."

A little water wasn't about to dampen Hines' growing enthusiasm and confidence.

"It was a true cross-country race," Hines joked of the course conditions. "It wasn't totally bad -- at least it wasn't raining to make it worse. It kind of makes it fun -- something a little different makes it exciting.

"I just went in with a positive attitude. I wasn't expecting anything. It's our home course and I was excited to be here. I just ran my own race with a positive attitude and ran for the other girls on my team. I stayed relaxed and stayed focused."

Hines had plenty of help with teammates Lauren Zumbach (third, 18:41) and Gina Kapusta (fourth, 18:43) finishing close behind her. Emily Cleary (13th, 19:10) and Heather Stevens (14th, 19:11) completed the Red Devils' top five, while Kuckertz placed 33rd and Emily Kane was 38th.

Kapusta had made notable improvement in the conference meet a week earlier, and ran well again at regionals.

"Gina just continues to rise to the occasion," McCabe said, "and also you look at Heather Stevens. She's typically been our sixth runner, and today she's 14th in a regional. That's what we've been stressing all year that we can draw confidence from. Every week we've had somebody sick or injured, and somebody else steps forward to pick it up."

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Staff writer Ryan Lowry

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