By Fred Kroner
The Villa Grove girls’ cross-country team claimed seventh place on Saturday (Oct. 23) at the 10-school Tuscola Class 1A regional at Wimple Park and advanced to the sectional.
Monticello (31 points) and Clinton (55 points) were the top two team finishers. Villa Grove’s composite score was 158 points.
Junior Emma Buesing led the Blue Devils. Her 3-mile time of 22 minutes 13.50 seconds enabled her to place 24th individually in a field with 68 competitors.
Villa Grove’s other finishers were freshman Scarlett Howard (30th in 23:09.30), junior Madison Logan (33rd in 23:27.44), junior Kyleigh Price (40th in 24:15.03), senior Jobeth Crafton (49th in 25:37.01) and senior Hailey Stutz (56th in 26:20.71).
The Blue Devils return to action on Saturday (Oct. 30) in the Decatur St. Teresa Sectional at Hickory Point Golf Club.
The Villa Grove boys will have one representative at the sectional.
Freshman Kurt Zimmerman ended 16th in an 82-runner field, moving on with a time of 16:59.27). He was second among freshmen boys at Tuscola.
Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond (44 points) raced to the team crown. Villa Grove was ninth in an 11-team field with 248 points.
The Blue Devils’ other competitors were freshman Chase White (52nd in 18:58.82), senior Caleb Wiessing (63rd in 20:11.46), sophomore Austin Zoch (72nd in 21:46.00), freshman Andrew Fonner (73rd in 22:19.31) and freshman Blake Davis (77th in 23:02.61).
