Panther cross country places third at Champaign County meet

By Fred Kroner

Tessa Walker placed third and St. Joseph teammate Tabby Brown ran fifth on Thursday (Sept. 27) in the girls’ Champaign County cross-country meet at Tolono Unity.

Walker’s 2-mile time was 12 minutes, 42.4 seconds. Brown was clocked in 13:01.6.

Other team leaders in the varsity race were Ava Overstreet (11^th in 13:22.0), Kennedi Dean (13^th in 13:31.5), Charlene Barbee (18^th in 13:59.2), Avarie Dietiker (27^th in 14:36.6) and Claire Dirksmeyer (29^th in 14:36.7).

There were 85 runners in the race.

In the team standings, meet champion Mahomet-Seymour totaled 32 points. Runner-up St. Joseph had 50 points and third-place Champaign St. Matthew ended with 99 points.

In the 122-runner open race, 10 St. Joseph runners placed among the top 50, led by Ellie Miller (ninth in 14:20.0) and Aubree Profancik (10^th in 14:22.5).

Other team leaders were Kinsley Oleynichak (15^th in 14:47.7), Marissa Smith (18^th in 15:03.9), Madison Lubinski (19^th in 15:07.7), Kendall Lubinski (21^st in 15:16.1), Alayna Nekolny (29^th in 15:37.3), Thea Hinkel (32^nd in 15:44.7), Payslie Hogan (47^th in 16:24.9) and Sophia Albrecht (48^th in 16:28.8.

On Saturday (Sept. 30), St. Joseph finished fourth in the 16-team Monticello Invitational at Lodge Park. The Panthers’ team score was 109 points.

Meet champion Shelbyville compiled a team score of 47 points. M-S was second (54).

Walker finished eighth out of 127 runners in 13:10.8.

Trailing her were Brown (22^nd in 13:44.5), Overstreet (23^rd in 13:44.5), Dean (24^th in 13:45.9), Dietiker (36^th in 14:14.3) and Oleynichak (69^th in 15:14.6).

In the 193-runner open race, Miller led the way for the Panthers, entering the finish chute in 14:31.8. She placed 12^th.

Other St. Joseph competitors among the top 50 were Dirksmeyer (14^th in 14:36.8), Madison Lubinski (32^nd in 15:23.1), Profancik (33^rd in 15:23.3), Nekolny (43^rd in 15:42.9), Smith (44^th in 15:44.2) and Kendall Lubinski (50^th in 15:53.2).

St. Joseph will return to action on Saturday (Oct. 7) in a 14-school IESA Class 2A regional which it will host. The girls’ race will start at 10:30 a.m.