Tessa Walker finishes 11th at Class 2A State Meet

By Fred Kroner

All-state runner Tessa Walker helped the St. Joseph Middle School girls’ cross-country team to a sixth-place state finish on Saturday (Oct. 14) in the IESA Class 2A state meet at Normal Parkside.

Walker, an eighth-grader, finished 11^th in the 199-runner race with a 2-mile time of 12:27.30.

The Panthers’ other state runners were seventh-grader Tabby Brown (32^nd in 12:53.60), seventh-grader Kennedi Dean (48^th in 13:13.40), seventh-grader Ava Overstreet (82^nd in 13:35.90), sixth-grader Claire Dirksmeyer (88^th in 13:40.00), seventh-grader Charlene Barbee (90^th in 13:41.40) and eighth-grader Avarie Dietiker (135^th in 14:12.40).

Team champion Brimfield totaled 83 points. Runner-up Chicago S. Benedict ended with 106 points. Sixth-place St. Joseph collected 186 points.