Boyd leads Mahomet-Seymour at Richard Spring Invitational

By Fred Kroner

Mahomet-Seymour’s Ava Boyd placed 47^th on Saturday (Sept. 17) in the girls’ varsity division of the Richard Spring Cross-Country Invitational at Peoria’s Detweiller Park.

Boyd’s 3-mile time was 18 minutes, 48.5 seconds.

The Bulldogs finished in 33^rd place in the 57-school field with 943 points. Meet champion Prospect had 53 points.

Other M-S competitors were Chloe Bundren (88^th in 19:33.3), Hadley Grotelueschen (230^th in 21:17.1), Ava Jansen (319^th in 22:30.5), Callie Jansen (339^th in 23:01.0), Lauren Bednar (347^th in 23:22.4) and Morgan Waisath (380^th in 24:09.7).

There were 410 total participants.

“In the girls’ varsity race, we ran against primarily 3A schools, so this meet for us is less about team score and more about surrounding ourselves with amazing competition to push out of our comfort zones,” M-S coach Jama Grotelueschen said.

Boyd, Bundren, Hadley Grotelueschen and Ava Jansen all registered their best times of the season. Bundren ran 52 seconds faster than one week earlier on the same course. Grotelueschen was 80 seconds quicker and Jansen improved by 66 seconds.

“Our team took some strides in the right direction,” Jama Grotelueschen said.

In the girls’ open race, the Bulldogs took 23^rd in the 34-team field with 631 points.

Downers Grove North was the meet champion with 26 points.

Setting the pace for M-S was Jinan Abdo (90^th in 22:19.2). She was trailed by Camryn Nelson (127^th in 23:07.8), Emma Frazier (163^rd in 23:59.0), Phoebe Truax (232^nd in 25:16.8), Meg Turner (250^th in 25:47.6) and Hannah Hofbauer (258^th in 25:59.0).

There were 396 participants.

“Mixing things up, our open runners were first to the line,” Jama Groteueschen said. “These girls had great energy and set the tone for the day.”

Abdo, Nelson, Frazier and Truax all logged their top times of the season.

M-S returns to action on Saturday (Sept. 24) in the East Peoria Invitational at Illinois Central College.