Mahomet-Seymour finishes as runner-up at East Peoria Invitational

By Fred Kroner

Five Mahomet-Seymour athletes finished within 53 seconds of one another on Saturday (Sept. 25), helping the Bulldogs to a runner-up finish in the girls’ East Peoria Invitational at Black Partridge Park.

Eureka, ranked fifth in the Class 1A, was the team champion with a score of 78. Closely behind was M-S, ranked 17^th in Class 2A, with a composite score of 82. Third-place Normal University High (ranked ninth in the milesplit.com 2A state poll) finished with 98 points.

“The girls’ cross-country team had their best race of the season,” M-S coach Jama Grotelueschen said. “Our team finished four points out of first place to a tough Eureka team and bested a Normal U-High team who beat us earlier this season.”

The M-S leaders were two underclassmen.

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Sophomore Ava Boyd was 11^th in the 2.94-mile race, entering the chute in 18 minutes, 51.3 seconds. Freshman Chloe Bundren was 15^th in 19:02.9.

Others in the top six for M-S were Elizabeth Sims (18^th in 19:17.6), Callie Jansen (21^st in 19:21.8), Ava Jansen (24^th in 19:44.4).

Each of M-S’ top seven runners posted either career-best or season-best times.

 A total of 14 Bulldogs ran in the varsity race.

The school’s other competitors were: Emily Bednar (33^rd in 20:02.2), Klein Powell (37^th in 20:10.0), Grace Lietz (57^th in 20:50.9), Chloe Allen (66^th in 21:29.8), Delaney King (67^th in 21:33.0), Alyssa Christensen (97^th in 23:15.8), Hannah Hofbauer (118^th in 24:36.5), Emily Bergia (139^th in 27:08.2) and Natalie Parrott (147^th in 30:12.5).

Also logging season-best times were Allen, Christensen, Hofbauer and Bergia.

In a separate race for freshmen and sophomores, one M-S runner secured a top-10 finish.

Sophomore Lauren Bednar was seventh in a 54-runner field in 21:19.5.

The team’s other entries were Morgan Waisath (13^th in 22:14.2), McKenzie Hissong (21^st in 23:02.3), Meg Turner (28^th in 23:53.2) and Gabby Reeves (35^th in 25:15.5).

Bednar, Hissong and Reeves all registered career-best times. Turner ran her fastest time of the season.

Champaign Central took team honors (42), followed by Normal U-High (52). M-S was fifth with a composite of 98. Six schools entered full teams.

M-S returns to action on Saturday (Oct. 2) at the Wheaton North Falcon Classic.