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EDWARDSVILLE – Emerging star freshman runner Riley Knoyle was the individual champion, while team champion Nerinx Hall of Webster Groves, Mo., placed five runners in the top 15 at the Edwardsville Invitational cross country meet held Saturday morning at SIU-Edwardsville’s Mud Mountain course.
Knoyle won the race with a time of 18:56.06, with Marquette Catholic’s Riley Vickrey finishing fifth with a time of 19:54.74. Nerinx won the team title with 41 points, Normal University High was second with 55 points, Highland came in third with 82, Francis Howell was fourth at 127, Farmington, Mo., came in fifth with 133, the Tigers were sixth with 135 points, Carbondale seventh at 136, John Burroughs of Ladue, Mo., was eighth with 167, Alton placed ninth with 190, and Jersey rounded out the top ten teams with 237.
Among area teams, Civic Memorial was 12th with 246 points, while Marquette Catholic, Collinsville, East St. Louis, Metro-East Lutheran and Father McGivney Catholic didn’t have a team score.
“We came in sixth overall, and I feel like our girls are making steady progress as the season progresses,” said Edwardsville coach George Patrylak. “We did hold off Abby (Korak), and Riley was the champion. She’s definitely doing an outstanding job for us, and she’s been really impressive with her times.”
Patrylak had much praise for his rising star runner.
“The first thing is that (Riley’s) one of the most coachable athletes we’ve ever had,” Patrylak said, “she listens to the input that we give her and follows the race strategies, and she’s been successful because of it.”
In addition, Makenna Lueking finished 16th with a time of 20:49.59 and ran well in helping the Tigers to their top ten team finish.
“Makenna had a solid race,” Patrylak said, “and our varsity girls are taking advantage of the opportunities, and we have to make sure we keep going forward and improving in getting ready for the postseason.”
Knolyle was the individual champion, running in her third varsity race since debuting in the Granite City Invitational on Sept. 7. Placing second was Kylie Goldfarb of Burroughs with a time of 18:57.88, followed by third place Marisa Jacknewitz of the Markers, who had a time of 19:42.55. Fourth place went to Ella Bittner of Normal University, who came in at 19:54.44, with Vickrey fifth, Nerinx’s Keaton Ibendahl was sixth at 20:01.34, Mackie Madix of the Pioneers was seventh at 20:15.67, Madeline Prideaux of Carbondale was eighth at 20:33.55, and a pair of Highland runners – Grace Meyer and Julia Loeb – were ninth and tenth respectively, with Meyer coming in at 20:27.50, and Loeb’s time being 20:35.75.
Among the Edwardsville runners, Lueking finished 16th, while Jillian Welsh was 36th with a time of 22:22.80, Arabella Ford was 37th at 22:27.70, and Madison Strotheide was 45th at 22:46.24. Among the other Tiger runners, Avah Marse had a time of 23:05.66, Lein Madison came in at 25:18.87, Jordyn Ginestra’s time was 25:26.77, and Muriel Bowen had a time of 26:00.92.
Among the Alton runners, Jessica Markel led the Redbirds with a 30th place finish, with a time of 22:03.72, followed by Eva Schwaab, who had a time of 23:41.21, Megan Croxford, who came in at 29:39.99, Gloria Rowden, who’s time was 30:46.87, and Lauren Brooks at 31:03.38.
Jersey was led by Grace Sharich, who had a time of 23:13.72, followed by Christine Wendell, at 25:34.68, and Abby Womack, with a time of 28:26.08.
The CM runners were led by Zoey Lewis, who had a time of 22:14.60, followed by Tori Standefer at 23:50.11, Kati Wells, who came in at 24:22.06, Emily Smith at 24:29.30, and Reese Borth, with a time of 27:20.40.
The Explorers were led by Riley Vickery’s fifth place finish, with Kailey Vickery having a time of 23:12.38, Natalie Nosco, who was at 30:44.50, and Caroline Stephan, with a time of 31:51.25. The Kahok runners were Maggie Fitzgerald, who had a time of 22:47.18, McKenna Laing, at 23:30.58, Payten Geppert, who had a time of 25:19.73, and Yesina Torres, who came in at 26:10.68.
For the Flyers, Lenikei Burns had a time of 23:09.73, DiNajia Griggs was at 23:25.31, Markia Lampley’s time was 28:14.11, and Brionne Graham was at 31:32.07. The Knights had three runners, Rhiannon LaZella, at 24:58.77, Sophia Ball, who had a time of 27:00.52, and McKenna Getta, with a time of 28:19.33. Bridget Weeks was the only runner for the Griffins, and her time was at 28:26.59.
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