ALTON — Alton High School’s girls cross country team claimed the top spot at the Alton Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, on their home course, scoring 38 points to secure the team victory.
The Alton squad was led by Sophia Helfrich, who finished with a time of 21:29.46. Teammates Monica Klockenkemper (21:50.05), Ailyah Rehling (22:53.34), Allison Pruitt (23:09.60), Morgan Jinks (25:02.44), Anna Caughran (25:44.59) and Jessica Gabriel (29:19.11) contributed to the overall team score.
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Belleville West finished second with 66 points, followed by Jersey in third place with 69 points. Fort Zumwalt East took fourth with 94 points, Marquette Catholic was fifth with 106 points, and Staunton placed sixth with 114 points.
Individually, Zena Farissi of Fort Zumwalt East posted the fastest time of the day at 21:02.25. Other notable individual performances included Amelia Jumper of Jersey (21:36.83), Sabrina Eccles of Marquette (21:38.39), Carly Kolesar of Staunton (22:08.58), and Kyle Sanchez of Belleville West (23:13.47).
Additional finishers included Kailee Williams of Belleville West (23:40.80), Gracie King of Fort Zumwalt West (23:44.93), and Courtney Braden of Jersey (24:02.51). Staunton’s Luxie Gerhardt placed 18th with a time of 25:10.01, while Belle Peuterbaugh of Jersey finished 19th at 25:19.01. Caroline Cardinal of Marquette crossed the line in 21st place with 25:19.03, and Jaylah Harris of Collinsville was 22nd with 25:38.31.
The Alton Invitational brought together several area high schools to compete on the local course, showcasing strong performances from both individuals and teams.
