EDWARDSVILLE - The Tigers’ Abby Korak seemed in a league of her own as she ran away from the field in Saturday’s IHSA Class 3A Regional at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with a first-place time of 18:49.71. Belleville East’s Hannah Eastman was second with a time of 19:16.
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Edwardsville won the meet this time with 31 points, ahead of Belleville East (51), O’Fallon (82), Quincy (116), Granite City (137), Belleville West (148) and Collinsville (188).
The Tigers’ Hannah Stuart was third with a time of 19:30.30 and also ran an excellent race. Maddie Miller, who is recovering from an injury, was eighth with a time of 20:01.28, and looked strong in the race.
Alton’s Sophia Paschal and Jessie Markel will move on to the sectional. Paschal was 30th (22:03.23) and Markel placed 31st (22:05.50).
Edwardsville’s Makenna Lueking placed ninth (20:04.24); Emiley England was 10th (20:05.52); Elise Krone was 11th (20:12.25); and Jaycee Hudson finished 20th (21:02.63).
The top six teams and top five individuals advance to the upcoming Quincy Sectional this Saturday.
“On the girls side, I wanted Abby to feel out her competition the first mile, hoping she could hold back a little bit, but she worked the second part of the race and looked fantastic,” said Edwardsville head cross country coach George Patrylak. “Hannah ran a lifetime course p.r. and finished third and it was good to get Maddie Miller out there to race. She hasn’t raced since Peoria and needed to knock some of the dust off. McKenna, Emily and Elise went out a little bit faster at the beginning, but ran very well for us. They need to replicate that performance at sectional for us to get out as a team.”