Sectionals

******PRESS RELEASE******

by Jane Ryan

STUNNING SECTIONALS

History was made for the BSS/SAS team yesterday as BOTH girls and boys brought home FIRST PLACE trophies from the competition. We knew we were strong, we knew we had talent, but what an amazing thing these kids went out and accomplished yesterday morning on a beautiful day in Rochester!

The girls literally and figuratively RAN AWAY with the sectionals title. Our ladies scored 35 points, with the second place team, Our Lady of Lourdes from Decatur scoring 97, and Auburn placing third with 106. Other team scores in the top 10 team finishes were Rochester (126), Carrollton (143), Decatur Johns Hill (166), Franklin Jr. High (171), East St. Louis Jackson (202), Christ the King (211), and Springfield Lincoln Magnet (258).

The boys were very secure in their first place finish with a score of 51 points. The second place trophy went to Springfield Lincoln Magnet with 88 points, while third went to Rochester with 94 points. Other teams in the top 10 included Auburn (109), Franklin Jr. High (111), Christ the King (163), Springfield Little Flower/Cathedral (168), Decatur Johns Hill (174), and Carrollton (226).

"Dream barriers look very high until someone climbs them. Then they are not barriers anymore." -- Lasse Viren

Strider sweetheart JESSICA MEGGINSON was our team's first in the chute with a time of 12:43 and a third place individual finish overall. Keeping in mind that we were running against the area's top runners, this is quite a feat! Now here comes the clincher.....our team had FIVE runners in the top 10 for the girls! Wow! Seventh grade standout and prize performer EMILY DELVO placed 5th individually with a time of 13:08, wonder worker KAYLA KOLIS placed 8th with 13:36, magnificent miler MADDIE ALEXANDER was 9th with 13:40, and power pacer MARIA LOWIS was 10th place with 13:44. Consistent contributors MACKENZIE WORTLEY (13:49) and KRISTIN GRIMSLEY (14:56) weren't far behind. Alternates JENNA HOPKINS, DANIELLE HOEKZEMA, and MORGAN CLEM stood by their team cheering and ready to step in and run if needed.

"It's at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys" -- Emil Zatopek

With more than half of our guy runners fighting the pain of injury, I thought this quote was appropriate. You would never have guessed some of these runners were in pain if you didn't know.....

Sublime strider SEAN RYAN was our team's first across the line with a time of 11:27 and a third place individual finish overall. The boys were impressively represented in the top 10 individual finishes as well, with radical runner JOEY WHITE securing 7th place with a time of 12:04 (personal best), and distance demon SEAN ORLANDO taking 10th place with 12:16 (personal best). Rambo runners MASON SWITZER (12:52) and JOSH MEGGINSON (12:53) tore up the course with personal best runs, while victory veterans ERIC DELVO (12:53) and GRIFFIN LUDWIG (13:00) were right on their heels. Alternates JOEY WHITE, BRENDAN FINNELL, JOEY SHOWTIS, and alternate/photographer MICHAEL RALPH stood by to cheer the boys on. A big thanks to team members MICHAEL RALPH and ELIZABETH FARRIS for helping to take pictures with my camera!

What a day a sectionals! These sectionals runners left nothing on the sidelines as they went out and performed their very best to make their parents, coaches, principals, fellow teammates, and fans VERY PROUD of every single one of them.