The Richwoods Cross Country team has had a remarkable season this year. The girls XC progressed to sectionals, finishing 5th out of 11 teams within their regional placement. Despite the boys team not making it to sectionals collectively, Sophomore Gabriel Gross and Junior Aiden Post also made it to regionals finishing 4th and 5th respectively as individuals.
The Cross-Country team has accomplished more in the past two years than in the previous ten years. Just last year, varsity senior, Darielle Saintilus was the first girl to go to state in ten years for Richwoods cross country. This is also the girls’ second year advancing as a team to sectionals and hope to keep a streak. The team has been preparing for this season since the middle of June. Coach Clark says, “The basic structure of our practice week are long days, tempo days, and speed days.” Long days are for a comfortable pace in a longer mileage (roughly eight to nine miles); tempo days are a little bit faster paced, but not race day pace (three to four miles); and speed days are multiple shorter distances (800 meters on the track) at a fast race-pace. The resilience and effort put into the team by the players and coaches help prepare for the long season ahead of them.
The IHSA cross country sectional took place at Richmond Hill Park, Geneseo. The cold weather and steep hills didn’t stop our Knights from performing the best they could. Unfortunately, no one progressed to state. However, Coach Clark believes they accomplished their goals for the season and did the best they could. “Our goals are always to go farther, get faster, be good teammates, and have fun. Every season has its twists and turns, ups and downs, but we definitely achieved these goals this year!” Varsity captain and senior, Sophia Doty, is proud of this season and how far they’ve come. “It took a lot of hard work and dedication to make it this year and we did it—not even by just a little bit.”
This recent upward trend in Girl’s Cross Country breaks barriers in girl’s athletics at Richwoods. We hope to see this progress continue in other female sports as well, like the upcoming girl’s swimming sectional and girls’ basketball season!
