Cross Country Invitational Draws Record Number of Teams
Now in its fourth year, this year’s invite drew its most teams ever, 19, and more than 450 runners. They ranged in age from fourth through eighth grade, but kindergartners also got in the fun, running the 50-yard dash as well as first through third graders running a 200-meter race.
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Teams included: Frassati Academy in Wauconda, Holy Family Academy in Inverness, Immanuel Lutheran, St. Thomas of Villanova and St. Theresa, all in Palatine; Our Lady of the Wayside and St. James in Arlington Heights; St. Alphonsus in Prospect Heights, St. Benedict Preparatory School, St. Juliana and Queen of All Saints, all in Chicago; St. Raymond and St. Emily in Mount Prospect; St. Francis de Sales in Lake Zurich, St. Gilbert in Grayslake, St. Hubert in Hoffman Estates, St. Mary in Buffalo Grove, St. Patrick in Wadsworth, and St. Paul of the Cross in Park Ridge.
“It’s one of the only high school invitationals that we know about,” says Christine Bremner, race director and enrollment director at Saint Viator. “We think that’s the reason we get schools from a wide geographic area.”
She adds that young runners get to compete against schools outside their conference, and see Saint Viator’s expansive campus. Members of Saint Viator’s girls’ and boys’ cross country teams helped run the event and led the younger runners through their courses.
Junior varsity boys and girls ran a one-mile course, while varsity runners ran a two-mile course. All racers were clocked by a professional timing company, It’s Race Time, Inc., and were able see their results online.
“It is such a great feeling watching those kids cross the finish line,” Bremner adds. “I love seeing those exhausted, determined, proud, happy faces crossing the finish line. What a great way to build confidence and self-esteem for the new school year.”
In all, 100 individual awards were handed out, with the top 25 finishers among JV girls, JV boys, varsity girls and varsity boys all receiving medals. The Saint Viator traveling cup went to the top girls’ and boys’ varsity teams, or St. Benedict Prep for girls’ varsity and St. Mary in Buffalo Grove for boys’ varsity. Top placing teams in each division included:
Girls JV
1st Place – St. Benedict Prep
2nd Place – Saint James
3rd Place – St. Mary
2nd Place – Saint James
3rd Place – St. Mary
Boys JV
1st Place – St. Benedict Prep
2nd Place – St. Raymond
3rd Place – Our Lady of the Wayside
2nd Place – St. Raymond
3rd Place – Our Lady of the Wayside
Girls Varsity
1st Place – St. Benedict Prep
2nd Place – St. Thomas
3rd Place – Queen of All Saints
2nd Place – St. Thomas
3rd Place – Queen of All Saints
Boys Varsity
1st Place – St. Mary
2nd Place – St. Benedict Prep
3rd Place – Queen of All Saints
Thank you to our event sponsors, All About Kids Dentistry, DKMO Attorneys, and Castema Technology Services.
2nd Place – St. Benedict Prep
3rd Place – Queen of All Saints
Thank you to our event sponsors, All About Kids Dentistry, DKMO Attorneys, and Castema Technology Services.
Saint Viator High School
Located in Arlington Heights, IL, Saint Viator High School is a private, co-ed, Catholic school for grades 9-12. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, fine and performing arts, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.