Perseverance the key as Grayslake Central wins 2A Girls State Championship

Parekh gets the state title in her final time at Detweiller Park

By Michael Newman [email protected]

Peoria, Ill – Grayslake Central stood by their box at the far end of the starting line after they finished their race. The seven runners knew that they had run their best race of the year. Would it be enough to bring home a trophy? Would it be enough for a state championship?

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All seven runners broke into jubilation, tears, and unembraced happiness when they found out that they had won the state championship with 148 points. Sectional rivals Crystal Lake South (162 points) and Vernon Hills (165 points) finished second and third.

“So many sprained ankles, sickness,” one of the runners who missed time during the season Katie Armstrong said. “We worked so hard for this.”

“We just needed to show up today. We knew we could do it today,” said Sofia Witt. “This “family” ran hard, and we did it”

The sectional race helped the Rams get ready for their Saturday race at Detweiller Park. The outcome of this race showed how strong the Woodstock North Sectional. All seven of the qualifying teams finished in the top 11 in this race.

Grayslake Central was led by all-state performances from Bella Domier (10th) and Sara Armstrong (20th). Sofia Witt (44th), Bryn Sato (51st), and Katie Armstrong (65th) were only separated 15 seconds as the team’s third, fourth, and fifth runners. The team only had a 76 second top five split.

Crystal Lake South brought home a state trophy based off all-state races from Isabella Gonzalez who finished (9th), Abby Machesky (15th), and Addie Frisch (25th). Colette Bacidore (78th) and Gianna Pinta (82nd) were the team’s fourth and fifth runners. Vernon Hills brought home their fifth third place state meet trophy in nine appearances at Detweiller Park scoring 165 points. Reina Hill (11th) and Anna Todd (14th) led the Cougars earning all-state honors. Jadyn Parker (37th), Rose Sheridan (62nd), and Jori Ellen (87th) followed in the next three spots.

Ava Parekh of Latin School was expected to win individual state title in this race. She met those expectations with her state title in her final race at this venue. If anyone was going to stay with her, they would have to withstand the fast torrid pace that Parekh set. She went through the first mile in 5:15 with Mary Grace Hegberg of St. Viator by her side. Then came Hadley Ferrero of Crystal Lake Central and Elia Ton-That of Northside Prep in the next duo. Mia Kottler of Latin School followed and then there was a huge gap before the next group crossed the timing mat.

Parekh stayed aggressive the next mile continuing to force that pace. The five runners continued the spread out with Hegberg dropping back along with the other three runners behind her. It was a victory lap of sorts by Parekh as she got closer to the finish. In the final 50-meters, a smile came across her face. Reality had hit her that she won a state title on such hallowed grounds.

“This feels so good to come here and with my whole team also being here,” Parekh said. “I did not want to go out as hard as I have in previous years. I just wanted to stay within myself and see what I could after that.”

Parekh ran her fastest time of the season (16:23) to take home the state title. It was the fastest time of the three Girls races of the day. Hegberg ran a lifetime best of 16:38 to place second. Kottler followed in 16:41 with Ferrero (16:55) and Ton-That (16:57) finishing fourth and fifth. The top five runners in this race all ran under 17-minutes.

The finishes from Parekh and Kotler helped Latin School finish fourth with 188 points. Lakes Community, led by an all-state performance from Madison Perez (21st), finished fifth with 220 points.