The Whippet Cross Country team headed to Kenosha to compete in the 56th annual Angel Invitational hosted at the nationally recognized cross country course at UW-Parkside on Saturday, September 21. The weather was a touch better than it had been the last two weeks with the course running mostly through woods and shady sections, which was a welcome variation. Although this course was challenging, it didn’t stop the team from giving their best efforts on this day.
Jack Hefty ran a strong race and looked good doing so. His effort secured the individual title, the first ever Whippet to win this meet in the 46 years that Whitewater has competed in the Angel Invitational. His time of 16:04 tied him for the 18th best time ever run on this course in the 56 years the meet has been held. Xavier Zei also ran a very strong race and finished in 30th place with a time of 17:28. Other varsity runners had a strong day including Onyx Thompson, who nearly ran a lifetime PR stopping the clock in 19:24, and Isaac Straight, setting a lifetime best of 19:47, to finish in 128th. The varsity boys’ team placed 11th out of 35 teams.
In the JV race, Wyatt Esch was the team’s top finisher in 41st with a time of 21:16. Marcus Roselle was firing on all cylinders and ran a lifetime best to be under 22 minutes for the first time in his life and stopped the clock in 21:54, good enough for 64th. The JV team also placed 11th overall.
Virginia Nelson stepped up her game and ran a new lifetime best by just one second but on a much more challenging course. This speaks volumes about her growth and continued improvement from week to week. Her time of 22:19 was strong enough to be 45th. Mady Hefty and Carley Boudreau ran together for much of the race before Mady emerged as the team’s second runner in 82nd with a time of 23:49, and Carley was 87th in 23:55. The varsity girls’ team placed 13th out of 34 teams.
The JV team was led by Lucy Troxel who was just a handful of seconds off her lifetime best on this hilly course. Her time of 25:18 placed her 25th overall. Delaney Hammack tied her previous lifetime best and placed 34th with a time of 25:41. As the team’s third runner, Mya Graves-Koran also tied her previous lifetime best in 26:45 to place 53rd.
Full Results: https://wisconsinrunner.com/results/2024/St__Catherine___s_Angel_Invite/
Next up for the team will be the Midwest Invitational in Janesville on Saturday, September 28th.
Article Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Caroline Pate-Hefty
