By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
The Catholic Central High School boys and girls cross country teams did not overlook the Metro Classic Conference Cross Country Meet Oct. 18 at UW-Parkside in Kenosha.
The Hilltoppers overcame illness, runners with other commitments and lousy weather and finished third in both the boys and girls races.
For most squads, such success would be reason to celebrate, but bear in mind the Hilltoppers are eyeing a bigger prize, and get a chance to realize their goals Saturday at the WIAA Division 3 Sectional Meet Saturday at UW-Parkside.
In the Metro Classic Meet the Hiltoppers boys and girls each finished behind Racine St. Catherine’s in second and Kenosha St. Joseph in first.
Catholic Central finished with two runners in the top five in the boys race. Sam Joski finished the five-kilometer race in 17 minutes, 28 seconds and Gavin Clayton finished fifth in 17:40.
Coach Keith Mulhollon said Joski ran with a bit of an illness. St. Joseph’s John David Ford won the boys race (16:49), marking the first time he beat Joski in competition.
Growth and adherence to a training regimen helped Clayton finish third.
“This year, he’s starting to mature,” Mulhollon said. “He’s starting to grow. He’s had a good season, as far as training goes.”
Catholic Central’s Jake LaForest finished 15th (19:10), Gavin Foote finished 21st (19:42) and Jack Horner finished 24th (19:51).
Josh Muellenbach finished 40th (21:17) and Chris Carlock finished 44th (21:57).
The girls raced without one of the members of their typical top five runners. If not for that, Mulhollon said, the Hilltoppers are racing for the conference title.
“What makes our girls so strong is they’re all so close,” Mulhollon said. “They run together as a group.”
Cassie Reesman finished eighth in 22:10 for the best finish among the Hilltoppers’ girls.
Kourtney Mulhollon finished 10th (22:22), Kelly Aldrich 11th and Kathleen Straube 14th. Brianna Martin finished 33rd (25:50) and Laura Klein finished 37th (27:11).
“Out of all the years I’ve coached, I don’t really put too much stock in the conference meet,” Keith Mulhollon said. “I’m more geared towards tournament season than conference, to be honest.”
Keith Mulhollon said the Hilltoppers boys and girls squads stand a very good chance of advancing out of Saturday’s sectional meet to the WIAA Division 3 State Cross Country Championships Nov. 1 at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
The top two teams at the sectional meet and the first five individuals who aren’t members of one of the top two teams advance from the sectional meet to the state meet.
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