Trio steps up at Vermilion

At the Vermilion Invitational on Sept. 29, there were a few more standout performances that took place on the girls side.

Brookside sophomore Alicia Fike placed second overall (20:18.00) behind Bay champion Olivia Bird (19:58.74) for a PR and school record. Fike has emerged as the No. 1 runner on the Cardinals during her breakout season.

“I finished pretty strong,” Fike said. “I attacked the course.”

At the Brookside Invitational on Sept. 26, Fike broke the school record with a 20:28, previously held by Mackenzie Glass (20:50).

“I think I definitely have pushed myself more this year,” Fike said.

“I’m not afraid to go out as fast as I could. It feels amazing to get second place and I just can’t wait for next season and the season after that. It’s a lot of fun being the No. 1 runner on the team.”

Firelands junior Alessandra Davis placed fourth

(20:53.13) and prior to the meet, she told her coach Steve Lias she wanted to break 21 minutes.

Davis has juggled soccer and cross country and is trying her best to achieve her goals.

“With soccer, it’s been kind of difficult because I can’t go to every practice,” she said. “But I’m hoping to get 20:30 next week.”

With the Patriot Athletic

Conference meet on the horizon, she wants between a 20:15 and 20:30.

“I was really nervous coming out today because I knew we were running with D-I schools,” she added. “But it wasn’t terrible and I had fun.”

Midview freshman Audrey Sanzone was sixth overall (20:53.93) with a PR and teammate Riley Folley was behind (20:55.26).

The Middies were second (37) in the D-I section behind champion North Olmsted (34).

“I was determined to get a good place,” Sanzone said. “I’m usually the third or second best runner on the team. I felt like running faster and my goal was to be first on my team.”

Sanzone is a first-year runner and also does basketball and track. Her family

encouraged her to get into cross country and she made up her mind during the spring to try it.

She does the hurdles and 400 in track.

“It’s a little bit harder than track,” she added.

As a freshman, she’s already set lofty goals for herself.

“I want to keep PR’ing every race,” she said. “And by the end, run 20 seconds.”