The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
CHARDON AND KENSTON RUNNERS CLAIM CROWNS
Area runners on way to regional
While most runners battled chilly conditions, Chardon’s Rae Kawalec felt right at home in the Division I Madison District meet on Oct. 21. The senior took home her third win of the season.
Kawalec posted a time of 18:34.29 and took the top spot over Grace Kaelber of Shaker Heights. It is also her fifth straight race in which she finished in the top two positions.
With a deep and strong field, Kawalec knew that going out strong was important, but so was maintaining the pace. She focused on that early on and was able to take an early position at the front and maintain it.
“I struggled a little more last week because it was colder at least to me,” Kawalec said. “I knew I wanted to win and it was going to be tough competition today as well. I didn’t want to go too early but wanted to run my race. But every time I made a move, they went with me. I realized it was going to be even more of a challenge but when we made the turn that I had a good shot at the win”
The Hilltoppers’ Briella Hewitt took eighth, and they finished third as a team. They were behind the Red Raiders and St. Joseph Academy.
Also in the top 10 was Mentor’s Nora Kraska in sixth. With Ada Sabo (12th) and Addison Lyles (14th) not far behind her, Mentor took fourth and also advanced as a team.
The D-II race also had several fast times, headlined by Kenston’s Emerson Greene, Chagrin Falls Mila Gresh, and Gilmour’s Amy Weybrecht. Greene found the right spot to make her move and had just enough cushion for the victory.
She posted an 18:35.74 for the win and with the competition she faced at the front of the field, Greene knows that helps prepare her for the challenges at the regional meet as well.
“The last few weeks have been really good with a lot of practice and training,” Greene said. “I wanted to go out and see what I could do. Running with them is a challenge, they have a ton of talent. It’s an honor to get to com
pete with them.”
It was also a pair of PRs for Gresh and Weybrecht as they had times of 18:37.60 and 18:40.04, respectively.
Chagrin Falls also had Lilly Stukus with a seventh-place finish and with five of her teammates in the top 40. That propelled the Tigers to a team championship, as well.
In a season that had its ups and downs, Gresh, a senior, has rounded back into form as the season winds down. The rest of the team has followed suit the past two meets, leading to team titles in both.
“It was important for us to set those times to really build some confidence,” Gresh said. “We wanted to get to regionals as a team. Our mindset is to trust in our training. We have great chemistry running as a team and we know we can carry it into next week.”
Hawken was the team runner-up with Kenston, Beaumont, Gilmour and Perry to qualify for regionals. The Hawks were led by Brielle Collins in fourth.
In D-III, the area advancement was spearheaded by Kirtland’s Ainsley Borthwick. The junior crossed the line with a 19:25.85 to round out the podium.
After she fell spot short of the state meet a season ago, Borthwick knew that setting a tone at districts was going to be important. She knows that now it’s important for her to carry it into next week’s meet.
“Positioning was my main focus today,” Borthwick said. “I knew that it started here and I needed to qualify first for regionals. But now I am aiming to keep that mindset next week and have better race management..”
Lake Catholic’s Kelly Ward (fourth, 19:27.93) and Wickliffe’s Markala Tumbry (sixth, 19:45.77) also advanced to the regional meet for the second season in a row. The Hornets also finished third and earned a team advancement.