The Fenwick varsity girls cross-country team placed three runners inside the top 10 at the Steelmen Invitational hosted by Joliet Central, Sept. 13. Junior Juliana Gamboa finished fourth in a time of 18:15.30; sophomore Bridget Brunick came in eighth at 19:02.70; and junior Mia Bagato took tenth in 19:10.50. As a team, the Friars finished fourth out of 18 schools with 121 points.
“The three that placed, they just went out and did what they were supposed to do, which was to not necessarily run for [personal records],” said third-year Fenwick coach Latoya Zubowicz-Hill. “It was to run strategically together.”
With all seven runners from last year’s squad that finished 17th at the IHSA Class 2A state finals back, Zubowicz-Hill likes how things are going so far.
“It’s made for a much easier coaching experience,” she said. “They understand me and I understand them. The girls set the culture, and the captains set the attendance policy. It speaks to me how serious and committed they are.”
Gamboa, one of the three captains, is a three-time varsity runner. The other captains are seniors Romy Bergetz and Ellie Biemer.
Fenwick competes in the Riverside-Brookfield Invitational, Sep. 20. It’s something Zubowicz-Hill looks forward to.
“It’s a meet with a lot of local athletes,” she said. “Last year we came in second and that kind of stung, so I think the girls have high expectations to do their best at this meet.
This year, Fenwick was bumped up to Class 3A. But Zubowicz-Hill feels the Friars are up for the challenge.
“The way we practice and the meets we compete in,” she said, “have always been of 3A caliber. What’s nice is that the majority of the girls have another year. This postseason, we’re going to have fun and see where it takes us.”
Trinity
This year’s Trinity team looks different as a familiar face has moved on. Molly McGreal, who earned All-State honors in Class 2A the last two years, has transferred to York for her senior season.
But this unexpected loss has not dampened the enthusiasm of second-year coach Erin Nelson.
“I have loved our team mindset so far this season,” she said. “Trinity running has had a lot of success in the past but it all starts with the strong foundation of teamwork, and we needed to build that back up. I believe that we will continue to do that through the season and use that foundation to grow even more.”
Trinity has four returnees: sophomore Charlotte O’Brien, junior Mary Margaret Wynne, and seniors Alessandra Pineda. Newcomers include juniors Charlotte Houlihan, Emily Miehlich, and Alexa Rodriguez along with senior Grace Ramel.
The Blazers’ top meets are the Riverside-Brookfield Invitational, the Niles West Pat Savage Invitational, and the Lakes Sunset Invitational. Nelson says the goal of this season is setting the stage for success in future seasons, with team success being the point of emphasis.
“My goal as a coach is to nurture a love of running through a lifetime of success,” Nelson said, “and that’s only done if these girls graduate with healthy running bodies. We haven’t had our full force healthy to race as a pack yet, but I believe once we do, Trinity will hope to be a competitor at the regional and sectional meets this year.”