Du Quoin girls cross country: Phillips notches a win at Mr. A Classic
Olivia Phillips spent her first two high school cross country seasons running behind the recently graduated Gabby Alongi, but last Tuesday the junior finally stepped out of Alongi's shadow to win her first high school race at the Benton Mr. A Classic.
"I didn't expect to win because Benton has some very good runners, but I went into the race with full confidence in myself so if I kept on trying and pushing thinking I could win," Phillips said. "Gabby is an amazing runner and I'm just trying to follow in her footsteps as best I can. Now that I've got my first win I'm hoping this is going to be first of many."
Phillips not only won her first cross country race since junior high, but won it going away beating second place finisher Addyson Miller from Benton by 34 seconds with a time of 19:40.76.
"It was a pretty good race," Phillips said. "One of the Benton girls went out fast, so at first I stayed behind so not to lose her. Right before the first mile we were going down a hill and I was able to stride out and catch her. Then I didn't let up and just kind of kept on going. There was one hill near the end that was kind of tough on me, but I just told myself I can't give up no matter how hard it got. The whole race I had to do what I had to do."
As a team the Lady Indians gave the talented Benton Rangerettes all they wanted and more, finishing just three points behind. Benton finished first with 26 points followed by Du Quoin (29), West Frankfort (75) and Sparta, which didn't field enough runners for a team score.
"The competition kicked up a notch this week," said Du Quoin Coach Eric Kirkpatrick. "Benton is probably the best program in southern Illinois right now. They had a strong pack ahead of us and handled us pretty well today. In order to get better we have to beat them, so we just have to get back to work because we'll see them next week at our place and one more time after that."
Du Quoin solidified its second place finish with nine runners finishing in the first 17 places. Junior Lauren Heape finished third (20:23.17), senior Jacqueline Crain seventh (21:29.16), junior Alexis George eighth (21:54.14), junior Maddie Decker 11th (22:38.75), freshman Kallie Oestricher 13th (23:18.72), freshman Lainey Miller 14th (23:28.95), junior Grace Alongi 16th (24:24.25) and senior Maddie Robison 17th (24:35.12).
"Phillips and Heape are two of the best runners in the south," Kirkpatrick said. "Maddie has been working her way back from injury last year and has been fighting hard to get back on varsity and ran a really good race today to finish in our top five. Crain and George did fantastic, too."
Last week the Lady Indians opened the season hosting the SIRR Preview and winning the Mississippi Division by 28 points with Phillips, Heap, Crain and George taking second through fifth place. Phillips finished second with a time of 21:01.6.
"I kind of expected better for myself as far as time is concerned, but there's more races to come hopefully, so I expect major improvement," Phillips said.
<i> Next up for the Lady Indians is a road trip to Sparta next Tuesday and then back home on Thursday to host the Du Quoin Invitational.</i>