The Timothy Christian girls cross country team has been competitive in three invitationals so far this fall.
The Trojans took fifth at the Fenton Invitational and seventh at the competitive DePaul College Prep Ram Invitational. Timothy also ran in the season-opening Under the Lights Invitational at South Christian High School in Michigan.
“We are off to a great start,” Timothy Christian coach Erica Plaisier said.
Timothy returns four of seven runners who competed in the Class 1A state meet last year: Lyla Plaisier, Maddie Turner, Addison Butler and Phoebe Leppink.
Plaisier, a sophomore, took second at the Under the Lights invitational, third at DePaul College Prep and 10th at Fenton.
Turner, a junior, placed 40th at Under the Lights, while freshman Megan Lumkes placed 18th in her first high school cross country meet (Under the Lights) and earned a medal for her 24th-place finish at Fenton. “Megan has continued to run well and has a lot of potential to drop time,” Plaisier said.
Freshman Kaitlyn Pergande, Plaisier noted, has been recovering from an injury but was hoping to make her season debut this past weekend at Kaneland. “I’m excited to see what Kaitlyn can do at the three-mile distance,” Plaisier said. “She was an amazing middle school runner.”
At the 44th annual Fenton Kurtz Early Bird Invitational on the high school grounds in Bensenville, Plaisier was 10th with a time of 19:28.70 for three miles. Lumkes was 24th at 20:48.60, while senior Chloe Wilgenburg was 32nd with a time of 21:35.20. Butler, a junior, was 36th with a time of 21:51.40. Senior Brooklyn Hanchett was 81st with a time of 24:52.30. Timothy was fifth out of 15 teams there.
At the DePaul Ram invitational/Catholic Cup held at Horner Park in Chicago, Plaisier was third overall with a time of 18:49.77 for three miles. Turner was 47th with a time of 21:54.97, while Lumkes was 49th at 21:57.17. Butler was 68th with a time of 22:47, while junior Phoebe Leppink was 98th with a time of 24:33.19. Timothy finished seventh in the 23-team field.
Timothy will compete in the IHSA's Class 2A post-season level this fall.
