Expectations were high for IL#1 Palatine heading into Saturday’s Palatine Invitational. The team had been ranked #1 for the past few weeks, beat some sound teams already this season, and had two runners returning back from illness that slowed them down in Peoria the weekend prior. Needless to say, Palatine was the heavy favorite.
With those expectations in hand, Palatine stormed the competition, placing five in the top 16, including three in the top ten. With IL#6 Hinsdale Central sitting out their varsity team due to racing a hard dual earlier in the week against IL#8, IL#5 Prospect seemed like the most likely challenger, but still couldn’t mount a strong enough challenge to upset Palatine, as the Pirates beat the Knights 51-100.
Individually, Barrington freshman Rebecca Batliner raced like a seasoned pro, making a statement that she is a top three threat at state this fall. Batliner trailed a handful of other top runners through the mile in 5:40. Palatine’s Sarah McIntosh, Buffalo Grove’s Olivia Jones, Lyons Township’s Kelsey Kilrea, Moline’s Haley Verbecke and Prospect’s Annette While and Brooke Wolfe, as well as Batliner, ran together for much of the first two miles.
Nearing the two mile mark, Wolfe challenge for the lead, with McIntosh, Jones and Batliner hanging on. The quartet hit the two mile mark in 11:39, with many other close in tow.
Around a few turns, and into the final stretch the runners came, with Batliner (pictured left talking to reporters)surging past Kilrea, McIntosh and Jones with 250 meters to go, cruising home to her first big meet victory in 16:55. Kilrea (16:57), McIntosh (16:57), Jones (17:06) and Verbecke (17:11) rounded out the top five. Coming in at 6-7 were Prospect’s first two runners in White and Wolfe, while Palatine’s Ruth Allen and Courtney Brown placed 8-9 respectively for the Pirates. Wheaton Warreville South’s Lauren Mordini placed tenth overall.
While Palatine and Prospect dominated the top two spots in the team scoring, Lyons Township (168 points) held off a late charge by Barrington, who finished fourth with 169 points. Downers Grove North (206), Buffalo Grove (208), Assumption, Kentucky (209), Wheaton Warrenville South (228), Libertyville (255) and Lake Forest (282) rounded out the top ten.
