As the leaves change color and the autumn breeze becomes cool, Girls’ Cross Country
has come to a bittersweet end. Throughout the laughs, cries, and hard work, many memories
were made. Although sad for the athletes who participated in this season, it is essential to
remember that with a successful season, there is much to celebrate.
“I PR’d many times, and I finally broke 19, and then we, as a team, qualified for
sectionals,” stated senior Lucy Roscoe. She, as well as many of her fellow teammates,
described the importance of pushing your boundaries to reach a personal record (PR). Although
numbers on a screen, the hard work put into achieving those numbers is often overlooked.
The initial start of the season looked unpromising at the girls’ first meet, the Deerfield
Opener on August 28th, which resulted in Grayslake North placing third out of four teams in the
varsity 3-mile. Madison Petersen was the only girl out of seven running for North that placed in
the top ten. Although they ultimately didn’t achieve the results they wanted, the first meet set the
tone for the two freshmen as well as the three sophomores on the team.
“We were challenged with a lot of hot weather, new athletes, and people getting in
shape,” exclaimed coach Petersen. Though initially unsuccessful, Petersen recognized the hard
work and grit it would take for these athletes to achieve the desired results.
Just over a week later, the girls had already started to see the results of their hard work at the
Second Annual Vicky Piela Invite on September 6th. Eight girls improved their times, which
contributed to North’s team score of 69 and overall place of third out of five teams in the 3-mile
variety race. North placed three girls, Madison, Lucy, and Julia, all in the top 10 during the race.
“We improved by just going to practice every day, showing up, and being a team.”
proclaimed Mia Gumapas.
Along with the physical training, the girls needed team chemistry, and that’s exactly what
Coach Miller and Coach Petersen were recognized.
“We went over to the coach’s house, and we ate pizza, and we watched movies, and the
coaches were always so supportive of us and encouraged team bonding,” explained Abigail
McNulty. Without the chemistry and support of their fellow teammates, success would be limited
to numerical results rather than the lasting impact of the sport on the individual athlete.
With a new sense of unity and sportsmanship, the girls raced into their next meet on
October Eighth, at the Lights Out Invitational hosted by Lake Forest High School. They saw a
triumphant success with five girls hitting their PR and two hitting their season record time for the
distance. North got eighth place out of eleven on the 2-mile Varsity race and had one girl,
Petersen placed top 10. The success of hitting new PRs gave them positive momentum,
charging into sectionals.
Finally, on November 1, the girls marched into sectionals and faced tough competition.
Though North placed 12th out of 17, they faced schools such as Prairie Ridge, which had seven
state qualifiers, and Wheaton (St. Francis), which also had seven state qualifiers for the 2025
IHSA Class 2A State XC Championships. Out of the seven girls who ran for North at sectionals,
five reached an all-time season PR, and Petersen earned another state bid.
With more than 109 placings throughout 13 races, and 86% of the varsity girls’ races
being three miles, the accumulated average for individual pacing was 34th place for 3-mile
races. But these numbers don’t come close to reflecting the personal growth and lessons
learned throughout the season.