Peoria Invite
BHS Girls Make School History with Runner-Up Outing at Peoria
By Randy Sharer
For Ittspeedlab.com
For complete results visit the Peoria High School Invitational – Meet Info – Cross Country Meet
PEORIA – With conference meets two weeks away and the postseason series starting in three, cross country runners in the 70th Peoria Invitational at Detweiller Park on Saturday (Oct. 4) were eager to make a statement.
The Bloomington girls’ performance positively shouted that they will be a force to reckon with after finishing second among 29 schools in the Class 1A–2A division, marking the best finish in school history.
The Purple Raiders, ranked No. 24 in Class 2A by IlMileSplit.com, scored 140 points, trailing only the 47 tallied by No. 1 Chatham Glenwood.
Glenwood’s Ali Londrigan won the 3-mile race in 17:00.15, ahead of runner-up Renee Warren (17:40.2), who helped Normal West place sixth with 189 points.
BHS Highlights
The first freshman was Lorelei Hulsing of BHS, a former volleyball player who clocked 18:30.83 (8th place) to lead five Raiders into the top 62.
“I ran a lot more this summer than I did last summer,” said Hulsing, who placed sixth in the IESA Class 4A state track meet 800-meter run last spring in 2:21.86.
Prior to the race, BHS coach Veronica Grundman motivated her runners by saying:
“You guys right now can be the third team to ever make it to state in Bloomington history. It has to start today.”
It did — thanks to a roster at full strength. No. 5 runner Kylie Huffaker, a travel soccer player, isn’t always available, but she placed 62nd (20:30.41) in the field of 218.
“Today they were all there together,” beamed Grundman. “I’m so excited because the best finish we’ve had here as a girls team was like ninth.”
Also scoring for BHS:
Josie Skeate – 15th (19:00.94)
Alex Noonan – 18th (19:06.55)
Alison Huffaker – 50th (19:56.03)
Normal West and Area Standouts
Despite the dusty, 80-degree conditions, West’s Renee Warren came within five seconds of her best time from the 2024 3A state meet.
“I haven’t really been hitting the results I wanted,” Warren said. “I worked hard this summer, and I wasn’t really seeing it happen, but today really boosted my confidence.”
Other Wildcats near the front:
Julie Bach – 9th (18:32.25)
Amanda Warren – 12th (18:47.76)
Bach took a bold pace out of the gate:
“This is one of those races where you really don’t have much to lose,” she said. “My coach said, ‘be a little bold,’ and I tried my best.”
No. 4 runner Rachel Russell returned from injury to place 65th (20:34.6).
“The girls were impressive today,” said Coach Greg Rogers, whose team is ranked No. 16 in 2A. “Getting Rachel Russell back today and her running a PR was huge for our crew.”
Other Top Area Finishers
Lowpoint-Washburn-Roanoke-Benson senior Ellison Heineke ran 10th (18:34.43), breaking her own school record of 18:52.12 from the 2023 1A state meet.
“I am pumped,” Heineke said. “I haven’t had a PR since sophomore season. The placing … I did not expect that at all.”
Class 3A Boys
Normal Community’s AJ Ince, a Southern Illinois–Edwardsville recruit, led local runners with a 14th-place finish (15:19.5) after steady mile splits of 4:55.5, 5:11.2, and 5:12.8.
“I was really trying to stay consistent throughout,” Ince said. “I think I passed four or five people up that hill (the last 800 yards).”
NCHS placed 17th (501) among 38 teams. Winners were Alex Rodriguez of Berwyn-Cicero Morton (14:44.2) and Elmhurst York (86 points).
Class 1A–2A Boys
Normal West led area teams with a 16th-place finish (478) among 37 schools. Dixon won with 58.
Top area individual: BHS freshman Eli Hartman, 45th (16:06.19) — third among ninth graders.
Winner: Max Weber (Bethalto Civic Memorial) – 14:37.45.
Class 3A Girls
Normal Community High School (NCHS), led by Emma Pollit (56th, 19:55.6), finished 17th among 28 teams with 408 points.
The race was won by freshman Lennox Szymonik (Algonquin Jacobs) in 16:57.57, while Huntley claimed the team title with 99 points.
Normal Community's AJ Ince (1676) covered Detweiller Park's dusty 3-mile course in 15 minutes, 19.5 seconds in the 70th Peoria Invitational cross country meet on Saturday (Oct. 4) to finish 14th in a 256-man field. (Photo by Randy Sharer)
The Bloomington High School girls cross country team finished a school-best second in the Class 1A-2A division of the 70th Peoria Invitational at Detweiller Park on Saturday. Lorelei Hulsing (971) placed eighth for the Purple Raiders while Josie Skeate (974) finished 15th and Alex Noonan (973) 18th in a field of 218. (Photo by Randy Sharer)
