Making Unbelievable Strides: Young Explorers Run For History With First-Ever Girls Cross Country Sectional Appearance

Colin Feeney, Contributing Sports Writer

Oct 30, 2020 4:41 PM Oct 30, 2020 4:43 PM

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CLASS 1A AT DECATUR ST. TERESA CATHOLIC

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The Explorers made history at the Carlinville regional last week at Loveless Park, finishing in the fifth and final team qualifying berth to advance to the St. Teresa sectional, which will be run at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur.

Marquette Catholic will be joining Father McGivney Catholic and Roxana in the team competition, while East Alton-Wood River's Megan Douglas and Staunton's Dana Jarden, both of whom are seniors, went through as individuals from non-qualifying teams. Douglas was the third individual qualifier, having a time of 21:21.99, while Jarden was the fourth individual qualifier, coming in at 21:22.86.

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Sophomore Kailey Vickrey led Marquette with a fourth-place finish at 19:46.80 this past Saturday, while senior Megan Jarzenbeck was the second Explorer runner, coming in at 22:28.99, and freshman Katie Johnson was number three, with a time of 22:49.30. Freshman Paige Rister and sophomore Clare Antrainer completed the top five for the Explorers, while freshman Ava Certa and sophomore Hudson McCowan will also be in a young Marquette lineup that has made unbelievable strides throughout the season.

Explorers' head girls cross country coach Tim Turnbeaugh is ecstatic with the performance of his squad this past weekend and can't wait to watch the girls excel again this weekend at the St. Teresa Sectional.

"We have three freshmen girls who have never run cross country before this year and two sophomore girls who had not done cross country before," he said after last weekend. "They have all improved so much. I am so proud of them all."