Posted: Oct. 21, 2009 |(0) Comments

With the top-two ranked teams in the state vying for the title, the North Shore Conference girls cross country meet last Saturday at Tendick Park in Saukville was supposed to be about drama, excitement and a down-to-the-wire finish.

Instead, the top-ranked in state and 10-time league titlist Whitefish Bay squad sucked all the air out of the room as Emma-Lisa Murphy, Kenzie Vicker and Megan Palmer went one-two-three, respectively, as the Blue Dukes easily outpaced second-ranked Homestead 29-43, for the championship.

"We knew that they'd be right there," said Palmer of the Highlanders, "so we just wanted to get out there and race."

And race the Blue Dukes did, as they prepared for this Saturday's WIAA sectional meet and ultimately a defense of their 2008 state title.

"We just ran a very smart race," said Blue Duke coach Mike Miller. "We were very composed for being under a great deal of pressure."

For Homestead coach Victor Vilar, the race was a bit of a disappointment.

"When they went out like that, we just didn't go with them," he said. "Emma-Lisa and Kenzie ran such great races and we were just not close enough when we needed to be. It was similar to when we lost to them at Kletzsch Park (in Bay's Vanden Avond Invite) only we were a bit closer this time around."

"And let's just give credit where credit is due. They just flat out beat us."

The two teams will likely meet again at the state meet in Wisconsin Rapids on Oct. 31. Bay will go to Mitchell Park in Brookfield on Oct. 24 for WIAA sectional competition while the Highlanders will be at Arrowhead the same day.

Miller said it was completely in the plan to have his three lead runners go to the lead. They had control by the mile mark on the 4,000-meter layout and never let anyone have a chance.

"We just work together so well," said Murphy. "We were all under our goal times."

Murphy edged out Vicker at the line with both running scorching times of 14:38.45 and 14:38.62, respectively. Palmer was a strong third in 15:03.

The Blue Dukes also got great support from senior Arden Stewart, who was the fourth runner in eighth (15:30) while Maddy Vicker was the final scoring runner in 15th (15:57). "Arden ran an amazing, awesome race," Miller said.

Also running for the Blue Dukes were Ally Spiroff in 17th (15:57), Emma Fallone in 26th (16:20) and Maureen Kahn in 32nd (16:51).

Palmer, who has known nothing but conference titles and high state finishes in her four-year career, was pleased on many levels.

"First we got coach Mills his 10th (league) title in a row, and we also gave ourselves great inspiration for sectional," she said. "It also means a lot to go out on Tendick this way. It was a good one to go out on. A lot of great races have been run here."

The Highlanders were paced by Lauren Holtz in fifth (15:13), while Kelsey Boyle was sixth (15:25), and Sarah Miler seventh (15:28). Other scoring runners included Caity Bobber in ninth (15:34) and Dana Griepentrog in 16th (15:57). Vilar praised both Boyle and Griepentrog effusively.

Also competing were Keali Bjork in 18th (16:00), Andrea Dolsky 23rd (16:16) and Carrie Rice 24th (16:18).

"We have a lot of disappointment," Vilar said, "but as I told the girls. It's not the end of the world. We still have a lot to run for."

Nicolet was sixth in the meet with 146 points and freshman Lauren Cunningham earned second-team all-league honors with a 14th place showing (15:56) while Christie Crossman was 31st (16:41).

UP NEXT

WHAT: Homestead will be in the Arrowhead High School sectional at 11 a.m. on Saturday while Bay and Nicolet will be at the Mitchell Park sectional in Brookfield, also at 11 a.m. The top two teams and first five individuals not on those teams will advance to the WIAA State Meet in Wisconsin Rapids on Oct. 31. Bay is the defending state champion while Homestead was eighth.