KHS’ girls cross country team competed in the 8th Annual Forest Park Cross Country Festival Saturday, Sept. 14. This is one of the largest meets in the state, attracting more than 3,500 student athletes from 111 competitive teams throughout Missouri and Illinois. KHS JV girls raced first at 8:50 a.m. in a field of 431 athletes.

Erin Kelly, freshman, running her first 5K race, took an early lead and never looked back. Before the race started Kelly was nervous because she was racing against people a lot older.

But once she got started “I don’t think about anything. I just run,” Kelly said.

Kelly managed to captured first place with a time of 20:04.2. Kelly’s next goal is to medal in a varsity race. Clair Bradfield and Gabi Baker, freshmen, were not far behind finishing 6th and 10th respectively. These placements contributed to a 2nd place team finish for junior varsity.

Varsity runners Regina Doty, Grace Noonan, Carson Keeling, sophomores, Emma Gagliarducci and Sierra Acker, juniors and Jess Williams Ella Foley and Annie Cockerline, seniors, ran next, racing against some of the best high school cross country runners, including the fastest high school runner in the U.S. Every runner in this division finished under 23:20 minutes.

The remaining 14 freshmen girls competed in their second three kilometer race. Molly Hooks received a medal for her 23rd place finish in a field of 211 runners.

“We really got to see how the freshmen can run,” Jen Hadler, assistant coach, said.

“I think [the season] is going very well, and it’s still very early” Hadler said. The next girls cross country meet is Saturday, Sept. 21st at the Paul Enke Invitational.