submitted by Grant Mollett, East Ridge High School
Photos contributed by Team Parents Giovanna Mustin and Quiana Peterson.
September 17, 2022 – Brooksville
The East Ridge High School girls varsity cross country team traveled to Brooksville to compete in the CHS Bear Invitational at Brooksville Central High School on Saturday, September 17. This was the first time that the Knights had competed at the Bear Invitational, so they hoped to make a great first impression! The race was held on Saturday morning, and the temperature sat at about 73 degrees. The cooler temperature was accompanied by some hazy clouds that allowed the sun to sneak through occasionally throughout the morning. A slight breeze wafted over the athletic fields of Brooksville Central High School, as the runners got a relieving preview to some autumn feels! Being the fourth race of the regular season, the runners were eager to show off their mid-season form.
Girls from eighteen different schools throughout Central Florida competed in the Bears Invitational on Saturday morning. Freshman Veronica Peterson led the Knights as she swiftly moved along the perimeter of the campus. Veronica was spotted finishing the first of two loops about five seconds behind a pack of runners that included two of her teammates and a runner from Belleview High School. Coming around the second loop, Veronica had worked her way into the top pack of now three runners, including her teammate Bre Peine and the runner from Belleview. About fifty yards before the finish line the runners made a sharp left turn. Veronica picked up her pace, took the inside of the left turn, and surged beyond her two other pack mates. In an exciting and tight finish through the chute, Veronica celebrated by winning her first invitational individual championship of her high school career! She finished in a swift time of 19:49 to secure her title against a field of 72 varsity runners!
Second across the finish line for the Knights was senior Bre Peine! Bre had stayed in the lead pack the entire race, and as others fell off from the pack, she was able to maintain a favorable position. Bre placed third overall and finished in a speedy time of 19:54! The third Knight to finish was freshman Rhyen Foley. Rhyen placed sixth overall and finished in a time of 20:25! Sophomore Hanna Warren was the fourth scorer for the varsity team. Hanna followed in her teammate and placed seventh overall and came across the line in a time of 20:28! The fifth runner for the Knights was freshman Adriana Mustin. Adriana placed ninth overall and finished in a time of 21:18! Sophomore Neely Lugo was the sixth runner for East Ridge. Neely placed fifteenth overallt and finished in a time of 21:53! Senior Alanis Melgar was the seventh runner in for East Ridge, and she finished in eighteenth place in a time of 22:38!
East Ridge took the honors on Saturday morning as they outperformed six other schools that fielded complete teams. The Knights put all five runners in the top eighteen positions, which secured them a low team score of twenty points! This is the second time this season that the girls varsity team has won an invitational!
East Ridge also had thirteen runners compete in the junior varsity race at the Bear Invitational. Sophomore Madi McCormack took first place out of a field of 42 runners and finished in a time of 21:16! Junior Lina Maldonado was the runner up in the junior varsity race and finished in a time of 22:42! Junior Maja Stjernstrom placed third overall and finished in a time of 22:51! Sophomore J’Mariana Douglas finished in fifth place overall in a time of 23:56! The fifth and final scorer for the Knights in the junior varsity race was senior Brenna Oliveri! Brenna placed sixth overall and finished in a time of 24:31!
Junior Brittni Faber placed tenth overall and finished in a time of 25:49. Junior Sarah Tingler placed thirteenth overall and finished in a time of 26:43. Freshman Shane George followed in her teammate, placing fourteenth overall in a finish time of 26:44. Sophomore Isabella Stuemke placed sixteenth overall and finished in a time of 27:22. Junior Karlie Saintlot placed nineteenth overall and finished in 28:35. Senior Alexandra Dimitros placed 26th overall and finished in 32:39. Junior Bri Romero placed 36th overall and finished in 36:20. Senior Isabella Zamudio placed 37th overall and finished in 36:23 in her first race of the season.
The junior varsity team also took the honors on Saturday morning! This was the fourth invitational championship for the junior varsity squad this season. They secured their title by placing their five scorers in the first six positions!
The Knights will travel to Winter Garden next Saturday, September 24, to compete in the West Orange High School Invitational at West Orange High School! The varsity girls’ race is set to begin at 7:15 AM!
The course for the varsity and junior varsity races measured three miles. For full results from the CHS Bear Invitational visit the following links:
Girls Varsity Results: https://www.arrowliveresults.com/CentralBearsInvitationalVarsityGirls?fbclid=IwAR1ed1aWfWCDk1HsBm1E71NWbUCgkwOq7JPKrm-wAQEJU2h4UnTD5Uz6e1I.
Girls Junior Varsity Results: https://florida.tfrrs.org/results/xc/19385/?fbclid=IwAR3gXYVyxSbc2gpypamCIkwEcbznAlGHMSe6Y4FrAyZzgoZCH0AL0uLZitA.
