Eagles Compete At Norfolk Catholic Invite

boys race - Kyle Pardun took ninth in Norfolk last week. Photo courtesy Kevin Morrow.

Girls Race -Abby Gillham and Brandi Walters compete at Norfolk last week. Photo courtesy Kevin Morrow.

The O'Neill Eagles ran last Thursday at the Norfolk Catholic Invite. There were four high school races and two junior high races. Sixteen teams competed at the meet.

In the varsity division for girls, sophomore Alejandra Vergara placed ninth leading the team to a seventh place finish. Other varsity runners were Lizzie Price 28th,  Abby Gillham 35th, Brandi Walters 39th, Ellery Butterfield 47th and Kaylee Harvey 52nd.

The boy's varsity team  placed fifth overall. Leading the Eagles was Kyle Pardun placing ninth. One place from medaling was freshman, Grant Johnston 16th. Rounding out the varsity team was Nate Gotschall 24th, Shea Lueninghoener 25th, Blake Walters 29th and Blake Johnston 37th.

The junior varsity teams ran their races finishing in the top of the pack. Joseph Gillham won individual honors with Humberto Castillo placing runnerup and Kyle Fowler being third overall. Other runners were Cory Rowse 11th, Zach Pavel 18th, Casey Vandersnick 19th, Miguel Ochoa 28th, James Walton 31st. The boy's junior varsity won with an impressive score of 17 points. 

In the girls junior varsity division the O'Neill team placed fourth. Catrina Spangler placed seventh to earn a medal. Sarah Pribil placed 16th, Nicole Babutzke 20th and Makayla Hladky 30th. 

In the girls junior high division Tejlor Strope placed 72nd. The boy's junior high squad placed third as a team with  Nathaniel Jennings placing 7th and Eric Strope 9th. Other boy placers were Jordan Ross 17th, Cody Watson 28th, Tyler Beeks 32th, Sergio Gonzalez 43th and Zeb O'Bryan 45th.

“We just need to work harder in the middle, not for ourselves, but for the team,” said coach Hilker.

Next week the O'Neill Eagles will be hosting their own invite, September 14 at the O'Neill Country Club. The meet starts with the high school girls race at 4 p.m, followed by high school boys and then the junior high race.