Results
SUGAR GROVE, Ill. – The Harper College women's cross country team placed five runners in the top 11 at the season-opening Waubonsee Invite on Saturday morning en route to a team title at the meet.
The start of the 2nd Annual Hawks/Chiefs Invitational was delayed due to lightning, and because of weather conditions, race officials combined the women's and men's race into one race on a 3 mile course. The Hawks thrived in the conditions, scoring just 26 points to outpace nearest challengers Joliet Junior College (64 points) and Sauk Valley Community College (77 points).
Harper's freshman class made an immediate impact in its first meet of 2015, taking four of the top seven places overall in the meet. Ali Gutt (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) blazed through the muddy 3 mile course in 18:52.7 to win the women's race by more than a full minute. Teammate Dianne Barajas (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Schaumburg) crossed the finish line in 19:56.6 for second place. Also making their college debuts, Leslie Rosiles (Mount Prospect, Ill./Rolling Meadows) and Veronica Brooks (Arlington Heights, Ill./Battle (Mo.)) had strong showings. Rosiles completed the course in 21:12.7 for fifth place, and Brooks ran the race in 21:52.2 for seventh place.
Sophomore Silvia Catalan (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) rounded out the Hawks' top five with an 11th place showing in 22:10.4. Katie Thevara (Des Plaines, Ill./Elk Grove) finished inside the top 20 with a 19th place showing in 23:22.4. Second-year runner Cynthia Siddiqui (/Palatine) was Harper's seventh runner, completing the course in 24:47.7.
Michelle Puma (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling) placed 31st overall in a time of 26:10.6, and fellow freshman Jacqueline Colon (Des Plaines, Ill./Elk Grove) took 32nd in 26:11.9. Maggie Madden (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) (43rd, 29:26.7) and Nancy Leiwander (29:28.0, 44th) also had nice showings in their first college competition.
The Hawks will not compete in a week on Labor Day weekend but will be back in action at the Aurora Invite on Friday, Sept. 11 at 5 PM.
