Regina’s Whitaker Claims First Career Individual Title at Hillcrest Invitational
Your Prep Sports
Even before Monday Regina junior Mya Whitaker already had a fondness for the cross country course at Hillcrest Academy.
The affection that Whitaker had for the course only grew after her performance at the Hillcrest Academy Invitational on Monday.
Whitaker claimed the first individual title of her career on Monday, winning the Hillcrest Academy Invitational in Kalona in a time of 21:16.86.
“This is actually my favorite course, I’m not going to lie,” Whitaker said. “I really like the forest area, it felt amazing without the sun. People say the hill is bad, but it’s really not that bad. It’s like four steps and that’s pretty much it.”
The individual title by Whitaker helped Regina to a third-place team finish behind a pair of top-20 Class 3A teams.
Class 3A No. 20 Washington won the team title with 42 points followed by No. 13 Pella with 67 while 1A sixth-ranked Regina was third with 76.
Whitaker claimed the individual title by nearly nine seconds over Mount Pleasant senior Abby Blint who was runner-up in a time of 21:25.84.
“I was listening to the people cheering and just to see the kind of the distance between the second place and me, and somebody was yelling like 12 seconds,” Whitaker said. “I was like ‘OK that’s 12 seconds, you’re almost done with your race, just push through’. I felt pretty good throughout it. I try not to think negative, nothing but my best I guess.”
Whitaker led a trio of Regals to finish in the top 20 on Monday.
Natalie Franklin was 11th in a time of 22:39.69 while Josie Pursley was 18th in 23:22.91.
Allison Hein finished 24th and Gwyneth Charlton was 25th for Regina.
The day belonged to Whitaker who established herself early in the race as the leader.
“The strategy was my strategy for all my races, so my goal is to get out fast because it is easier to stay up than it is to get up,” Whitaker said. “I didn’t get out as fast as I wanted, but I got around, maybe like almost halfway from the first lap and I was able to push myself into getting first and that was pretty cool.
The Regina boys team got a fourth-place finish from Aidan O’Neil and finished third in the team race with 82 points.
Pella Class 3A eighth-ranked Pella won the boys title with 53 points while No. 17 Washington was runner-up with 71 followed by 1A ninth-ranked Regina with 82.
O’Neil finished fourth in a time of 17:55.5 while Adam Boblenz was 16th in 18:54.94 and Joe Maley was 17th in 19:04.94 for Regina.
Hillcrest Academy Invitational
At Kalona
Team scores – 1. Washington 42; 2. Pella 67; 3. Regina 76; 4. Mount Pleasant 89; 5. Fairfield 96
Individual leaders – 1. Mya Whitaker (ICR) 21:16.86; 2. Abby Blint (MP) 21:25.84; 3. Kelsey Pacha (FAI) 21:48.91; 4. Jacie Trine (PEL) 21:55.57; 5. Alexis Wagner (MP) 21:57.78; 6. Kendal Hinrichsen (WAS) 22:07.93; 7. Lauren Horak (WAS) 22:10.82; 8. Alyvia Anderson (WAS) 22:11.5; 9. Quincy Griffis (WAS) 22:14.76; 10. Sophia Boonstra (PEL) 22:23.04; 11. Natalie Franklin (ICR) 22:39.69; 12. Isabella Lujan (WAS) 22:50.57; 13. Taylor Bartholomew (WAS) 22:55.47; 14. Carley Seeley (FAI) 23:01.21; 15. Giselle Marcelino (WAS) 23:01.94
Regina (76) – 1. Mya Whitaker 21:16.86; 11. Natalie Franklin 22:39.69; 18. Josie Pursley 23:22.91; 24. Allison Hein 24:05.17; 25. Gwyneth Charlton 24:10.21; 27. Berlyn O’Connor 24:22; 28. Cate Klitgaard 24:35.71
Boys Results
Hillcrest Academy Invitational
At Kalona
Team scores – 1. Pella 53; 2. Washington 71; 3. Regina 82; 4. Fairfield 86; 5. Mount Pleasant 125; 6. North Mahaska 141; 7. English Valleys 162; 8. Hillcrest Academy 231
Individual leaders – 1. Lance Sobaski (WAS) 17:12.19; 2. Micah Rees (WAS) 17:35.32; 3. Bryson Grove (EV) 17:50.06; 4. Aidan O’Neil (ICR) 17:55.5; 5. Brady McWhirter (FAI) 18:09.93; 6. Ben Carthey (MP) 18:14.58; 7. Gavin Van Veen (FAI) 18:19.96; 8. Cooper Vande Voort (PEL) 18:21.29; 9. Kaiden Browne (PEL) 18:21.97; 10. Jake Huston (PEL) 18:31.99; 11. Kaidyn Mickels (FAI) 18:42.64; 12. Devon Browne (PEL) 18:46.46; 13. Drew Horak (WAS) 18:50.37; 14. Aren Hellbusch (PEL) 18:53.42; 15. Wyatt Van Dyke (PEL) 18:54.37
Regina (82) – 4. Aidan O’Neil 17:55.5; 16. Adam Boblenz 18:54.94; 17. Joe Maley 19:04.94; 22. Dan Maley 19:11.04; 23. Riordan Smith 19:12.24; 27. Sam Welter 19:36.91
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