Charleston’s Richter, Wood should battle for all-Apollo XC spots

Charleston coach Chris Hawk says the Mount Zion girls are heavy favorites to win today’s Apollo Conference cross country team championship.

The Braves will enter the three-mile race at Lake Land College with their top five girls all under 20 minutes for the three-mile race.

Plus, they have two runners with times recorded under 19 minutes.

Last year, the Braves defeated Mahomet-Seymour by one point.

On paper, the team is a 43-point favorite to beat projected runner-up Effingham.

But Hawk also expected his two top runners to have a chance to earn all-conference honors.

“Seniors Ila Richter and Whitley Wood are going to be fighting for spots on the All-Apollo team,” said Hawk. “Both have been running very consistently and a good race could earn them top 10 medals.”

Richter owns a team-best time of 20:13.8 this season, while Wood’s best time is 20:25.0. Both are ranked 11th and 13th respectively.

Mount Zion will be led by senior Sofia Munoz, who recently ran a time of 18:14.6 at the Peoria High Invitational. Teammate Ellie Frizsche ran a time of 18:45. Both are ranked second and third on the leaderboard. Camille Mavis (19:15.7), Renne Ballard (19:31.3), and Brooke Doyle (19:39.5) are also fifth, seventh, and ninth respectively.

With five spots potentially going to Mount Zion runners, the race for the other five spots will make it difficult for the other six teams in the conference. One spot will definitely go to the featured favorite to win the Apollo.

Two-time Apollo Conference individual champion Becca Heitzig of Lincoln is the favorite to win a third straight year after running a season-best 17:16.8 at Detweiler Park earlier this season. Heitzig, though, hasn’t recorded a meet time since Sept. 24, when she won the SHS Invite by 28 seconds in 18:09.

Mahomet-Seymour’s Ava Boyd, a two-time Apollo runner is ranked fourth with a time of 18:48.5, while Effingham’s Jessica Larsen is ranked sixth at 19:30.9. That leaves a few open spots on paper for the final All-Apollo spots and Hawk believes his top two runners could make their way into one of those spots.

Mattoon’s Oakley Layton is ranked 22nd with a time of 21:39.4.

Top 30 Apollo Times

(Source: Athletic.net)

YR	NAME	TIME	SCHOOL	DATE
11	Becca Heitzig	17:16.8	Lincoln	Sep 10
12	Sofia Munoz	18:14.6	Mt. Zion	Oct 1
11	Ellie Fritzsche	18:45.4	Mt. Zion	Oct 1
11	Ava Boyd	18:48.5	Mahomet	Sep 17
11	Camille Mavis	19:15.7	Mt. Zion	Oct 1
10	Jessica Larsen	19:30.9	Effingham	Sep 17
11	Renee Ballard	19:31.3	Mt. Zion	Oct 1
10	Chloe Bundren	19:33.3	Mahomet	Sep 17
11	Brooke Doyle	19:39.5	Mt. Zion	Oct 1
9	Baylee Summers	20:12.5	Effingham	Sep 10
12	Ila Richter	20:13.8	Charleston	Sep 21
11	Ella Goodman	20:22.0	Taylorville	Sep 27
12	Whitley Wood	20:25.0	Charleston	Sep 21
9	Avery Sommer	20:41.0	Mt. Zion	Sep 27
11	Audrey Wagoner	20:49.7	Effingham	Aug 27
11	Hallie Smith	21:04.0	Taylorville	Sep 27
10	Haddie Hill	21:08.2	Effingham	Sep 21
11	Hailey Betzer	21:10.5	Mt. Zion	Sep 3
9	Hadley Grotelueschen	21:17.1	Mahomet	Sep 17
12	Callie Jansen	21:21.6	Mahomet	Aug 27
10	Morgan Springer	21:36.7	Effingham	Sep 21
11	Oaklie Layton	21:39.4	Mattoon	Sep 21
10	Morgan Waisath	21:40.4	Mahomet	Aug 27
11	Lauren Bednar	21:59.6	Mahomet	Aug 27
12	Alexia Finch	21:59.9	Mt. Zion	Oct 1
10	Mallory Short	22:00.0	Lincoln	Sep 24
9	Jinan Abdo	22:19.2	Mahomet	Sep 17
10	Amber Weiss	22:21.9	Charleston	Oct 1
12	Allison Miller	22:22.7	Effingham	Sep 3
10	Sydney Lowis	22:24.0	Taylorville	Sep 27
10	Ava Jansen	22:30.5	Mahomet	Sep 17