by Grant Mollett, M. ED. East Ridge High School
October 9, 2021 – Montverde, Florida
The East Ridge High School girls’ cross country team competed in the Montverde Eagles Invitational at the campus of Montverde Academy on Saturday morning. This was Montverde’s inaugural invitational and the course was a single loop around the beautiful campus. Comparable to last week’s race at Mount Dora Christian Academy, Montverde’s campus is characterized by hills. Additionally, the course had a grass terrain the entire way. The start and finish were on one of Montverde Academy’s soccer fields, which was ultimately the only part of the course that was level and stable. In spite of the difficult terrain, the East Ridge girls team ultimately placed third overall at the Montverde Eagles Invitational this morning!
Girls from seven different schools throughout Central Florida participated in the Montverde Eagles Invitational on Saturday. Arguably the most difficult portion of the course was the first half mile, as the runners ascend a sixty-meter hill once leaving the starting area. However, that did not deter junior Sophie Roemmen, who positioned herself atop the field of runners and raced past the first mile in a time of 6:40. Sophie held her position throughout the second and third miles, and for the seventh race in a row, she led her team as the first finisher for the Knights. Sophie took ninth place out of a field of 61 runners! Sophie finished in a time of 22:19. Junior Bre Peine placed fourteenth overall and finished in a time of 22:55. Freshman Hanna Warren secured the seventeenth overall place and finished in a time of 23:20.
Freshman Neely Lugo was the fourth scoring Knight this morning. She finished in nineteenth place and in a time of 23:34 – about a minute faster than her time last week at Mount Dora Christian Academy’s comparable course. The fifth finisher and final scorer for East Ridge was senior Keira Votava. Keira finished in 24th place and in a time of 25:34 – about a thirty-second improvement from her performance last week at MDCA. The sixth finisher for the Knights was sophomore Sarah Tingler, who placed 29th overall and finished in a time of 26:22 in her debut as a varsity runner – just ten seconds off her season-best. The seventh finisher for the Knights was sophomore Lina Maldonado. Lina finished in 36th place in a time of 27:41 in her return race after a midseason injury.
East Ridge had eight remaining runners who participated in the varsity race this morning. Freshman J’Mariana Douglas placed 39th overall and finished in a time of 28:29. Sophomore Brittni Faber placed 42nd overall and finished in a time of 29:17. Freshman Isabella Stuemke placed 45th overall and finished in a time of 29:23. Isabella’s teammate, junior Brenna Oliveri, followed her in and finished in 46th place in a time of 29:24. Sophomore Kayden Page placed 48th overall and finished in a time of 30:09. Junior Alexandra Dimitros placed 55th overall and finished in a time of 34:03. Sophomore Karlie Saint Lot placed 59th and finished in a time of 34:47 and Sophomore Brianna Romero placed 61st in a time of 45:14.
East Ridge High School placed third among six complete teams at Montverde. Circle Christian School won the Montverde Eagles Invitational by placing five runners in the top ten. The host school, Montverde Academy, was the runner-up, as they placed five runners in the top twenty. The Knights were able to outdo district rival Oviedo High School at Montverde. The overall individual winner for the girls’ varsity race was sophomore Michelle Smith from Montverde Academy. Smith finished today’s race in a time of 20:48.
For full results for the girls race at the Montverde Eagles Invitational visit: https://fl.milesplit.com/meets/437725-montverde-eagles-xc-invitational-2021/results/771809#.YWHaXrhKg2x.
The girls’ cross country team will compete in the Trinity Prep Wednesday Invite on Wednesday, October 13th at the Trinity Prep’s campus in Winter Park. The girls’ varsity race is set to start at 5:00 pm.
