Marion Invitational Girls Recap

In the Girls Schlemmer Elite race, one of the biggest storylines was how the Pendleton Heights duo would perform with both giving an honest effort, something we likely haven't seen since the Taylor opener meet. At the mile, Ava Jarrell had about a half-stride lead over Bishop Chatard's Julia Score, with both coming through at 5:23. Just off these two was the freshman standout Anya Zoeller, who clocked a 5:25. Right behind this pack was Mallory Weller from Fort Wayne Concordia, who came through just under 5:30.

This group of four runners was the only set in the field to break the 18-minute barrier. Ava Jarrell took the win with a time of 17:16, just 11 seconds off her personal best of 17:05 from last season's Eagle Classic at Brown County. Score held off Jarrell's teammate and crossed the line at 17:28, while Zoeller, the freshman, finished in 17:34, marking the second-fastest 5K time of the season for a freshman girl! Weller came close to a personal best, finishing in 17:52. Alivia Lozier from Westfield led the rest of the field to the finish in just over 18 minutes.

The 1-2 punch from the Arabians certainly helped in scoring, as the team took 5th place in the competitive 16-school field. The battle for the team title was another showdown between last year's top two schools: Homestead and Fort Wayne Concordia. This year's matchup was equally exciting, as Homestead narrowly pulled off a 51-54 victory. The Spartans showcased their depth, with 8 runners finishing in the top 25 and 5 in the top 16. Caterina Perego (7th), Lucy Kramer (9th), Lindsey Arnold (11th), Daisy Niezer (13th), and Avalyn Goldstone (16th) were the contributing scorers for Homestead.

Girls Gold Race Individual Winner: Alayna Bruckner, Eastbrook (19:06.6)

Girls Gold Race Team Winner: Eastbrook - 84 points

Girls Purple Race Individual Winner: Zoe Roberts, Concord Community (19:41.9)

Girls Purple Race Team Winner: West Noble - 58 points

Girls JV Race Individual Winner: Riley Zent, Fort Wayne Concordia (20:01.4)

Girls JV Race Team Winner: Fort Wayne Concordia - 31 points