10-17-2025 1:48am

XC: Saline Girls Take 3rd at SEC Red Championship

Saline's varsity girls cross country team placed third at the SEC Red Championship meet Thursday at Hudson Mills Metropark. Pioneer won the meet with 27 points, while Skyline took second with 56. Saline finished with 68 points.

"I thought we ran pretty well," coach Derek Stern said. "We did what we needed to do. We were up against a very talented Pioneer team and Skyline team, two teams that are top 10 in the state. We were definitely behind Pioneer and just behind Skyline."

After three Pioneer girls went 1-2-3, including Natasza Dudek's win in 16:47.5, more than a minute faster than the second-place finisher, Saline sophomore Savannah Staton finished fourth in 18:39.3. Lilli Schlack was fifth in 18:48.3.

Stern was asked how he kept the Hornets motivated, considering the dominance of the Pioneer team.

"We talk about the fact that you still have to run the race," Stern said. "Anything can happen at the starting line. Anything can happen from point A to point B. A couple of years ago, out here, a couple of girls took the wrong turn on this course, and we ended up victorious because of it."

There was no such luck this time around.

Sophomore Adelynn Turk was 15th in 19:42.1. Freshman Lauren Tomaszewski was 21st in 20:36.9. Junior Sophie Roth completed the scoring, taking 23rd in 20:42.9.

Freshman Carolina Cotner was 25th in 20:54.6 and senior Mahalia Staton was 28th in 21:13.4.

Savannah Staton ran a strong race and picked off a few runners as she went.

"I felt really good. I definitely felt the hills toward the end. There are a lot of hills, which is a lot of fun, but I don't always enjoy them towards the end," Staton said.

Schlack was happy with the final SEC race of her Hornet career.

"I feel really good. It's a true cross-country course. I love Hudson Mills. I love the south and the north course," she said. "I felt good during the whole race and it was just nice to have a good day."

In her years as a Hornet, she's heard many tales and traditions related to Hudson Mills.

"We have a couple of traditions here which are always fun to see. Hearing Coach Stern talk about what this course means to us and the SEC is really interesting," Schlack said.

Saline competes in the Regional at Lake Erie Metropark next week.