Aubert hangs tight with all-state honors

PEORIA -- Before receiving her second medal in two years at Saturday's Class 3A state cross country meet, Crystal Lake South junior Kristina Aubert wrapped herself in a bright yellow blanket on a brisk afternoon.

She flees.

She wears fleece.

"My boyfriend (Danny Barkley) let me use this," the Gator said after finishing 10th in 17:25 at Detweiller Park. "I'd made it for him, as a gift."

Quivering while waiting for the all-staters to be announced and recognized at a ceremony, she then scrunched her shoulders before drawing the blanket closer to her frame.

Shivery temps had threatened to throw Aubert off her game, but she recovered nicely after a relatively tottery start.

"It was cold, so cold," she said a year after taking eighth (17:27) at State. "It was freaking me out. The big question, for me, was, 'Tights or no tights?' I wore tights only once before this meet, and that didn't go very well."

Aubert donned tights for the Woodstock Regional on Oct. 25, before earning runner-up honors (18:57) to Woodstock junior Elise Beattie (18:35); Beattie took 17th (17:33) on Saturday.

At State, a tightless Aubert figured she was in 30th place after 400 meters before surging to join the top-five pack with about a half mile remaining.

But three racers -- St. Charles East's Lizzy Hynes, Rolling Meadows' Christina Gastfield and Schaumburg's Colette Falsey -- outkicked her near the end.

Crystal Lake South's lone state qualifier was satisfied, not ecstatic, after her performance. She overcame minor, nagging injuries (Achilles' tendon strain, calf cramps) this fall.

Plus a couple of other potential hindrances.

"There were doubters, too," said Aubert, 72nd (18:10) at State as a freshman in 2006.

Lake Park senior Lindsay Flanagan won Saturday's championship with a no-doubt-about-it 16:54, well ahead of runner-up Kelly Whitley (17:07) of state champion Geneva.

Only one other girls cross country runner in CLS history has hustled to all-state honors (top 25) more times than Aubert has.

Jacqui Aubert is her name. She's Kristina's older sister.

Jacqui, an '04 graduate, was 11th in '03, 13th in '02 and 20th in '01.

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BOYS: In Saturday's IHSA Class 3A boys cross country championship, Cary-Grove placed 15th as a team.

Senior Bill Roth had the Trojans' top finish in 84th (15:30), while Eddy Gibbons and Kai Rikardsen took 100th (15:39) and 101st (15:39), respectively.