Lockport rolls fourth straight regional

Updated: October 22, 2011 4:40PM

Winning four straight regional championships is difficult in any sport.

Lockport’s girls cross country team won its fourth straight regional plaque after a stirring performance at the Class 3A Plainfield South regional championship Saturday in Channahon.

The Porters won their ninth regional title and earned a spot at their own sectional Saturday at Dellwood Park in Lockport, home of the Porters.

“Our team has been regional champ all four years I’ve been in high school, so I’m really happy with that,” said senior Stephanie Sanders, who was fourth in 18:11 to earn an all-regional medal, her fourth. “That’s a big accomplishment. Not many teams get that opportunity.”

“The girls ran well today,” Lockport coach Evon Marie Schlotter said. “They were spread out in the second mile, then found each other in the third mile.”

Senior Megan O’Brien led the Porters by taking third in 17:58 to earn her fourth regional medal, as well.

Lockport scored 48 points. Also advancing to the sectional race were Plainfield Central (fourth with 95 points), Bolingbrook (sixth, 160) and Plainfield South (seventh, 173).

In the boys race, Plainfield South (second, 56), Plainfield East (third, 89), Lockport (fifth, 132) and Bolingbrook (seventh, 180) advanced.

“Our goal was to have five guys under 16 minutes and four of them did that,” Plainfield South coach Jason Crowe said.

“The plan was to move on today,” Plainfield East coach Rich Gatz said. “We didn’t care if we were first or seventh today, as long as we got to the next race.”

Individually, Plainfield South senior Tyler Ryan earned an all-regional medal by taking fifth in 15:30. Dan Lathrop was next for the Cougars, taking seventh in 15:39.

“We came up a little bit short,” Lathrop said. “We’re getting close and we had an overall good race.”

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