Jurkiewicz breaks out

Whitney Young's Lavinia Jurkiewicz is all smiles after her impressive finish in the 35th Annual Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational last Saturday. The North Sider took sixth place in a time of 19:23 on the Montrose Beach course.
(Jeff Krage/For Pioneer Press)

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Whitney Young's Lavinia Jurkiewicz has only been running for a year, but you could never tell by watching the North Sider.

Jurkiewicz's rapid progression continued last Saturday at the 35th Annual Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational at Montrose Beach.

The sophomore took sixth place in the field of 314 runners with a time of 19:23. That was just two seconds behind her South Side teammate Devyn Thompson (5th, 19:21).

"I was not expecting this. I just started running freshman year so I just had my one-year running anniversary in August," Jurkiewicz said. "For this season I thought maybe I could catch up to my teammate Devyn by city but last week I could see her at the end and that threw me off completely. Then this week I was right behind her."

The funny thing is that Jurkiewicz could easily have been putting on tights last Saturday instead of running alongside Lake Michigan.

"I just can't believe I'm here now," Jurkiewicz said. "I never thought I was going to be a runner when I was in eighth grade. I thought I was going to be a dancer."

Whitney Young took eighth place with 313 points, despite being without its top runner, North Sider Rachel Joravsky, who was out with a sinus infection.

The baton has certainly been passed in Public League girls cross country. Lane Tech, who has been the dominant team in city took 22nd while Mather was 26th.

Top runners from the area included Mather's Teresa Robledo (52nd, 21:02), Makini Harrison (70th, 21:21) and Payton's Madison Palffy (71st, 21:23).

The Dolphins biggest competition in the city meet should come from Northside College Prep.

But the main goal for Whitney Young is making history.

"We have a chance to qualify for state and we would be the first CPS girls team ever to qualify for state," Jurkiewicz said. "That would be huge."

The Mustangs competed in the 37th Annual Pat Savage Invite at Niles West last weekend and took sixth place.

Leading the way for Northside Prep was Rachel Kittaka (7th, 18:47), who ran a very impressive first mile (5:56).

Other key contributors for the Mustangs were Ani Zotti (24th, 19:54), Carmen Abelson (41st, 20:35), Anna Parks (46th, 20:44), Bessie Nolan (50th, 20:53), Adaora Achufusi (65th, 21:45) and Julia Shimada (69th, 22:17).