Vikings’ DeVries Takes First Place at Regional Meet as Girls XC Advances to Semi-State

Battling for first place with LaPorte's Elena Lancioni at the Regionals meet held at New Prairie, was Valpo's Katelyn DeVries on Oct. 15, 2011. DeVries kicked it up at the end and took the first place position finishing strong with a time of 18:55.7.

Joining DeVries in the top 15 and making all-regional were Alison Mundell (3), Tiffany Fortney (5), and Lauren Bigger (8). Valparaiso wins the Regionals meet with a team score of 33 points.

Coach DeVries was proud of the Valparaiso girls cross country team saying "We have 4 in the top 15, 4 in the top 8. Tiffany and Lauren are starting to move up and now Tricia needs to move up. Tricia is getting herself motivated to be up there and she wants to be up there too. Katelyn and Alison are running consistent and we want Tiffany and Lauren to close the gap and get Tricia up there too. Our 6th and 7th Alyssa and Marilee are doing great too."

"Alyssa is doing fantastic, she was given the chance to listen to us at the last two meets and she had to decide to listen and she did. This is her first year running and it has been a good experience for her. Marilee too is just a solid runner and it is neat to see Alyssa and Marilee running together."

Varsity Times:
1 DeVries 18:55.7
3 Mundell 19:20.4
5 Fortney 19:39.4
8 Bigger 19:47.9
18 Joll 20:34.6
31 Despoy 21:09.7
35 Tullis 21:26.2

Top 5 schools moving on to Semi-State are Valparaiso 33, Portage 60, Chesterton 72, New Prairie 102 and Kankakee Valley 161.

Other participating schools include: LaPorte 162, Hebron 165, Morgan Township 223, Boon Grove 236, West Central 246, Kouts (no team score), Michigan City, (no team score), North Judson (no team score) and Wheeler (no team score).

The Semi-State meet will again be held at New Prairie on Saturday, October 22 with races starting at 10:30 am with the boys race.