The Reeths-Puffer girls cross country team could be poised for a good performance at this weekend’s Division 2 regionals, based on how the Rockets ran in two big races recently.
R-P did particularly well at the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association Meet on Oct. 11, placing four runners in the top 20 and finishing third out of seven teams with 81 points. Mona Shores won the team championship with 38 points while Fruitport was second with 46.
R-P senior Jersi Bilek finished in third place individually with a time of 20:00 and earned a medal.
Jersi Bilek
Junior Kaitlyn Durow was 14th with a time of 21:51, junior Darcy Keefe was 17th at 22:22, senior Charli Belinger was 18th at 22:34 and sophomore Sidney Shakelford was 40th with a time of 26:13.
“They ran a fantastic race on the very hilly course,” said R-P coach Lindsay Keefe. “We placed third, which was earned with hard work since we were predicting fourth place.”
Interestingly, the Rockets turned the tables on Mona Shores (which took first at the GMAA meet) three days later, at the very tough O-K Green Conference Meet.
Kaityn Durow
R-P finished fourth out of five teams with 121 points while Mona Shores was last with 122. Powerful Jenison dominated the competition, taking first through fourth place individually and having six runners among the top 10.
Bilek did very well for the Rockets, finishing ninth out of 118 runners with a time of 20:01.
Durow came in 23rd (22:11), Keefe was 25th (22:13), Belinger was 70th (25:11) and Shakelford was 96th (26:33).
Darcy Keefe
“Jersi Bilek had an outstanding run, placing ninth in our tough conference,” Coach Keefe said. “Bilek and the rest of the team were a little surprised with how warm the race was. Bilek said the third mile felt tough with the heat, but she was happy with her race.
“Kaitlyn Durow really dug in, pulling Darcy Keefe with her as they did some major passing, securing our team place.”
The R-P girls and boys teams will compete in Division 1 regionals on Saturday in Allendale. The top three teams in the regional, as well as the top 15 individuals, will qualify for the state finals.