By Gargoyle sports staff
Posted Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2006, The OG, sports

KICKAPOO STATE PARK — The Uni girls cross country team, which made it to the Class A state finals last year, looks to be even stronger in 2006 if today's performance at the Kickapoo Kickoff Classic is any indication.

Freshman Elizabeth Russell and junior Michelle Mehnert, both newcomers to the team, placed first and second overall as the Illineks cruised to the team championship. Uni finished with 27 points, far ahead of second-place Salt Fork (102) and third-place St. Thomas More (113).

Russell, who starred at the eighth-grade level last year as a subfreshman, led the field with a time of 20 minutes, 34 seconds. Mehnert, who transferred last year from Centennial and has competed nationally as a swimmer with the Champaign County Aquachiefs, clocked in at 20:55.

Junior Shivani Khanna, one of the area's top Class A distance runners the past two years, placed sixth with a time of 21:51. Sophomore Elaine Gu was right behind in seventh place at 22:05.

Junior Samantha Nguyen finished 11th (22:37), followed by junior Jennifer Roloff in 12th (23:23). Freshman Isaure Hostetter, another addition to the team, rounded off Uni's varsity showing with a 31st-place time of 26:56.

Next up for the Illineks: Saturday's Chrisman Cowchip Classic.

2006 VARSITY RESULTS
(Meets at the U of I in bold; courses are three miles unless otherwise indicated)

Aug. 29: Kickapoo Kickoff Classic, 1st (27 pts)
Top Uni runner: Elizabeth Russell, 1st overall (20:34)