CHRISMAN — If the 26th annual Chrisman Cow Chip classic had been limited to small schools, the Uni girls would have run away with the title.

As it turned out, the meet was open to all comers, which included Class 2A cross country powerhouse Mahomet-Seymour. The Bulldogs swept all seven flights to tie the meet record of 7 points (a first-place finish in a flight earned 1 point).

The Uni girls finished second in the 10-team meet with 18 points, followed by St. Joseph-Ogden with 29 points.

The Cow Chip Classic is unusual not just for its setting (a well-used cow pasture) but for its system of flights. Instead of having entire teams run at one time, the meet pits No. 1 runners against each other in one flight, No. 2 runners in another flight, and so on.

Although Mahomet-Seymour swept the top spots, the Uni girls made a solid case for themselves as the best small-school team at the meet. In fact, it was the second year in a row that Uni placed second overall and earned 18 points.

"I thought the meet went really well because we all ran times either close to or faster than last year's times," said senior Shivani Khanna, who finished second in the No. 3 flight with a time of 21 minutes, 6 seconds. "We also placed really well individually. The weather was good, and as a senior it was my last time at Cow Chip, and I think it was a great last run for me on that course."

Senior Michelle Mehnert led the Illineks with a second-place finish in the No. 1 flight. She ran the 3-mile course in 19:58. She finished behind only the Bulldogs' Amy Clawson (19:04) and recorded the meet's second-fastest time overall. Mehnert ended the day by winning the award for top senior.

Another Uni runner who received an individual honor was Elizabeth Russell, who was named the meet's top sophomore. She placed second in the No. 4 flight with a time of 20:47. Last year Russell was named the meet's top freshman.

In the No. 2 flight, junior Elaine Gu finished third (20:35). Senior Jennifer Roloff placed third in the No. 5 flight (23:28).

Rounding out the Uni field:

• No. 6 flight: Isaure Hostetter, sophomore, fourth place (24:34)
• No. 7 flight: Katherine Allen, sophomore, second place (23:50)
• Open: Samantha Nguyen, senior, seventh place (24:21)

The girls will compete Tuesday afternoon in the annual Twin City Championship Meet at Illini Meadows. They will defend their title as the top team in Champaign-Urbana. They won last year's meet with 32 points. Mehnert placed first overall with a time of 20:29. The race is scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m.

The girls have won the Twin City title three straight years.

2007 GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY VARSITY RESULTS

Aug. 28: Kickapoo Kickoff Classic (3 miles)

• Story: Mehnert leads Illineks to Kickoff Classic title
• Team finish: 1st place, 27 points (out of six scoring teams)
• Top seven Uni runners: Michelle Mehnert, 1st (20:56); Elaine Gu,
  5th (21:47); Shivani Khanna, 6th (22:05); Elizabeth Russell, 8th
  (23:06); Jennifer Roloff, 9th (23:28); Isaure Hostetter, 23rd (25:17);
  Katherine Allen, 24th (25:19)

Sept. 1: Chrisman Cow Chip Classic (3 miles)

• Story: see above
• Team finish: 2nd place, 18 points (out of 10 scoring teams)
• Flight No. 1: Michelle Mehnert, 2nd, 19:58 (named meet's top senior)
• Flight No. 2: Elaine Gu, 3rd, 20:35
• Flight No. 3: Shivani Khanna, 2nd, 21:06
• Flight No. 4: Elizabeth Russell, 2nd, 20:47 (named meet's top sophomore)
• Flight No. 5: Jennifer Roloff, 3rd, 23:28
• Flight No. 6: Isaure Hostetter, 4th, 24:34
• Flight No. 7: Katherine Allen, 2nd, 23:50
• Open: Samantha Nguyen, 7th, 24:21

Next meet: Twin City Championship Meet, Sept. 4, Illini Meadows; girls race to begin at 4:45 p.m.