By Randy Whalen

Maddie King has a great appreciation for this cross country season.

One neat thing that the Joliet Central senior has experienced is the congratulations she receives from runners on other teams after races.

There have been many of those moments, especially since King has now captured first in four straight invites.

The latest of those was in the Will County Girls XC Invitational on Wednesday, October 1, at Channahon Community Park. There, King captured her fourth consecutive race with a time of 18 minutes: 21.3 seconds on the 3-mile course. 

To put that in perspective, Lockport Township junior Katie Peetz was second with a PR time of 18:44.51, a full 23 seconds behind King. Providence senior Maggie Wolniakowski placed third with a time of 19:03.71.

So there were more nice words for King following the race.

"I know, it's nice," King said of the congrats she receives. "I like that they congratulate me. It motivates me."

There were eight full local teams in the varsity race and runners from two more schools. Bolingbrook (64) placed first, followed by Lincoln-Way West (68), Joliet West (90), Lockport (118), Joliet Catholic Academy (120), Lincoln-Way East (138), Joliet Central (142), and Plainfield Central (184). 

Perhaps the Steelmen's placement wasn't too high. But nine girls from the team ran in the varsity race, and a trio of them had PR times. 

Sophomore Yoselin Aguilera (29th, 21:25.72), senior Jessenia Chavez (30th, 21:26.49), junior Nancy Arias (40th, 22:27.41), sophomore Monica Reyes (PR, 55th, 23:43.25), sophomore Kaory Montanez Cardona (60th, 24:29.53), freshman Monserrat Diaz Cisneros (PR, 61st, 24:31.97), junior Mia Buss (PR, 65th, 25:27.34), and freshman Evelynn Lannan (69th, 25:44.31) completed the Joliet Central lineup.

On Saturday, September 27, the Steelmen were at the Tinley Park Tollfree Farley Invite at Midlothian Meadows. There, King registered a time of 18:08.60 to win by 23 seconds over senior Ayat Tantawi from Shepard.

"I just go as it goes and I'm pushing myself to do better," said King following the Tinley Park Tollfree Farley Invite. "The season is going great. I feel my practice and all the hard work the coaches have put in with me has paid off."

The rest of the Joliet Central times at Midlothian Meadows were Chavez (52nd, 21:44.30), Aguilera (58th, 22:04.90), Arias (PR, 67th, 22:26.20), Montanez Cardona (92nd, 24:09.50), Reyes (95th, 24:38.00), Diaz Cisneros (102nd, 25:31.00), and sophomore Aaliyah Garcia (105th, 25:42.50). 

"I didn't get a PR today, it was really warm," Chavez said after the Tinley Park Tollfree Farley Invite. "But yes, everyone has got a PR this season and is really happy."

Could Chavez, as the only other senior in the varsity lineup, keep up with King?

"Oh no, not even," she said. "She's too fast for me, she flies. But Maddie is very encouraging. She doesn't let her achievements get to her. She supports everyone equally." 

Arias agreed and is glad to look up to King. 

"Everyone has to have their responsibility and accountability," said Arias, who has been running cross country since eighth grade at Gompers Junior High. "I see Maddie as motivation for the entire team to keep working." 

The standings from Midlothian Meadows were Lincoln-Way East (36), which had its top lineup and won with three of the Top 5 runners. Shepard (82) was second, followed by Marist (113), Lincoln-Way West (125), Bolingbrook (140), Mother McAuley (166), Homewood-Flossmoor (192), Reavis (204), St. Laurence (237), and Joliet Central (239) rounded out the Top 10. Stagg (258), Andrew (271), Eisenhower (417), and Argo (422) rounded out the team lineup. 

On Saturday, September 20, at the David Brady Invite, which was hosted by Argo at the Bedford Park District, King had a dominant win. She turned in a time of 18:07.50. That was over a minute faster than Reavis senior Delyanna Arocho (19:16.25)

Aguilera (11th, 21:45.38), Chavez (13th, 21:46.04), Arias (22nd, 22:52.92), Montanez Cardona (32nd, 24:21.23), Reyes (37th, 24:45.65), and junior Paola Duran (41st, 25:24.42) did well as the Steelmen finished in the upper half of the 6-team field. 

The team scores were Reavis (39), Bolingbrook (40), Joliet Central (69), Andrew (104), Argo (136), and Oak Lawn Community (144). 

King's victory streak started on Saturday, September 13, as Joliet Central hosted the Steelmen XC Invitational at Channahon Community Park. But this one was close as King won with a time of 17:55.60. She edged Downers Grove South junior Nia Ortega (17:56.80) by just over a second. 

As a team, the Steelmen placed 11th with 266 points. Chavez turned in a PR time of 21:12.20 to place 46th. Arias (74th, 22:54.50), Montanez Cardona (86th, 24:41.30), Duran (91st, 25:28.70), and sophomore Reagan Schneider (92nd, 25:44.30) polished off the Joliet Central runners on the day. 

"We have had consistent PR times since the start of the season," Joliet Central coach Kelly Halusek said. "It's been great to see the team atmosphere we have created and all the support we have."

While it didn't count as a meet and the distance was just 1.5 miles, the Steelmen were at a preseason crosstown dual with Joliet West on Wednesday, September 3, at Joliet Junior College. There, King ran and won by 38 seconds with a time of 8:42.

The only race that King has entered this season and not won was the 53rd Annual Wildcat Invitational on Saturday, September 6, at Plainfield Central High School. There, she placed fourth out of 110 runners with a time of 17:58.81. Westmont senior Kyla Babb placed first at 17:05.71.

"Maddie has been awesome," Halusek said. "We're going to Peoria (this) weekend and I'm really excited to see what we can do there."

So is King of the Peoria Invite on Saturday, October 4, at Detweiller Park. That is the site of the Illinois High School Association State Finals on Saturday, November 8. 

"It's my last season of cross country, and it's flying by," King said. "But I'm looking forward to a PR at Peoria and seeing if I can run below a 17-minute flat."