Results
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North Lincoln girls have been off to a strong start to the 2025 cross country season. They've raced two invitationals winning both Ballantyne Ridge Invitational and Eye Opener. At Eye Opener they would post a 34 second 1-5 split, 37 seconds from 1-6, and a 19:25 team average. On top of the two wins, the Knights were without Olivia Ferraro who was their top runner a year ago running 18:06 in cross country, and 4:48 and 10:49 on the track. Ferraro would open her season today to make a strong team even stronger while facing off with North Carolina's best in Cuthbertson and Marvin Ridge.
The Championship would get underway and Cuthbertson, who was fresh off a big win at Friday Night Lights XC Festival, would get out hard with five in the top 23 of the team scores totaling 65 points just under halfway through the race at 2K. North Lincoln would sit in 2nd with 140 points and led by Elan Eurey in 20th but with five teammate in the same group just four seconds back to their 6th runner at the time. Marvin Ridge was just six points behind them with 146.
After the 2K mark the field would ascend the steeper part of the hill with the next split checkpoint at 3200m. Marvin Ridge had moved up to the lead in the team scores dropping 12 points to 134 with North Lincoln two points back at 136. Freshman Bella Jaworsky would be the first girl through for the Knights with their top five all within 9 seconds of her. Marvin Ridge would be led by Caitlin Kasten who was in 2nd overall. North Lincoln would have five in front of their third, but there wasn't a large gap back to the Maverick's fourth and fifth girls.
Georgetown Visitaion Prep (DC) would come in third ahead of Cuthbertson who had fallen back somewhat off a fast start but also look to have had some girls drop out before the 3200m to drop them in the team scores. They'd total 193 and 195 points with Episcopal School (FL) and Myers Park just behind at 212 and 219.
Kasten would finish 2nd in the team scores and third overall running 17:37 to lead Marvin Ridge through the line. Jaworsky would come in next in a battle between the two programs for North Lincoln in 18:51 scoring 15 points with the two schools 2nd runners being just behind as Marvin's Summer Wilson scored 17 in 18:52 and Finley Evans for North Lincoln scoring 19 at 18:53. Marvin Ridge's Katelyn Malek and Harper Roe would have a strong last mile to move up scoring 23 and 36 points respectively for Marvin. North Lincoln's Eurey, Ferraro and Kate Evonuk would come in scoring 29, 37 and 42 to round out the Knights team scores at 142 total. Marvin would end up finishing ahead from 1-4, but North Lincoln's depth through 5 would prevail 142 to 153 to give them the adidas XC Challenge team title.
North Lincoln had three freshman in their top 5 and would have just a 41 second spread with a 19:12 team average. They had six girls finish before every other school in the field had five through the line. North Lincoln proved once again they are a heavy NCHSAA 5A favorite, but proved they might be the best overall team in North Carolina.
Marvin Ridge would have a 19:00 team average thanks to the low stick from Kasten.
Georgetown Visitation Prep would score 188 points to finish 3rd holding off Episcopal School who scored 200 for 4th. Myers Park would move up to 5th with 215 with Hoggard just behind with 229 and Cuthbertson 253.