UPDATED: Bettendorf Girls Cross Country running Crow Creek

UPDATED (Monday, Sept. 4): The BHS Girls XC team placed 11th out of 14 teams at the Pleasant Valley meet on Sept. 4.

Trinity Borland was the first runner for Bettendorf varsity and placed 19th with a time of 19:55. Jenna Nickes was the second runner for Bettendorf varsity in 56th place with a time of 21:26.

ORIGINAL STORY: Bettendorf Girls Cross Country team has a meet Sept. 2 at Crow Creek Park.

This event will be hosted by Pleasant Valley, and many teams from around the area will be competing.

The Bettendorf varsity line-up for Saturday includes Trinity Borland, Nyah Block, Jenna Nickles, Maggie Dixon, Layken Bytnar, Peyton Bytnar, and Madison Temple.

Last Wednesday at Moline, Bettendorf won with 69 points

At the Moline meet, Bettendorf’s top runner, Trinity Borland, placed second out of out 116 girls with a time of 18:58.2 seconds. This meet said she wants to place in the top ten again.

“I definitely want to keep my eyes on all the Naperville North girls and Maddy Minard and Mallory Lafever from PV,” said Borland. “At the the beginning (of a race) I make sure not go out to fast and gradually try to pick it up. I run the first part with my mind, the middle with personality, and finish with my heart.”

For freshman Paige Magistrelli, Crow Creek will be her first high school cross country race.

“I’m not ready (for the race) but I’m hoping it will go good for my first meet,” said Magistrelli.

Many other girls are going into this race with the same fear and excitement as Magistrelli.

Emma Doyle will be also running this Saturday and is concerned for the race because it will be her first time ever running a 5k at Crow Creek.

Because, Crow Creek is such a hard course, all runners, except varsity, ran a 4k. But the race requirements have changed so all runners will run the 5k.

“The course gives you hill,” said Doyle.

In fact, three of the large hills at the Crow Creek course have names posted near them. Their names are Exterminator, Exasperator, and Incinerator, making them that much more intimidating to runners.

Although some of the girls are anxious about the race, Borland said, “I hope the girls will not be nervous and be encouraged because they already put in the hard physical work and now all they have to push past the mental struggles.”