Parker Junior High School’s cross country team is off to a strong start this season.
Parker’s squad posted impressive team and individual performances at the first invitational of the season on Aug. 31 at Martino Junior High School in New Lenox. Parker competed against 12 other teams at the meet.
In the first race of the day the junior varsity girls placed second overall with Karen Opara (11th), Ella Michel (12th), Alexia Pugh (13th) and Daija Brown earning a trip to the awards ceremony for a top 15 finish.
In the junior varsity boys race Parker again placed second. They were led by Nehemiah Ray, who placed first, Jack Prokop (5th) and Christian VanVoorhees (10th), who also earned a trip to the awards ceremony.
The varsity girls team placed fifth overall and were led by Jasmyn Hunter’s seventh place overall finish and time of 13:29 for two miles. Samantha Gorton (27th, 14:06), Jane Bachus (32nd, 14:42), Jackie Klupchak (33rd, 14:49) and Haley Trojan (35th, 14:54) also contributed to the team’s finish.
The varsity boys team placed first overall, winning by just one point. They were led by Ian Barrow’s third place finish in 11:23 for two miles. Jeron Burns (4th, 11:26), Estevan Valverde (13th, 11:59), Dean Barrow (21st, 12:24) and Jason Schmidt (25th, 12:32) rounded out the top five.