Riding high after a solid performance at the Walnut Creek meet two weeks ago, the Westside girls cross country team made steady improvement at the Charlie Thorell Invitational at Concordia University on Thursday, Sept. 2. 

The girls team would place first, having three of the top four finishers in the race. Sophomore Claire White, who finished second individually, said she was pleased with her race.

“I was right with Jaci Sievers (the first-place finisher) until the very end when my heel started to hurt,” White said.

White, along with seniors Reece Young-Oestman and Noelle Ables, collectively placed second, third and fourth in the varsity girls division of the meet, helping propel the team to first place, beating Elkhorn South.

The Warriors boys team placed eighth at the Charlie Thorell Invitational.  Junior Nick Svoboda, a team captain, said he was satisfied with the team’s improvement.

“We’ve got a bit more culture going and everyone is more keen on actually putting the work in,” Svoboda said. “We did great, we can do even better.  We just need to try.  Last year we had a couple guys injured and toward the end of the year we had a little less care toward practices and a little less care to the team as a whole.”

The Westside cross country teams will head to Walnut Grove Park tonight for the 35th annual Millard South Cross Country Invitational.