On November 5, the Riverside Brookfield High School girls cross country team competed in the state competition after advancing through the sectional round. The team consisted of Tara Janney, Hailey Jurgens, Emma Forberg, Emma Fortman, Nadia Kaczmarz, Melissa Oliveira-Liz, and Cora Lutes and they competed at Detweiller Park in Peoria, Illinois.

The RBHS team finished in 12th place with the time of 1:35:14 and Hailey Jurgens with the fastest time for her team at 18:21 for three miles.

Members of the cross country who advanced into state were beyond excited to compete despite nervousness.

“The experience of running in state reminded me of why I started to run and the rush you get from running,” said sophomore runner Nadia Kaczmarc. “I had never been to state so this was amazing for me.”

Even though they did not win the state championship, they will continue to create a better version of themselves.

“As a runner, you need to have a strong mind to get you through the tough times and if you regret something, you are thinking negatively and you can’t go back and change the past,” said junior runner Hailey Jurgens. “All of my mistakes have just made me stronger and a smarter runner.”

During their season, the bond between veteran and newer members has grown stronger each day.

“The overall atmosphere between my team and I is that we often call ourselves a bunch of weirdos who ended up on the same team somehow. So I would say we are all great friends,” said Jurgens.

Despite the competition, the competitors were still able to find common ground and knowing each other on a personal level only benefited the team.

“Before the race, I was so nervous because I knew that my time and performance would affect the team’s chance of going to state. I enjoyed having Emma Fortman right by my side the whole race. We helped push each other,” said Melissa Oliveira-Liz.

As the season came to an end, they were able to bond over the one day traveling to their destination and got to make more memories.

“The experience is not one you can put into words. Throughout cross country, I have made the best of friends and it has taught me so much about myself,” said Hailey Jurgens.