Scout Storms Dominates Palatine Meet Of Champions

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Palatine IL----

What did you expect when the state's #1 distance runner showed up healthy, happy, and on a mission to prove the hype right? 

Scout Storms (Jr., Barrington) did not allude to the above; she donned her signature headband and took care of business.

From the gun and about 20 seconds into the race, Storms bolted to the front, and within the first kilometer, she set the tempo, and no one dared to challenge it.

Storms hit the first mile in approximately 5:26, and trailing about nine or ten seconds in back was Veronica Znajda (Jr., Prospect), surrounded by the Louisville (Assumption) senior duo Reagan Gilmore and Julia Schmitt.

Storms could have blown out the race by the second mile as she received reports from teammates and friendly acquaintances. Storms hit the checkpoint around 11:18 with a sizable double-digit lead. She took a peep a few times, indicating whether or not there was a need to burn additional octane. 

The crowd clapped in unison as Storms entered the race's final stretch and the descent to the finish line. She hit the finish line in 17:06, which was not as fast as last year's winner Anna Harden's 16:57, but in many ways, more dominant than 2022. Time will tell if Storms is better than Harden or the cream of the crop from a season ago. 

The team tally was similar to what we have seen over the past several weekends between Downers Grove North, York, and Prospect. It has been nick and tuck each time out by a few points. 

York got the best of the bunch this time out. The Lady Dukes were led by the 1-2 punch of seniors Margaret Owens and Katherine Klimek, who took seventh and eighth place, respectively. The rest of the scoring pack was among the top 25. The 22-second scoring split erased anyone's opportunity to sneak in for a last-chance victory.