Cross country: Princeton set to host Gary Coates Invitational on Saturday

The Gary Coates Princeton Invitational will run Saturday morning at Zearing Park in Princeton with the Tigers hosting 12 area teams.

The freshman/sophomore boys will start the day at 9 a.m. followed by the varsity girls at 9:25 a.m., the varsity boys at 10 a.m. and an open race at 10:30 a.m.

Due to the recent losses of some teams, PHS will allow unlimited entries in all races.

Joining Princeton in the field will be the Amboy co-op, Fieldcrest, Hall, Kewanee, L-P, Lowpoint-Washburn/Roanoke-Benson, Mendota, Mercer County, Morris, Newman and Orion.

Both defending individual champions return. Mendota’s Anthony Kelson won the boys race in 16:49 and Elly Heineke of Lowpoint/Washburn won the girls race in 20:15.

Other top returners for the boys are Caleb Krischel of Fieldcrest (4th, 17:21); Jack McKnight of Mercer County (5th, 17:39); Augustus Swanson of Princeton (6th, 17:47) and Adam Kasperski of La Salle-Peru (7th, 17:54).

Princeton’s Ruby Acker finished 12th (21:51) in the girls’ race.

“On the girls’ side, we’ve lost Sherrard, who is going down to the First to the Finish Meet in Peoria. The loss of their team and a number of graduating seniors on the girls’ side has put a little dent in the top returning female runners,” PHS coach Pat Hodge said. “We’ll see how many good freshmen emerge.”

This year’s event is the 51st annual PIT for the boys.