ROCK ISLAND - The Carthage women's cross country team delivered a strong collective performance at the CCIW Championships on Saturday, showcasing depth and consistency across the 6K course. Led by standout efforts from
Kylie Florance and
Jessie Pakaski, the Firebirds earned a historic result as both runners captured First Team All-CCIW honors with fifth and 10th place finishes, respectively. This marks the first time Carthage has had two First Team All-CCIW selections in a single season since the conference introduced the first- and second-team format in 2012, and the first time two Firebirds have finished in the top 10 since 2008.
The Firebirds came in seventh place with 138 points.
Wheaton claimed the crown with 28 points, placing all five scoring runners inside the top 15. Elmhurst and Illinois Wesleyan rounded out the top three with 92 points each. The tie was broken by Elmhurst's sixth runner, who finished 37th, compared to Illinois Wesleyan's sixth runner in 50th.
Florance paced Carthage with a stellar fifth place finish, clocking a time of 22:50.5, marking one of her best performances of the season. Close behind,
Jessie Pakaski crossed in 23:06.9 to claim 10th place, giving Carthage two runners inside the top 10. Rounding out the scoring five,
Natalie Forward (39th, 24:11.6),
Kristin Farabaugh (42nd, 24:15.9), and
Allison Hunt (49th, 24:35.5) each contributed strong mid-pack finishes to secure the Firebirds' team score.
"Overall, we ran very well as a team today," said head coach Stephanie Domin. "We had 18 of our 20 performances have lifetime or season best times. We are a better team than where we finished as a team, but we learned a lot about what it takes to be a top contender in the CCIW. We are a young group, and I am excited about the improvement over the season and where the next season will take us."
"Our veteran runners, both Kylie Florance and Jessie Pakaski, had tremendous races today and were awarded 1st team all-conference. I am very proud of them."
"Our seniors Jessie, Leela, Katie, Heather, Jackie, Cori, and Ellie have been amazing leaders this year, and we will certainly miss them next year."
The Firebirds now turn their attention to the NCAA Midwest Regional in two weeks, where they'll look to carry this momentum into the postseason. The stage is set for the NCAA Midwest Regionals in Eau Clare, Wisconsin on Saturday, November 15, start time is set for 1 p.m. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.
