SPSG Cross Country earned a thrilling 27–28 victory over AACS, moving into first place in the IAAM B Conference regular-season standings. The Gators reversed the exact score of their previous meeting with AACS, a race that did not count toward the official conference standings.

This time, with conference standings on the line, the girls delivered a hard-earned victory.

The meet featured four of the conference’s top five teams, giving the race a championship feel. Under championship scoring, SPSG and AACS would have tied 36–36, with the Gators winning the tiebreaker thanks to Hannah Gocke’s performance as the team’s sixth runner.

Hannah finished 15th overall with a personal best of 24:28, ahead of AACS’s sixth runner. Her finish reinforced an important lesson: every runner, every place, and every second matters.

There was plenty more to celebrate:

Tessa DiManno finished second overall with a season-best 20:23, just six seconds behind the winner, who set a new course record.

Melodi Ashford finished fourth overall in 21:43.

Chloe Morgan finished fifth overall with a personal best of 21:48, giving the Gators three runners in the top five.

Kendall Schollaert finished 12th overall in 24:13, and Amy Tomayko finished 13th in 24:18. Their crucial finishes helped secure the one-point victory.

Hannah Gocke finished 15th overall with a personal best of 24:28.

Sloane Hessen finished 21st overall in 25:32, adding to the team’s depth.

Chloe Bannon finished 27th with a personal best of 26:34.

Addison Booth finished 30th in 26:44, improving her season best by 47 seconds and her personal best by 0.8 seconds.

The Gators finished the day with five season bests, four personal bests, three runners in the top five, and a one-point victory over the conference’s first-place team.

The team also felt the support of the St. Paul’s community. Words of encouragement, prayers, and positive messages throughout the day helped make the victory especially meaningful for the girls.

While the Gators have plenty to celebrate, more work remains. The team has one regular-season meet left at St. Vincent Pallotti and three weeks to prepare for the IAAM Conference Championships. This performance demonstrated what the girls are capable of, but the championship has yet to be won.

For now, SPSG sits atop the conference standings, with a memorable victory and renewed determination heading into the final stretch of the season.

Go Gators!