One hundred girls stepped to the starting line of the Loomis Chaffee cross country course on Saturday, October 4, as the Pelicans and three visiting schools prepared to vie for team points and fast times. And from the outset, the race was close among the competing teams. 

By the finish line, Loomis had achieved wins against all three opposing teams in both varsity and JV scoring. 

The varsity squad won by scores of 24-35 over Hotchkiss, 25-30 over Northfield Mount Hermon, and 15-50 over Taft. In JV scoring within the overall race, Loomis topped Hotchkiss 18-38, NMH 17-43, and Taft 15-48. 

Pelican runners clocked an abundance of fast times, with 29 (more than 90 percent) of the Loomis finishers recording personal-best or season-best times. 

Senior captain Charlotte Preuss led the race from beginning to end, crossing the finish line in 20:13, with her teammates battling for places just behind her. Sophomore Neve Rugette finished third, senior captain Maleah Cogle was fifth, and senior captain Ani Tzonev, senior Frieda Bilezikian, freshman Tillie Killam, and freshman Aza Skinner sped across the finish line in 12th through 15th places to complete the varsity scoring.  

The JV squad was led by junior Morgan Touhy (18th place overall), followed by junior Eleanor Cavenagh (21st), sophomore Amy Xue (30th), sophomore Lucy Campion (34th), freshman Calla Berkowitz (35th), sophomore Ruby Hoffman (41st), and senior Kya Hua (44th). 

The Loomis harriers continue their intensive mid-season training this week and will travel to Choate on Saturday to run against Deerfield and Choate.