Culver Girls Academy runner Alex Banfich '08 is by herself on the home stretch during the Culver Academies cross country regional Saturday. Banfich won the regional for the third straight year and CGA finished second to advance to the New Prairie Semistate on Saturday, Oct. 21. (photo by Jan Garrison/Culver Academies)

CULVER - A dominating performance and a near-miss were the big stories at the Culver Academy Regional girls cross country meet Saturday.

Culver Girls Academy junior Alex Banfich won for the third time in a row to lead her team to a second place finish and a spot in this weekend's semistate at New Prairie High School. Banfich breezed to a 23-second win over Mishawaka Marian's Mary Cate Quiett, taking 14:31 to cover the four-kilometer course. Eagles teammate Kiley Trennepohl also finished in the top 10 with a 15:49 clocking, good for seventh overall.

CGA finished just two points behind Penn.

“The last 400 meters, I was not as strong as I would have liked, but I'm not disappointed,” said Banfich, the defending state cross county champion. “It was great to be able to run with my friends and family here cheering me on. That is an advantage.”

For Plymouth, it was a nerve-wracking wait for the official results to be announced. A year ago, the Pilgrims finished as the fifth - and last - semistate qualifier and knew they may be close to that position again this time around.

“I thought we would do better,” said PHS head coach Allen Shockney. “Our top three ran as expected, but then we had some gaps. We were not as healthy as we should be, and if you are not up front, you just try to survive.”

When the final numbers were read off Plymouth found itself in sixth place, just one point from advancing.

Three Lady Pilgrims will run at semistate though, by placing in the top 15 overall. Those runners will be Morgan Hite (6th, 15:37), Julia Rodriguez (9th, 15:55) and Sanchara Ballog (13th, 16:07).

PENN 79, CULVER GIRLS ACADEMY 81, SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH'S 91, MISHAWAKA 113, MISHAWAKA MARIAN 119, PLYMOUTH 120, SOUTH BEND RILEY 125, WINAMAC 210, LOGANSPORT 222, MACONAQUAH 233

Culver Academies Regional (4K)
At Culver
Top 15 Individuals
1. Alex Banfich (CGA) 14:31, 2. Mary Cate Quiett (Marian) 14:54, 3. Sunsea Shaw (Riley) 15:05, 4. Sarah Hutchings (Penn) 15:24, 5. Tiffany Fowler (Riley) 15:36, 6. Morgan Hite (Ply) 15:37, 7. Kiley Trennepohl (CGA) 15:49, 8. Katelyn Eberhart (M)15:52, 9. Julia Rodriguez (Ply) 15:55, 10. Taylor Halleck (Winamac) 15:57, 11. Katie Dunlap (St. Joe) 16:03, 12. Christine Cummings (Penn) 16:04, 13. Sanchara Ballog (Ply) 16:07, 14. Sienna Valdez (Mish) 16:13, 15. Kim Horner (Logansport) 16:14

CGA Results
1. Alex Banfich 14:31, 7. Kiley Trennepohl 15:49, 19. Mary Margaret Peter 16:27, 27. Hannah Goettle 16:41, 35. Elise Hoover 16:54, 44. Kelly Norton 17:08, 47. Willow Smith 17:19