Hinsdale South Girls Cross Country

Abby Crushes State

November 5, 2022

Abby at Detweiller During Abby Petersen's freshman year, she helped lead the team to their first team qualification for State in Hinsdale South history. Since then, Abby has padded her credentials to become one of the greatest runners in South history. Abby is one of only three runners to qualify for State all four years of high school with Erika Coull-Parenty (1993-1996) and Meagan DeSalvo (2007-2010) being the other two.

During the team's State run in 2019, Abby broke 20 minutes four times and ended the season by breaking 19 minutes for the first time on a three-mile course as she finished 49th at State. Her time of 18:29 at Detweiller Park is currently the third-fastest time in school history.

In 2020, Covid put a stop to invites and the State meet, but the team ended up tying for seventh at the Sectional at Lincoln Park, which qualified the team for a second year in a row for State even though there was no State meet. Abby ran out of her mind at the Sectional with a time of 18:46.

Abby and Her Teammates at State 2022 In 2021, the team was looking to qualify for State for a third year in a row and Abby was once again leading the way. Teammate Charlotte Old ran with Abby as they both qualified for State as individuals. The team just missed qualifying as a team, but Abby and Charlotte went on to both break 19:30 at State.

Looking at the Sectional competition in 2022, the team did not have many illusions of making State as a team. Abby, however, was having a great season and looking to qualify as an individual for the second year. Abby ended up breaking 20 minutes five times, included her season P.R. of 19:26 at the Kaneland Sectional that qualified her for State for the fourth time. Abby's finish of 78th place in the muddy, windy conditions at Detweiller was 79 places higher than her seed. What a fantastic finish to a fantastic high school career!