Hinsdale South Cross Country

2013 Season

Head Coach: Gail Huster
Assistant Coach: Kim Johnson

It only made sense for junior Tori Salazar to join girls' cross country at Hinsdale South, especially since cross country has been her favorite sport since she started running.

"I've run cross country since sixth grade, and I've always liked the satisfaction I get after a race, knowing that I pushed myself through it," Salazar said. "I knew I wanted to run here, because I was one of the top runners at my old school." Salazar went to state both of her years running at Lemont.

"Of course I was going to join cross country here, because running isn't just a hobby for me," Salazar said. "You can always make personal goals, but when you run on a team you also make new friends. Now [junior] Sarah [Leganski] and I are pretty close, practically the same person."

Over the course of the season, Salazar and Leganski became not just friends, but running mates, placing 53rd and 35th respectively at the IHSA State Championship meet.

"Being able to run with someone at the same pace as you helps make you faster," senior McKinsey Hultmark, a four-year cross country veteran, said. "[Leganski] and [Salazar] push each other, which also pushed the whole team, because they become sort of role models for speed. [Salazar] has helped us all get us all faster."

There were no seniors on varsity, which, according to Hultmark, was not surprising. While seniority determines the varsity team on many sports, the varsity team is composed of the seven fastest runners on cross country.

"The varsity [team] has always been the same couple of girls who are just really fast," Hultmark said. "[Salazar] has been on varsity since she started running, so it's not surprising she's on varsity. She would have been a good addition to the team even if she wasn't fast because she gets along so well with all of us. It doesn't matter if you are on varsity or not, because we all push each other to get faster."

Not only did Salazar help push the team, but she fit right in with them, according to coach Gail Huster.

"She certainly brought her talent and experience. That is clear in her times and the fact that she went to State," Huster said. "But she also blended in really quickly and could have fun with all the rest of the girls. They all encourage each other."

For Salazar, what set this year apart from all her previous years running cross country is how quickly she was able to make strong friendship with all the girls. "Going to State is always great, but I've run at State before. All the girls were so accepting of each other," Salazar said. "What I'll definitely take away from this season are all the friendships."

- 2014 Hinsdale South Vespa Yearbook

 

 

Roster

Alivia Blumenstein
Angelica Resendez
Brenna Budaitis
Ema Slajute
Emily Ferrando
Emily Mitchell
Erika Thiel
Ev Eilbert
Jessica Hawken
Lara Barranco
Lois Anderson
Maddie Nievera
Mady Matsunaga
McKinsey Hultmark
Megan Bruckhauser
Nakiyah Darden
Rachel Johnson
Rachel Longoria
Sam Lee
Sarah Leganski
Tori Salazar

 

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