The seniors of the EHS cross country team were honored at their annual Senior Day on Saturday Sept. 15. About an hour later, they were presented with something else: a victory at their own Edwardsville Invitational.

Seniors Roland Prenzler and Max Hartmann along with juniors Jack Pifer and Henry Gruben placed in the top 10, helping push ahead of second place Rock Bridge by 12 points.

The Tigers course at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is infamous for the hills that begin in the second mile.

“Everything changes on the hill, either you make it or break it,” Prenzler told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Some people get broken by the hill. I always try to go hard on the hill and it worked this time.”

The girls team finished first with 40 points, eight ahead of Rock Bridge. Junior Abby Korak placed first, defeating 2017’s state champion.

Along with Korak, seniors Hannah Stuart and Elise Krone both placed in the top 10. The invitational marks one of the last times the seniors will run on their home turf.

“It’s a very bittersweet feeling,” said Stuart. “SIUE is one of the tougher courses we run but it’s our home course so I naturally have some love for it.”

Each senior received a photograph from their races and was able to share their favorite memories of previous seasons and their college plans.

Senior Todd Baxter has been running on the team for four years. He’ll miss the sport once he goes off to college.

“A lot of seniors have been running the course since 6th grade so we fell in love with the course,” said Baxter. “It’s a second home.”