Heading into the third and final EXCL race, Katy Roark’s best finish was second place.

On Saturday, the Immanuel Lutheran School third-grader gave it all she had at the finish line to edge Abby Mosley of Seymour-Redding Elementary School 9:48.57 to 9:48.86 in the girls second- and third-grade race to claim her first win.

She said her coach was really excited about her second-place finish the week before, so she kept the team’s motto, “Never look back,” in mind during Saturday’s meet.

Instead of boasting about her big win, she chose to be humble and promise to keep working until next season rolls around.

“You get a ribbon, and I get to do it with my friends,” Katy said of what she likes about the elementary cross-country league that’s sponsored by the Seymour-based South Central Indiana Running Club.

Katy was among more than 500 students in kindergarten through fifth grade from local schools who ran in the second season of the league.

In all three meets, kindergartners and first-graders ran 1K on the grassy course at the Freeman Field Sports Complex in Seymour, while second- through fifth-graders ran 2K. Boys and girls ran in separate races, wearing T-shirts based on one of their school colors.

At the end of each race, ribbons were presented to the top 25 runners.

The number of league participants increased from the 300-plus children who ran in last year’s inaugural season.

Brownstown Elementary School was invited to participate this year, and that added nearly 100 boys and girls.

Read the full story in Wednesday’s Tribune and online at tribtown.com.