The Lindbergh High School girls cross country team defeated Lafayette 42-50 Saturday to win the Suburban West Conference championship at Jefferson Barracks Park.

The victory was the Flyers’ first conference championship in more than 20 years.

“We knew it was going to be close be-tween us and Lafayette,” Lindbergh head coach Jim Petersen told the Call. “We beat Lafayette twice and they beat us twice, so it’s been pretty even throughout the year.”

Lindbergh freshman Colleen Riley finished third overall for the Flyers with a time of 20:04.

“Colleen’s been our No. 1 or No. 2 runner all year long,” Petersen said. “She was really nervous, but it didn’t surprise me that she performed as well as she did.”

Laura Hmiel of the Flyers was fifth overall as the junior recorded a time of 20:23.

“Laura’s a real strong runner,” Petersen said.

Freshman Grace Watt finished 10th overall for the Flyers with a mark of 20:46.

“We knew that she was a good runner, but this was by far her best run,” Petersen said. “She passed so many people in the last 1,000 meters that she ran the fastest 1,000 of all of our girls.”

Lindbergh junior Jane McKibbon took 12th place with a time of 21:03.

“Jane’s been our No. 3 or No. 4 all year and has been really steady for us,” Petersen said. “I think that she’s getting stronger as the season goes on.”

The Flyers’ fifth runner of the meet was senior Ally Thompson, who took 14th overall with a mark of 21:20.

“Ally’s been to state the past three years and hopefully she’ll be back for her fourth,” Petersen said.

“It would be a big crowning to her career at Lindbergh to finish it at state this year,” he added.

Lindbergh now travels to Jackson Saturday for the Class 4, District 1 championships.

The Flyers won the event last year and hope to repeat in 2007 and then advance to the state sectional meet.

“We won both boys and girls last year and hopefully we can win again this year,” Petersen said.

“This is more of preparational race for sectionals in two weeks. That’s where we’ll have some serious competition.”