Illinois HS XC Weekend Highlights - September 18, 2023

Photo - Molly Farrell at the Woodbridge XC Classic (Ken Martinez/DyeStat.com Photo)

By Michael Newman

One of the hidden stories of this past weekend was the performance from Molly Farrell on Saturday evening in the Woodbridge XC Classic in Irvine, California. The Marshall sophomore ran 16:50 to end up running 34th in the Bob Day Sweepstakes race. Farrell stayed in the top 40 all of the race passing the first mile in 5:21.9 in 33rd place. She moved up during the second mile even though her pace slowed down. She ran the second mile in 6:04.2 passing 2-miles in 11:26.1 in 30th place. She closed in a fast 5:23.9 mile to finish 34th overall.

Here is a look at some of the meets that took place in Illinois this past weekend. You can read about the Richard Spring Invitational here.

Larry Eddington Invitational @ Kaneland HS – One of the special moments of the weekend came in the Boys Varsity race. Top ranked Downers Grove North did not run their entire top seven resting a few of their top runners. The Trojans still scored 55 points placing 5 runners in the top 25 to win the team title ahead of Benet Academy (96 points), Glenbard West (105 points), Jacobs (118 points), and Kaneland (170 points). Ryan Eddington was pushed on his way for the win (14:48.9) ahead of Evan Nosek of Kaneland (14:57) and Finn Richards (15:05). The Downers Grove North senior won the race in a meet named after his grandfather Larry who passed away in 1994. Hudson Szymonik ran 18:11 for the win to help Hampshire win the Girls team title with 51 points. Benet Academy finished second (115 points) ahead of Rockton Hononegah (127 points) and Dixon (130 points). Szymoniak won by 12 seconds ahead of Kylie Simpson of Hononegah (18:23).

Minooka Flight Invitational @ Channahon Park – Liv Phillips of Naperville Central ran a remarkable race to win the Girls Championship Flight. When someone runs under 17:30 on the Channahon Park course, you take notice. Phillips took the course record to another level running 17:05 to break Skyler Bollinger’s 17:16 course record. Sophia Keeler of Yorkville ran 18:01 to finish second with Maya Ledesma of Minooka running 18:02 to finish third. Yorkville edged Naperville Central 17-18 for the team title with Lyons Township edging Minooka 22-23 for third. Owynn Garrelts of Maine South ran 15:11 for the Boys Championship win ahead of Luis Flores of St. Laurence (15:14). Owen Horeni of Yorkville ran 15:21 to win Flight #2. Lincoln-Way Central won the team title 23-25 ahead of Batavia. Yorkville (29 points), Normal University (30 points), and Minooka (34 points) finished in the top five teams.

Tuscola XC Classic @ Wimple Park – The spotlight in this race was not on the top rated Tuscola Boys team that had such a good meet the week before in Peoria. The Girls race took centerstage with a great individual race and the dominance of 1A Girls leader Tolono Unity. Isabella Keller of St. Antony in her second high school race ran 16:53 to win the individual race by 70 seconds ahead of Tessa Bowers of Shelbyville (18:03). Mackenzie Pound (18:14) and Erica Woodard (18:28) finished third and fourth. Lexi Lord of Clinton ran 18:35 to finish fifth. Tolono Unity dominated the team battle scoring only 27 points placing 4 runners in the top 7, 7 runners in the top 16. Clinton (72 points) and Shelbyville (87 points) finished second and third. Tuscola runners tempoed this meet with four of their top five runners Will Foltz, Blake McLeese, Jackson Barrett, and Xander Neamtu all running between 16:28 to 16:29. They did not run Josiah Hortin in this meet but still scored 69 points to win the Boys team title. Tolono Unity (119 points), Urbana University (125 points), and Clinton (183 points) finished second through fourth. Reece Peters of Maroa-Forsyth edged Will Fuson of Cerro-Gordo to win the Boys race. Both runners ran 15:51. Drew Moser of Clinton ran 15:55 to finish third.

Dunlap XC Invitational – Ali Londrigan of Chatham-Glenwood won her first high school race with a 17:46 time. Meika Bender of Eureka ran 18:17 to finish ahead of Dunlap’s Katie Sell (18:26) and Abby Tudeen (18:32.6). 2A top ranked Chatham-Glenwood placed their next four runners between sixth through ninth place to help them win with 31 points. Dunlap (79 points) and Eureka (91 points) finished second and third. Morton finished fourth (119 points) ahead of Knoxville (124 points) and Pleasant Plains (132 points). Eureka placed 3 runners in the top 10 to help them win the Boys team title with 53 points finishing ahead of Chatham-Glenwood (60 points), Morton (87 points), and Dunlap (88 points). Morton held out their top three runners including Josh Weeks in this race. Van Schneider of Chatham-Glenwood dominated the race running 15:29 to win by 19 seconds ahead of Andrew Perry of Eureka.

Geneseo Invitational @ Richmond Hill Park – Wheaton-Warrenville South.  won all four girls grade levels of this meet. Nicole Poglitsch of Wheaton- Warrenville South ran the fastest time of the four Girls races with an 18:17 time. The next fastest runner was Rubi Tapia-Macias of East Moline running 19:42 in winning the sophomore race. Frida Martinez of Wheaton-Warrenville South ran 19:44 to run the third fastest time of the meet finishing second behind Poglitsch. Dale Johnson of Sterling ran the fastest Boys time (15:32) in winning the senior race. Dylan Gehl of Geneseo had a 15:56 time in winning the junior race.

Bill Dawson Invitational @ Warren HS-O’Plaine Campus – A 1-2 finish from Rory Gaan and freshman Jack Jennings helped Fremd win the Boys team title with 42 points. Evanston Township scored 62 points to finish second. Glenbrook South edged Glenbrook North 148-149 for third. Gaan ran 14:53 for the win ahead of Jennings by 11 seconds (15:04). John Ihrke of Glenbrook North ran 15:05 to finish third. Fremd put 5 runners in the top 20 with a 65 second split. Maria Polyakov of Glenbrook North ran 17:44 to win the Girls individual race by 15 seconds ahead of Stella Davis of Evanston Township (17:59). Kaitlyn Burns of Glenbrook South ran 18:02 to finish third. Crystal Lake South scored 89 points for the team title ahead of Fremd (133 points), Evanston Township (142 points), and Warren Township (145 points).

Dale Donner Invitational @ Bureau Valley JH – Isaiah Hill of Elmwood ran 16:11 to win the Boys Individual race ahead of Charlie Link of Erie (16:21) and Joey Bosch of Princeville (16:25). Elmwood edged Erie 77-90 for the team title. Delavan scored 116 points to finish third. Williamsville placed 3 runners in the top 12 to help them win the team title with 86 points. It was close for the next three places with Elmwood (107 points) ahead of Delavan (116 points) and Sherrard (117 points). It was a great individual race as Sundara Weber of Sandwich ran 17:53 for the win 37 seconds ahead of Emily Downing of Cambridge (18:30). Kennady Anderson of Kewanee Wethersfield (18:41), Louisa Wilson of Williamsville (19:05), and Dusti Smith of Stark County (19:06) also finished in the top five.

John Campbell DuQuoin Invitational (Thursday) – Pinckneyville placed six runners in the top ten plus a 1-2 finish from Isaac Teel and Landen Boman to win the Boys team title with just 27 points. DuQuoin (69 points) and Steeleville (86 points) finished second and third. Teel ran 15:04 to win by 56 seconds ahead of teammate Boman (16:00). Vanessa Teel ran 19:18.8 to win the Girls title on the 2.98 mile course. Maggie Kellerman of DuQuoin ran 20:27 to finish second. Pinckneyville placed 5 in the top 10 to win the Girls team title with 23 points. Duquoin scored 39 points to finish second.

Edwardsville Tiger Invitational @ SIU-Edwardsville – The Host Tigers scored 38 points to win the Boys team title with 4 runners in the top 8 and 5 runners in the top 20. Missouri schools John Burroughs (63 points), Francis Howell (80 points), and Parkway West (118 points) finished second through fourth. Mascoutah scored 128 points to finish fifth. Charles Glatz of John Burroughs MO ran 16:10 to win the individual race by 15 seconds ahead of Edwardsville’s Hugh Davis and Ben Perulfi. The Edwardsville Girls team packed it up with 7 runners in the top 11 scoring 23 points to win the team title. Francis Howell MO (52 points), Parkway West (73 points), and Mascoutah (127 points) were the next three teams. Evyn Humphrey of Francis Howell ran 18:42 to win easily by 49 seconds ahead of the Edwardsville duo of Madison Popelar and Olivia Coll.

Highland XC Invitational @ Fireman’s Park, Abrahana – A 1-2 finish from Caleb Mathias and Fynn Bright helped Champaign Central win the Boys team title with 56 points ahead of Waterloo (74 points), Roxana (113 points), and Herrin (115 points). Mathias ran 15:33 to win the individual race with teammate Bright running 15:46 to finish second. Christian Knobloch of Highland ran 15:56 to finish third. Waterloo was dominant in winning the Girls race placing 5 runners in the top 7 scoring only 19 points. Highland was the closest team scoring 73 points to finish second. Waterloo swept the first three places led by Danielle Mudd and Cameron Crump both running 18:23 to finish 1-2. Angelynn Kanyuck ran 18:46 to finish third.

Massac County Patriot Invitational @ Fort Massac State Park (Thursday) – Anna Jonesboro did not have their top runner Jadyn Gerardi run in this meet. The Wildcats still had six runners in between 7 to 13 places to help them win the team title 42-49 ahead of Carterville. Father McGivney scored 79 points to finish third. Elena Rybak of Father McGivney ran 17:48 in winning the Girls Individual race with Molly Robertson running 18:33 to finish second. Miah Gilmore of Murphysboro (18:42), Kaitlyn Hatley of Father McGivney (19:04), and Lyla Seaman of Carterville (19:21) finishing in the top five.  Benton did not run their entire top seven in the Boys race. They still had Kaden Blades run 16:11 to win the individual race by 26 seconds ahead of Mason King of Herrin (16:37). Herrin scored 46 points to win the Boys team title ahead of Murphysboro (69 points) and Father McGivney (78 points).

Olney XC Invitational @ Olney Central College – Mt. Vernon dominated the Boys race placing 5 runners in the top 14 scoring only 32 points. Caedmon Cook led the Rams running 16:06 to win the individual race by three seconds ahead of Grant Jennette from Fairfield who ran 16:09. Mt. Vernon had a 5 runner split of 70 seconds. Georgetown Notre Dame de La Salette in their first meet of the season scored 115 points to finish second. Freeburg scored 131 points placing third.  Effingham scored 66 points to win the Girls team title ahead of Richland County (84 points), Carterville (85 points), and Fairfield (99 points). Molly Robertson of Carterville ran 19:05 to win the individual race by 33 seconds ahead of freshman teammate Lyla Seaman (19:38). Jessica Larsen of Effingham ran 19:49 to finish third.

Riverside-Brookfield Invitational – The host Bulldogs placed 5 runners in the top 10 to win the boys team title with 32 points. BC Morton (59 points) and Aurora Central Catholic (79 points) finished second and third. Cooper Marrs of Riverside-Brookfield pulled away to win individually with a 15:30.5 time. Patrick Hilby of Aurora Central Catholic ran 15:37 in finishing second. Nazareth Academy scored 51 points to win the Girls team race ahead of Riverside-Brookfield (98 points) and Lemont (122 points). Cecilia Hilby ran 18:25 to win the girls individual race ahead of Niki Tselios of Lemont (18:35.6) and Juliana Gamboa of Fenwick (18:39.9).