Illinois High School XC Weekend Highlights - October 8, 2023

By Michael Newman

After a number of high school meets under the lights towards the end of the week, runners were greeted by cool fall weather as we head into Conference Championship week.

You can read about last Wednesday’s Naperville Twilight Invitational. Below you can find some of the meets that took place over the weekend.

Loyola Academy Flight Night @ Munz Campus Course, Glenview (Friday) – This meet was held with an A-Flight with the top five runners and a B Flight with the next five runners in a team’s lineup. It was all #3 Barrington in the girls race placing 7 runners in the top 12 to win the Varsity title in this meet with 29 points. #12 Sandburg (89 points) and #15 Hinsdale Central (94 points) finished second and third. It was just a stroll on the course for Scout Storms in winning her sixth race of the season. Storms remained undefeated running 17:23 to win by 38 seconds ahead of Lindsey Gerhardstein of Sandburg (18:01). Mia Sirios of Barrington ran 18:04 ford third finishing ahead of Emily Stecky of DePaul College Prep (18:14) and Josie Cahill of New Trier (18:16).

#8 Barrington edged #14 Highland Park 31-41 to capture the Boys team title. 2A #7 St. Ignatius College Prep scored 110 points to finish third. Matthew Conroy of St. Ignatius College Prep ran 14:54 to win the individual race by five seconds ahead of Joe Bregenzer of Barrington (14:59). Highland Park’s Brian Hatoum (15:09) and Nate Wehner (15:27) finished third and fourth. Barrington (2-5-6-8-10) had a 49 second split on their top five. Highland Park (3-4-9-11-14) had a top five split of 56 seconds.

Lakes Sunset Invitational @ Eagle Acres, Lake Villa (Friday) – Annika Swan of St. Ignatius College Prep ran 17:19 to win the Girls Gold 1-5 race ahead of Chatham-Glenwood’s Ali Londrigan (17:47.6) and Ashlyn Chopra (17:49.1). 2A #1 Chatham-Glenwood scored 37 points in that first division race to finish ahead of 2A #3 St. Ignatius College Prep (64 points) and 2A #4 Grayslake Central (64 points).

2A #3 Woodstock easily won the Boys Gold 1-5 race with 83 points. Rockton Hononegah (107 points) and 2A #8 Grayslake Central (116 points) to finish second and third ahead of Plainfield Central (118 points) and Lakes Community (119 points). Trey Sato of Grayslake Central ran 14:47 to win the individual race ahead of Ishan Patel of Woodstock (15:05) and his brother Aryan Patel (15:08).

Gene Jones Runnin’ Red Invitational @ Black Partridge Park – It came down to a single point between two of the top teams in Class 2A to decide a Boys team winner. 2A #6 Morton edged 2A #1 Glenbard South 64-65. 2A #11 Washington finished third (120 points) ahead of Normal Community (137 points) and Oswego East (141 points). Caleb Mathias of Champaign Central pulled away from the pack to run 14:43.5 for 2.94 miles to win with Josh Weeks of Morton running 14:55.6 in finishing second. Glenbard South’s Tim Jochum (14:56) and Jaden Frederick (14:57) finished third and fourth with Joey Yaros of Normal Community running 15:01.8 to finish fifth. Morton (2-7-12-13-29) had a 26 second split on their top 4 runners, a 53 second split on their top 5 runners. Glenbard South (3-4-15-16-26) had a 27 second split on their top 4 runners, a 45 second split on their top 5 split.

The Girls race showcased two of the top teams in Class 1A and 2A. 2A #2 Washington edged 1A #1 Tolono Unity 66-73 for the team title. 2A #9 Dunlap scored 107 points to finish third ahead of 2A #28 Rochester (167 points), and 2A #8 Morton (169 points). The individual race was of high quality led by Becca Heitzig of Lincoln running 16:53 to win the Girls race ahead of Zoe Carter of Normal University (17:11) and Sophia Ramirez of Washington ( 17:16). Ramirez was backed up by a 11-12 finish from Madeline James and Jayne Hermann. Mackenzie Pound led Unity by finishing fourth.

Sterling Invitational @ Hoover School – Dale Johnson on his home course for the final time won the Boys Varsity race with a 15:05 time holding back for the upcoming state series. Jacob Barraza of DeKalb ran 15:12 to finish second ahead of Naif Al Harby from Sycamore (15:18). Pleasant Valley IA won the team title (56 points) ahead of #18 Conant and Rockford Guilford (110 points).

The Girls team from Pleasant Valley IA made it a sweep for the school scoring 60 points. Zion-Benton (82 points) and 2A #29 Sterling (95 points) finished second and third. It was freshman runners that finished first and second in this race. Juliana Gamboa of Fenwick ran 18:12 to capture the win finishing 19 seconds ahead of Maddie Millage of Pleasant Valley IA (18:31). Lauren Hamilton of Zion-Benton ran 18:35 to finish third.

Wheeling Wildcat Invitational @ Heritage Park - #3 Hersey did not run their top five runners in the boys race. The Huskies did show their depth quality placing 5 runners in the top 10 to win with just 21 points. Glenbrook South (47 points), 1A #11 Northridge Prep (54 points) and Wheeling (56 points) finished second through fourth. Hersey ran a 39 second split on their top 5 runners led by Mateus Salomao who won the individual race with a 15:57.5 time. Andy Ordway of Glenbrook South (16:00) and Noah Luke of Chicago Christian (16:04.5) finished second and third.

#9 Wheaton North was in complete control of the Girls race led a 3-4 finish from Emily Offutt (18:31) and Maddie Romaine (18:33). The Falcons scored 58 points for the win ahead of 2A #13 Benet Academy (124 points) and Schaumburg (127 points). Delilah Helenhouse of Benet Academy has put together a couple of good races heading into the state series. The Benet Academy junior Saturday ran 18:27.8 to hold off Stella Davis of Evanston Township (18:29.7) to earn the Girls race win. Wheaton North placed 5 runners in the top 21 with an 81 second split. Their split from their third through fifth runners was 36 seconds.

Benton Class 1A Showcase @ Benton Community Park – 1A #2 Benton placed 4 runners in the top 8 led by the 1-2 finish from Gavin Genisio and Gabriel McLain to easily win their own invitational with just 25 points. 1A #25 Belleville Althoff Catholic finished second (125 points) ahead of Murphysboro (118 points). Genisio ran 13:54 on the 2.8 mile course for the win with McLain running 14:30 to finish second. Cayton Cratch of Steeleville finished third (15:04). Benton was without their #3 runner Cole Buchanan in this race.

1A #2 Anna-Jonesboro flexed their muscles heading into the next four meets easily winning the team title with 28 points. DuQuoin (72 points) and Okawville (78 points) finished second and third. Anna-Jonesboro freshman Jadyn Gerardi ran 16:59.8 for the win holding off Ahry Comer of Pope County (17:04.2) who finished second. Caroline Tepe of Okawville ran 17:48 to finish third.

PC /Pontiac Invitational @ The Oaks CC, Pontiac – Urbana freshman Marley Yau ran 18:55 to win the Girls race by two seconds ahead of Makensi Martin of Morris (18:57). 1A #9 El Paso Gridley were helped by a 3-4 finish from Nellie Mellick and Caroline Wettstein to help them place 5 runners in the top 25 to win the team title 53-59 ahead of Urbana. El Paso-Gridley’s Boys team made it a sweep for the school. The 1A #13 Titans scored 48 to win the boys team title ahead of Morris (67 points) and Urbana (71 points). El Paso-Gridley’s Dean Witzig ran 15:42 to capture the individual win. Aidan Lee of Pontiac and Cuyler Swanson of Morris finished second and third both running 15:49.

East Alton-Wood River Invitational @ EAWR 5k Campus Course – The meet was run in each of the four student classes. Ethan Hogan of Columbia ran the fastest time of the meet in the senior class race. Hogan, who has not raced since the First to the Finish Invitational on September 9, ran 15:38 on the 5k course to capture the win ahead of Camden Quarton of Litchfield (15:50) and Andrew Gonski of Collinsville (16:02). The next closest runner was almost two minutes back. Shelby Quick of Bethalto Civic Memorial had the fastest time in the Girls senior race running 20:18 to claim the win by more than a minute ahead of Katrina Campbell of Greenville (21:16).

Elmwood Park Tiger Invitational @ Elmwood Park HS Campus Course – It was all #17 Riverside-Brookfield in the Boys Varsity race. The Bulldogs placed 5 runners in the top 8 to score just 20 points ahead of Round Lake (96 points) and Fenton (119 points). Cooper Marrs led RB running 15:22 to win with teammates Brady Norman (15:46) and Brennan Lester (15:47) finishing second and third. 2A #12 Nazareth Academy scored 31 points putting 4 runners in the top 10 to win the Girls team title ahead of Leyden (68 points) and 1A #29 Montini Catholic. Josslyn Wade of Fenton won the individual race with a 18:25 time. Sydney Gertsen of Montini ran 19:08 to finish second. Nazareth Academy was led by a 3-4 finish from Allie O’Halloran and Jane McNamara.

Cumberland Invitational @ Lake Land College, Mattoon – It was complete domination from St. Anthony freshman Isabella Keller in this race. Keller ran 17:02.6 to win the race by 2 min 27s sec ahead of Madeline Fox of Marshall (19:29). Molly Farrell did run in this race for Marshall placing seventh overall. 1A #6 Effingham St. Antony scored 36 points to win the team title with 1A #17 Marshall scoring 41 points to finish second. 1A #12 Georgetown De La Salette ran a 47 second split on their top 5 (8-12-14-18-20) to win the Boys team title with 72 points. 1A #17 Tolono Unity (93 points) and 1A #24 Cerro Gordo-Bement (101 points). Will Fuson of Cerro Gordo-Bement ran 15:52 to claim the individual title with teammate Dylan Howell running 6:16 to finish second.

Liberty Invitational @ Upland Acres – Quincy scored 23 points in this four-team meet to win the Boys team title placing 5 runners in the top 8. Thomas Hess of Quincy ran 16:11 to win the race ahead of Jack Dunseth of Macomb (16:22). Quincy edged Quincy Notre Dame 40-48 for the Girls team title. Quincy runners finished 1-2 with Olivia Schuering running 19:01 finishing ahead of teammate Keeauna Scheufele (19:53) by 52 seconds.