By Michael Newman

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Here are the awards for the most improved Boys runners in each classification for the 2016 Cross Country season in Illinois. Congratulations to all the winners and to the student/athletes that were considered for each award.

3A Boys

We looked at three student/athletes that were very deserving of this award.

Jackson Jett helped Neuqua Valley win the state championship this fall as the team’s first runner. He won the 3A West Aurora Sectional and followed that up by finishing 8^th in the 3A State race. He finished 60^th in 2015 improving his state time by 36 seconds. Sean MacGregor (York HS, Elmhurst) improved from his sophomore year when he finished 86^th in the 3A state race. He finished 10^th last November running 14:36 improving his time by 48 seconds.

Dylan Zangri (Oswego East HS) did not have a great ending to his 2015 season when he ran 15:42 to finish 132^nd in the 3A State Race. This year was much different. He won invitational races at TF South in September and then the West Aurora Stampede in October. He qualified for the state meet by finishing 4^th at the 3A West Aurora Sectional. He improved 66 seconds from last year’s state meet to run 14:36 to finish 9^th in this year’s 3A race. He caught our eye earning this honor.

Congratulations to Dylan Zangri of Oswego East High School in Oswego, Illinois as the DyeStat Illinois 3A Boys Most Improved Runner of the Year.

2A Boys

There was just one runner that came to mind when we were researching for this award. Cole Barkocy (Crystal Lake Central HS) had a bad race in 2015 at state when he finished 55^th overall. He had a great fall season finishing 5^th overall in the 2A State Race.

Ethan Price (Mascoutah HS) was not in the spotlight with his school located in the St. Louis area. His fortunes were not that good at the end of his junior season when he finished 19^th at the 2A Decatur MacArthur Sectional failing to qualify for the state meet. His luck changed in 2016. He won invitational meets at Belleville West and then the St. Clair County Meet. He made it to state this year and ran great. His time of 14:54 was his best time ever for 3 miles as he finished 14^th in the 2A State race.

Congratulations to Ethan Price of Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Illinois as the DyeStat Illinois 2016 2A Boys Most Improved Runner of the Year.

1A Boys

One of the reasons why Richmond-Burton left Detweiller Park this past November was from great races by Ryan Hommowun at the end of the season. The senior did not make it to state last year finishing 21^st at the 2A Woodstock North Sectional. He finished 9^th at the 1A Oregon Sectional and then following that race by finishing 9^th overall in the 1A State Race.

Wyatt McIntyre (Athens HS) will be the runner to watch in 1A next season. His time improved by 72 seconds from the 2015 1A State Meet as he ran 14:27 to finish 2^nd overall.

Eli Ten Eyck (Pittsfield HS) had an up and down sophomore season that ended by finishing 35^th at the 1A Elmwood Sectional this failing to qualify for the 1A State Meet. His junior year showed improvement as he won races at Rochester, Quincy Notre Dame, Macomb, Quincy, Liberty, and Carlinville in which he ran a personal best for 3 miles (15:10). He earned all-state honors at Detweiller Park when he finished 11^th in the 1A State Finals race. He will be a runner to watch up front in 2017.

Congratulations to Eli Ten Eyck of Pittsfield High School in Pittsfield as the DyeStat Illinois 2016 1A Boys Most Improved Runner of the Year.