2019 ILXCTF.com XC Season Awards - Boys XC Newcomer of the Year

By Michael Newman

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Class 3A

It is tough to choose in this category in this classification when so many veteran runners dominate in Class 3A. Only nine freshmen ran in the Class 3A race on November 9. The one freshman runner that stood out was Daniel Watcke of Hinsdale Central.

We had an idea that this runner that moved to Hinsdale Central from Ohio last winter would be a factor this fall when Watcke ran 4:37.14 to win the Middle School 1-Mile Run last track season at Magis Miles.

Hinsdale Central Coach Jim Westphal knew he had a star in the making treating him as such not running moving him up to the varsity level too soon. Westphal had no other choice but to run him on the Varsity Level at the First to the Finish Invitational in September where he was the team’s fourth runner placing 54th.

Watcke won the top-flight freshmen races this fall winning the Hornet-Red Devil Invitational, the Gary Goss Invitational, the Palatine Invitational, the Naperville Twilight Invitational, and the West Suburban Conference Silver Division race against some of the top freshmen in the state.

He finished 82nd in the Class 3A state race as the team’s second runner and the top freshman finisher by close to 60 spots. Watcke’s time of 15:19 ties him for 34th all-time for freshmen that have run at the IHSA State Meet.

Watcke will be one of five runners returning for the Red Devils in 2020. They will be a team to watch next fall.

Congratulations to Daniel Watcke of Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale as the 2019 ILXCTF.com Illinois Class 3A Boys Cross Country Newcomer Runner of the Year.

Class 2A

Just as in the Class 3A category, this was just as tough to decide who was the top newcomer in this classification.

When Chatham-Glenwood’s top runner from last year Graham Turk was lost for the season with an injury, freshman Drew Verenski stepped up to lead the Titans. He was the team’s #1 runner starting at the Richard Spring Invitational in September. He was either the first or second runner for Glenwood the rest of the season with the exception of his sectional race where he was the team’s fourth runner.

He was the top freshman finisher in the state meet placing 92nd. He was the team’s fourth runner in that race as the Titans finished sixth in Class 2A. Their entire top seven returns in 2020 making them one of the favorites in Class 2A.

Congratulations to Drew Verenski of Glenwood High School in Chatham as the 2019 ILXCTF.com Illinois Class 2A Boys Cross Country Newcomer Runner of the Year.

Class 1A

The newcomer category in the post-season awards is not exclusively for the freshmen that ran cross-country for the first time. It also includes someone who had never raced during the fall before.

That includes Mari Anthony of Clifton Central.

Anthony attended St. Anne High School for the first three of his high school years only competing in track & field. That changed when he transferred to Clifton Central before the start of his senior season. He also decided to give cross-country running a try.

He gave a boost to his new school as he became one of the top runners for the Comets helping them win over then top ranked Stanford Olympia at the Amboy Columbus Day Invitational.

He helped Clifton Central finish fourth in the Class 1A State Meet as he was the team’s top runner earning all-state honors finishing an amazing 10th overall.

Congratulations to Mari Anthony of Central High School in Clifton as the 2019 ILXCTF.com Illinois Class 1A Boys Cross Country Newcomer Runner of the Year.