IL HS XC Week in Review - September 6, 2020

By Michael Newman

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The 2020 Cross Country kicked into high gear this season was small and big meets intertwined together. Here are some of the highlights that happened over the weekend.

Photo Credit: Anna Kraftson, Naperville North High School

MEET HIGHLIGHTS

Lyons Township / Hinsdale Central Boys Dual @ Lyons Township South Campus

The home course of Lyons Township had the history of producing fast times on this flat but curvy course. Saturday’s dual meet with these two WSC-Silver powers was no exception. Lyons Township placed five runners in the first seven to win the varsity race 20-41 ahead of Hinsdale Central. Owen Hays of Lyons Township ran one of the fastest early season times in the state clocking 14:55 on this three-mile course. Daniel Watcke of Hinsdale Central ran 15:02 to place second. Lyons Township 21 second split on their first four runners. Their top five split was 54 seconds.

Hinsdale Central / Lyons Township Girls Dual @ Katherine Legge Memorial, Hinsdale

There is a new course layout at Katherine Legge Memorial. It is now 2.8-miles in length eliminating the creek crossing for the 2020 season. Lyons Township, paced by the win by Kate Dickman, placed four runners in the first five places for the win 22-35 ahead of Hinsdale Central. Dickman was timed at 16:46 for the win five seconds ahead of Catie McCabe of Hinsdale Central.

York / Willowbrook Boys Dual @ Berens Park, Elmhurst

In this WSC-Silver Crossover dual, York was not at full strength but still put nine runners in before Willowbrook’s first runner to score a perfect 15-50 score. Mickey Vreeland ran 15:18.5 to edge his teammate Ethan Sommer (15:18.9) for the win. York’s Colin Hill (15:23) finished third on this 2.96-mile course. York’s top five split, without top five runner Sam Ayers, was 54 seconds.

Downers Grove North / Glenbard West Boys Dual @ Greene Valley, Naperville IL

Downers Grove North placed five runners in the first six places to help them to a 19-40 win over Glenbard West. The Trojans first three runners were only separated by 12 seconds with a top five split of 39 seconds. Evan Cummins of Downers Grove North ran 15:33 for the win just four seconds ahead of Glenbard West’s Pierce Cousins.

DVC: Waubonsie Valley Triangular: Neuqua Valley, Naperville Central, Waubonsie Valley

The set-up for the DuPage Valley Conference meets this fall is triangular meets at two locations over Friday and Saturday. Friday’s Boys race met expectations as all three teams were ranked in the top 25 pre-season rankings. Nicolas Dovalovsky of Neuqua Valley pulled away in the final mile to run 15:18 for the win. He was 13 seconds ahead of second-place Arthur Graham of Naperville Central. There was no rust evident on these two runners after the start as they had an early breakaway from the pack. Dovalovsky went by the first mile in a swift 4:39 with Graham a couple strides behind. The two runners were together at the 1.5 miles before Dovalovsky opened up a five second lead going through two-miles in 10:04.

Neuqua Valley had a tight pack behind their top runners placing five runners in the top ten scoring 30 points for the win. Waubonsie Valley (47 points) and Naperville Central (52 points) rounded out the team scoring.

Naperville Central freshman Liv Phillips ran 19:26 to win her first high school race finishing nine seconds ahead of Neuqua Valley’s Maria Widmann. Neuqua Valley placed five runners in the first seven to win the dual 21-38 ahead of Naperville Central. Waubonsie Valley had four runners in the race at did not score.

DVC: Naperville North Triangular: Naperville North, DeKalb, Metea Valley

Naperville North controlled the Boys race on Friday placing five runners in the top six scoring only 17 points. DeKalb and Metea Valley both scored 59 points. Julian Head ran 15:48 seconds for the win with teammate Chase Burrell crossing the line in 15:50. Tommy Paltzer (15:56) was third for the Huskies. North’s top five split was 54 seconds.

To make it more interesting in the Girls meet on Saturday, Benet Academy brought their top 10 runners to Naperville in what was a clash between two defending state team champions. Naperville North was in charge in this meet taking the first four places and then sixth to win with 16 points. Benet Academy (42 points) and Metea Valley (80 points) finished second and third.

Maggie Gamboa of Naperville North ran a fast early season time of 17:43 for the win. She was 20 seconds ahead of teammate Audrey Mendrys (18:03) and another two seconds ahead of Lucy Westlake (18:05). The Lady Huskies ran a 69 second split which also included Sophie Golobitsch and freshman Julie Pilot. Benet placed four runners in the top nine led by the fifth-place finish from Elisabeth Camic. The split on their first four runners was only 21 seconds. Their top five split was 67 seconds.

DuKane: Wheaton-Warrenville South Quad @ Grace Church of DuPage, Warrenville

South’s new home course at Grace Church got rave reviews after their first meet in which some fast times were produced. Ben Calusinski of Geneva and Noah Eng of St. Charles North ran 4:44 for the opening mile pulling away from the rest of the field. Calusinski made his break in the final half mile and then held off Eng to win the race in 15:06. Eng finished second in 15:09.

The pack of Wheaton-Warrenville South stayed close together putting six runners in within 39 seconds of each other. The Tigers scored 35 points for the win ahead of Wheaton North (48 points). Michael Atkins finished fifth to lead South just finishing behind Wheaton North’s Ryan Schreiner and Will Roth. All three runners came in together at 15:28. WWS had only a 35 second split on their top five runners.

Rachel Price of St. Charles North opened up an early in the race with South’s Samantha Poglitsch a couple seconds back as Price passed the first mile in 5:35. Poglitsch made her move opening up a five second lead at 1.5 miles, 20 seconds at two-miles, and then crossing the line in 17:37 for the win. Price looked strong throughout running 18:09 to finish second.

It was a close team race between Wheaton-Warrenville South and St. Charles North who were both ranked in the top 25 in the pre-season rankings. South placed five runners in the top nine and ahead of St. Charles North’s fourth runner for a narrow 26-33 win over the North Stars. The Lady Tigers had a 41 second split from second runner Becca Hauenstein and fifth runner Jess Michalowski.

DuKane: St. Charles East Quad @ Leroy Oakes FP, St. Charles

Defending Class 3A state champion St. Charles East was in total control of the Boys race taking eight of the top ten positions to score only 18 points ahead of Batavia (46 points). Micah Wilson and Luke Schildmeyer came in within a second of each other to lead the Saints. Wilson’s winning time was  15:05. Zack Loomis finished third behind his teammates running 15:34. St. Charles East ran a 69 second split on their top five runners.

Batavia’s Katrina Schlenker was by herself in the Girls race. The junior ran 17:47 for the win and 49 seconds ahead of St. Charles East freshman Marley Andelman. St. Charles East won the team race 25-36 ahead of Batavia placing five runners in the first eight places.

Chatham-Glenwood Quad @ Chatham-Glenwood HS

Chatham Glenwood opened up their new campus course with team wins in both the Boys and Girls Races. Aidan Peterson led the Titans’ charge in the Boys race running 15:58 for the win. He was ahead of his teammate Thomas Herbst by 40 seconds. Glenwood scored a perfect 15 points taking the first six places. Sacred Heart-Griffin scored 54 points to finish second. Glenwood had just a 17 second split form their second through fifth runners. Their top five split was 57 seconds.

Chatham-Glenwood freshman Ava Gorrie opened her high school career with a win. Her time of 18:40 was 38 seconds ahead of second-place Kaitlyn Lee of Sacred Heart-Griffin. Chatham-Glenwood placed eight runners to score 22 points with Sacred Heart-Griffin scoring 39 points.

Yorkville / Oswego East Dual @ Oswego East HS

Helena Kleronomos of Yorkville ran 18:37 for the win in the Girls race finishing ahead of Oswego East’s Naylah Allen by 17 seconds. Yorkville placed their top seven runners in the first eight places to win the dual 19-44 ahead of Oswego East.

Yorkville’s Boys team took the first five places in their 15-46 win over Oswego East. Ivan Westcott (15:38) and Austin Popplewell (15:41) were the Foxes top two finishers.

Chrisman Cowchip Classic @ Chrisman HS

The race is usually run in a flight format. The social guidelines that have been instituted forced race organizers to change how this race would be run in 2020. The 27 teams in the field were assigned times that their top seven runners would run with three teams starting every hour. The meet started at 7AM and finished near 2 PM.

Teams and individual runners were running against times. Fortunately, the top two runners in the Boys field were in the same start wave.

Layton Hall of Arthur-Lovington and Ryder James of Paxton-Buckley-Loda raced in conditions with headwinds whipping up to 25 mph. The two ran side-by-side on this course that features three hills in each of the three laps on the course. Hall was the one to make the first move approximately two miles in the race. James hung close and counter that move with a half-mile to go. That was the difference maker as James went on for the win in 15:33. Hall ran 15:43 to finish second.

Arthur-Lovington won the team title with 46 points while placing their top five runners in the first 21 places. Tuscola scored 108 points to finish second ahead of Monticello (120 points) finishing third.

Monticello was dominant in the Girls race putting their top four runners in the first six places. Monticello scored 29 points for the win ahead of Marshall (52 points) and Urbana University (86 points).

Mabry Bruhn of Monticello won her second race as in many weeks as she ran 17:59 for the win. Kate Ahmari of Urbana University ran 18:37 to finish second ahead of Monticello’s Estella Miller (18:47).

Charleston Invitational @ Eastern Illinois University

The race format changed with the top two runners from each team running in the first wave and so on with each levels of runners.

Gavin Kirby of Richland County pulled away for the win (15:46) finishing ahead of Mattoon’s Brock Davee and Mahomet-Seymour’s Kyle Nofziger (15:57). Mahomet-Seymour won the team title (50 points) just ahead of Richland County (57 points) and St. Joseph-Ogden (60 points).

Mahomet-Seymour made it a sweep for the school in winning the Girls team title (62 points) behind the 4-6 finish of Elizabeth Sims and Ava Boyd. Shelbyville (74 points) and Mt. Zion (95 points) finished second and third. Gabrielle Spain of Shelbyville was the individual winner (18:59) 18 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Megan Garrett of Charleston (19:17).

Granite City Invitational @ Wilson Park

Ryan Watts and Peyton Schieppe were individual winners at Saturday’s meet at Wilson Park in Granite City. The Edwardsville junior picked up his first high school invitational win cover the course in 15:00. Justin Mumford of Trenton-Wesclin had the second fastest time of the day (15:25). Schieppe made a statement after almost a year away with an injury. The O’Fallon junior ran 17:35 for the win finishing ahead of Edwardsville all-state runner from last year Riley Knoyle (17:59). Belleville West’s Alyssa Elliott ran 18:11 to finish third.

It was close for the Girls team title. O’Fallon edged Edwardsville 58-61 for the win with Highland scoring 109 points for third. O’Fallon placed three other runners in the top 10 to help seal the win.

The team order was switched in the Boys race. Edwardsville, behind the 1-3 finish of Watts and Geordan Patrylak, scored 45 points for the win ahead of O’Fallon (68 points) and Mascoutah (125 points). Edwardsville placed four runners in the top nine, five runners in the first 25 to help them for the win.

Other Notes

Drew Rogers of Herscher ran the fastest three-mile time of the season so far. The junior clocked a quick 14:38.5 on his home course on Monday at Herscher High School.

It was a fast time for Sophia McNerney of Downers Grove South on Saturday in a dual meet also on her home course in a dual meet against Addison Trail. McNerney’s time of 17:30 was a surprise according to her coach Doug Plunkett since the course has a ton of turns including three 180 degree turns.

Former Richland County All-American and State Champion Tatum David made a huge statement in her first meet in Florida for IMG Academy. David ran 18:09 for five-kilometers Saturday at the Seffner Christian Invitational. The sophomore won by 77 seconds ahead of teammate and Foot Locker All-American Carly McNatt.

Lianna Surtz of Rosary had a deceptively good race time on the tough Harvest Christian Academy campus course. The defending 1A state champion ran 18:41 for a 78 second win ahead of IC Catholic Prep’s Kennedy Calcagno and Carly Manchester. Rosary won the team race 35-40 ahead of IC Catholic Prep. Matthew Olech of Harvest Academy ran the fastest five-kilometer time in the state (16:21) finishing ahead of teammate Hayden Colclasure (16:25) in the Boys race.