2021 IHSA Class 1A XC Sectional Highlights

By Michael Newman [email protected]

Sectional Saturday for 2021 was not about fast times. Mother Nature took care of that with two days of rain preceding the four Class 2A sectional that took place across Illinois. This day was about excitement and of course disappointments as teams and runners looked to punch their qualifying ticket to Peoria for next Saturday’s IHSA State XC Championships.

Here is a look at the highlights of the four sectional meets that took place in Class 2A.

Class 2A Sectional Highlights | Class 3A Sectional Highlights

Lisle Sectional

Drew Rogers of Herscher showed he is ready for next week’s state meet. The 2019 State Champion was in control running 15:35 to win his third sectional title by 11 seconds ahead of Ryan Hardiman of Latin School (15:46). Daniel Winkelman of Harvest Christian Academy ran 16:05 to finish third ahead of Kieran Subra of Lycee Francais de Chicago (16:16) and Bryson Grant of Iroquois West (16:18).

The team race in this sectional can be an indication of what could come in next week’s state meet. Latin School placed three runners in the top nine to edge DePaul College Prep 56-61 for the sectional team title. The key for DePaul Prep in getting close to their Chicago City rival placing Mac Kittrell (6th) and Charlie Richardson (7th) ahead of Latin’s duo of Ben Gibson and Akili Parekh who finished eighth and ninth. Latin School placed 5 runners in the top 23 with a 95 second split off Hardiman. Their split from two to five was 48 seconds. DePaul College Prep placed 5 runners in the top 26 with a 62 second split. Wheaton Academy edged Harvest Christian Academy 133-136 for the third spot. Northridge Prep (166 points) and Herscher (184 points) also qualified. Joliet Catholic missed qualifying by eight points.

Liana Surtz won the individual title to help Rosary win the team title with 57 points. It was a two-runner race from the start as Surtz ran 18:46 to claim the sectional title with IC Catholic Prep’s Carly Manchester running 18:59 to finish second. There was almost a minute gap before Joliet Catholic’s Claire Blotnik and Ella Farris crossed the line together in third and fourth both timed at 19:57. Anna Enderle of Chicago Christian ran 19:59 to finish fifth.

Rosary packed it up behind Surtz with three runners in between 10th and 13th place with their fifth runner nine places later. Chiara Surtz led that pack (10th) followed by Vivian Wyller (12th) and Kate Ubertino (13th). Olivia Kunio was the team’s fifth runner (22nd). Rosary’s top five split was at two minutes. Their second through five split was only 26 seconds. Wheaton Academy paced by a top 10 finishes from Lily Lebo (7th) and Brooke O’Carroll (9th) finished second scoring 83 points. IC Catholic Prep was without one of their top five runners Kennedy Calcagno but still finished third (108 points) behind Manchester’s finish and freshman Graziella Narcisi placing sixth. DePaul College Prep finished fourth (132 points) ahead of Joliet Catholic (179 points) and Chicago Christian (189 points). Willows Academy missed the state trip by five points.

Decatur (St. Teresa) Sectional

Kate Ahmari of Urbana University was in control of Girls race from the start. The junior ran 18:05 to claim the win by 26 seconds ahead of St. Joseph-Ogden’s Savanna Franzen (18:31). Monticello’s Mabry Bruhn (18:42), Ava Knapp of St. Joseph-Ogden (18:55), and Brooklyn Bender of Marshall (19:00) rounded out the top five.

Tolono Unity packed it up with 5 runners in the first 19 to win the Girls Sectional title scoring only 57 points. The Rockets had a 48 second split pack on the group that included Erica Woodard (7th), Reagen Stringer (10th), Olivia Shike (11th), Malia Fairbanks (15th), and Harper Hancock (19th). St. Joseph-Ogden finished second (90 points) ahead of Monticello (108 points) and Urbana University (109 points). Robinson (164 points) and Marshall (178 points) finished fifth and sixth. Clinton missed state qualifying by three points.

Ryder James of Paxton-Buckley-Loda showed why he will contend for a state championship next Saturday with a convincing win in this sectional meet. James dominated the field running 15:24 to win the sectional title by 52 seconds ahead of Logan Beckmier of Arthur-Lovington, Isaac Stanford of Flora, and Eli Mojonnier of Bismarck-Henning who were all timed in 16:16. Ed Mitchell of Monticello ran 16:36 to finish fifth.

Arthur-Lovington surprised top ranked St. Joseph-Ogden 75-87 for the Boys team title. The Knights did place four runners in the top 16. Jacob Adcock (7th), Lyle Adcock (11th), and Jace Green (16th) were separated by 41 seconds behind Beckmier. Fifth runner Jacob Duzan finished 45th. St. Joseph-Ogden placed 5 runners in the top 33 led by top 10 finishes from Luke Stegall (6th) and Charlie Mabry (8th). Monticello (144 points), St. Teresa (152 points), Newton (160 points), and Shelbyville (200 points) were the other state team qualifiers from this sectional.

Elmwood Sectional

It was a shocker in the Girls Individual race as Williamsville freshman Louisa Wilson ran 18:19 to claim the Girls Sectional title. She won by 25 seconds ahead pre-race favorite Anna Perry of Eureka (18:44). Nora Brady of Bloomington Central Catholic finished third (19:06) ahead of Nellie Melick of El Paso-Gridley (19:14) and Elle Knapp of Eureka (19:24).

Eureka was in complete control for the Girls Sectional Championship scoring a mere 52 points behind the top five finishes from Perry and Knapp. The Hornets placed 5 runners in the top 25 with Laurel Munson (8th), Claire Albertson (16th), and Meika Bender (25th) finishing behind Perry and Knapp. It was tight for the next three team places as Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (126 points) finishing ahead of Stanford Olympia (129 points) and El Paso-Gridley (134 points). Elmwood (152 points) and Williamsville (164 points) were the final two teams to qualify.

Normal University made a huge statement in this sectional meet putting themselves to win the 1A State title next week. The Pioneers placed 5 runners in the top 16 to win with 49 points. Sachit Muduli (4th) and Brandt Henderson (6th) were the team’s top two runners in this race. Ben Davison (14th), Mason Hart (15th), and Ryan Rice (16th) were only separated by two seconds. U-High’s top five split was 49 seconds. Stanford Olympia scored 104 points to finish seconds led by Owen Dare finishing tenth. Hamilton West Hancock (136 points) and Elmwood (142 points) finished third and fourth. El Paso-Gridley (168 points) placed fifth ahead of Eureka (205 points).

Miles Sheppard of Hamilton-West Hancock remains undefeated this season after a win in this sectional race. His winning time of 15:06 was 33 seconds ahead of Mason Stoeger of Fieldcrest (15:39). Cannen Wolf of Liberty (16:01), U-High’s Muduli (16:04), and Thomas Harmon of Elmwood (16:17). Rounded out the individual top five.

Oregon Sectional

Winnebago rolled to the Girls team title as expected. The Indians placed 5 runners in the top 11 with a 51 second split to score only 26 points. Grace Erb led the way for Bago running 19:28 to claim the individual title by 19 seconds ahead of Evelyn O’Connor of Seneca (19:47) and another second ahead of teammate Marissa Roggensack (19:48). Kelly Giardina of Rockford Christian (19:52) and Kaylee Woolery of Winnebago (19:56) finished fourth and fifth. Sophia Martino (7th) and Renee Rittmeyer (11th) were Winnebago’s fourth and fifth runners.

Seneca scored 123 points to finish second ahead of Mercer County (136 points) and Rock Falls (142 points). Rockford Christian (182 points) and Sherrard (194 points) were the final two state qualifying teams.

Rockford Christian again had their presence in the front in a big-time race. The Royal Lions had three runners in the top six to help them win the sectional title with 49 points. Riverdale scored 66 points to finish second as Amboy scored 100 points to finish third. A strong kick by Brock Loftus of Amboy gave him the individual win (16:19) by three seconds ahead of Tommy Murray of Riverdale (16:22). Rockford Christian’s Ethan Walsh and Weston Forward came in together in third and fourth both timed in 16:41. Riverdale’s second runner Landis Musser was next (16:43) followed by the third runner from Rockford Christian, Aidan Sosnowski (17:12). Tony Chen (15th) and Noah Shook (23rd) were Rockford Christian’s fourth and fifth runners. Riverdale placed 5 runners in the top 30.

Sandwich qualified for the state meet for the first time since 2003 as they scored 130 points to finish fourth. Sterling Newman scored 158 points to finish fifth. There was a huge gap of 90 points between Newman and sixth-place Erie-Prophetstown (248 points).

Trenton-Wesclin Sectional

Ahry Comer of Pope County was a surprise winner in this Girls Sectional race crossing the finish line in 18:30. Olivia Philips of DuQuoin ran 18:51 to finish second. Kaitlyn Hatley of Father McGivney (19:23), Maddie Karcher of Hamilton County (19:35), and Vanessa Teel of Pinckneyville (19:41) also finished in the top five. Pre-meet favorite Elena Rybak of Father McGivney did not have her best race of the year finishing 17th overall as her team’s second runner.

DuQuoin received top 10 finishes from Phillips and Lauren Heape (10th) to win the sectional title with 77 points. DuQuoin placed five runners in the top 28 with a 130 second split on that group. Pinckneyville scored 123 points to finish second. Father McGivney (134 points) and Breese Mater Dei (137 points). Freeburg finished 172 points to finish fifth. Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran will make their first ever appearance for their Girls’ team as they scored 24 points to finish sixth. Hamilton County missed qualifying by one point.

Gavin Genisio of Benton was in control of the Boys race. The sophomore ran 15:13 to claim the sectional crown by 25 seconds. Pinckneyville’s Isaac Teel (15:38) and Dylan Bledsoe (15:54) finished second and third. Landen Swiney of DuQuoin (15:56) finished fourth while Gavin Hill of Trenton-Wesclin ran 16:15 to finish fifth.

Benton edged Pinckneyville 68-81 for the team title behind Genisio’s win and 3 runners in the top 11 and 5 runners in the top 30. Pinckneyville placed 4 runners in the top 17 while their fifth runner placed 55th. Steeleville scored 129 points to finish third ahead of Freeburg (168 points) and Litchfield (194 points). Breese Mater Dei finish sixth (210 points) as the sectional’s final team state qualifier. Belleville Althoff Catholic missed qualifying for state by four points.