2021 IHSA Class 3A 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 3A 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 recap of the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional.

Here are some of the highlights of the three other Class 3A Sectional Meets.

Class 1A Sectional Highlights | Class 2A Sectional Highlights

Roselle (Lake Park) Sectional

The mud and some portions under water did not bother York’s quest for a Girls State title next week. The top ranked 3A Girls team in the state rolled to the sectional title with only 22 points placing 6 runners in the top 10. Grace Schager of Glenbard North and Bria Bennis of York ran together on Lake Park’s 3-mile course before Schager broke away for the win (17:19). Bennis ran 17:34 to finish second. Katherine Klimek of York (17:47), Naomi Ruff of South Elgin (17:54), and Audrey Allman of Glenbard West (17:56) also finished in the top five.

York had a 40 second split on their top six runners led by Bennis and Klimek followed by Michaela Quinn (6th), Brooke Berger (7th), Katelyn Winton (9th), and Margaret Owens (10th). Glenbard West finished second (98 points) led by Allman and a 14 second split between their second through fifth runners. The five other team qualifiers in the Girls race included St. Charles East (105 points), Maine South (134 points), St. Charles North (157 points), Huntley (166 points), and Wheaton-Warrenville South (185 points). Rockton Hononegah missed a state qualifying spot by 15 points finishing eighth (200 points).

York Boys’ team completed the sweep for the WSC-Silver school even without one of their top runners, Ethan Summer, who was pulled from the starting lineup with a minor injury. York still prevailed in this race placing their first 4 runners in the top 15 to win with 68 points. Micah Wilson of St. Charles East broke away from Riley Newport of DeKalb in the final half mile to win the sectional title with a 15:03 time. Newport finished second (15:17). There was a 25 second gap before Wheaton North’s Ryan Zydek crossed the line in third (15:42) just ahead of Garrett Schwan of York (15:44). Michael Atkins of Wheaton-Warrenville South ran 15:52 to finish fifth.

York, led by Schwann, had a 29 second split on their top four runners. Jeff Luka followed in 12th followed by Eric Rutherford (14th) and Emmett Doyle (15th). Aidan Hill was York’s fifth runner as he finished 28th. York’s top five split was 40 seconds. St. Charles East finished second (92 points) behind Wilson’s win and top 10 finishes from Joey Xotla (8th) and Mitch Garcia (9th). Wheaton North finished third (100) ahead of fourth-place crosstown rival Wheaton-Warrenville South (134 points). DeKalb (142 points), Maine South (164 points), and Hampshire (184 points) were the other three teams that qualified for state. Huntley finished eighth missing qualifying for state by four points.

Hoffman Estates Sectional

Top 10 finishes from Lily Ginsberg and Hailey Erickson helped Prospect to a Girls Sectional title with 88 points. Brooke Johnston of Lake Zurich and Aly Negovetich of Grant were up front in this race just as they were last week at Libertyville. The margin at the end of the race was nine seconds this time with Johnston capturing the win. Negovetich qualified for the State XC Meet for the fourth time as she ran 17:20 to finish second. Anna Harden of Hersey finished third (17:30) ahead of Mia Pasha of Warren Township (17:35) and the Glenbrook North freshman duo of Juliet Frum (17:37) and Maria Polyakov (17:48).

Prospect placed 5 runners in the top 28 with a 56 second split led by Ginsberg in eighth and Erickson in tenth. Audrey Ginsberg was the team’s third runner (16th) followed by Bridget Derengowski (27th) and Ireland Wildhart (28th). New Trier finished second (128 points) led by the seventh-place finish from Beatrix Gilson. Scout Storms finished ninth to help Barrington finish third (160 points). Loyola Academy qualified for state by finishing fourth (184 points). Jacobs qualified for state for the first time since 1985 as they finished fifth (187 points). Hersey (235 points) and Libertyville (237 points) were the final two teams in this sectional to qualify for state. Palatine finished eighth missing qualifying by nine points. Grant and Lake Zurich were next missing qualifying both by 10 points.

The Boys team race was close in this sectional as New Trier edged Barrington 93-99 for the sectional team title. Lake Zurich was just one point back in third (100 points) followed by Palatine (116 points) and Hersey (136 points). Warren Township finished sixth (152 points) with Prospect the final state team qualifier in seventh (185 points).

Luke Wiley of Warren Township pulled away from Nick Falk of New Trier in the final mile to win the individual sectional title by four seconds. Wiley was timed in 15:00 followed by Falk (15:04). Four seconds separated the next five runners led by Lake Zurich’s Dylan Myers (15:21). Sean Safford of Hersey (15:24), Mason Krieg of Palatine (15:24), Joey Furlong of Barrington (15:25), and Danny Burns of Lake Zurich (15:25).

New Trier placed 5 runners in the top 34 led by Falk and George Cahill finishing 11th. Atticus Miller (24th), Jack Moran (26th), and Blake Deger (34th). New Trier’s top five split was 70 seconds. Their split from Cahill to Deger was 33 seconds. Barrington’s top five split was 53 seconds with 5 runners in the top 37. Lake Zurich had the presence in the front with Myers and Burns. The Bears placed 5 runners in the top 48 with a 73 second split.

Quincy Sectional

Top 10 finishes from Gabriella McCollom (4th), Audrey Boles (7th), and Gabrielle Kics (9th) helped Minooka outdistance Southwest Prairie Conference rival 51-56 for the Girls Sectional title. The individual race was somewhat of a surprise as Anna Hunter of Yorkville navigated the muddy Bob Parks Park course in 18:26 to win the individual title ahead of Peyton Schieppe of O’Fallon (18:31) and Caroline Schoen of Homewood-Flossmoor (18:38). McCollom ran 18:48 to finish fourth to edge Ali Ince of Normal Community who had the same time.

Minooka was aided by their top finishes as well as Jocelyn Host (15th) and Taya Gummerson (21st) following. Their top five split was 59 seconds. Yorkville has been coming on strong in recent weeks and that showed again in this race. Anna Hunter’s win was followed by her sister Margaret (8th), Makenna Edwards (12th), Ava Galloway (19th), and Katie Melzer (20th). The Lady Foxes top five split was 75 seconds. The split from Margaret Hunter to Melzer was 38 seconds. Edwardsville finished third (149 points) led by Emily Nuttall finishing tenth. Lockport Township (158 points), Plainfield North (162 points), and O’Fallon (177 points) finished fourth through sixth. Lincoln-Way West was the final state qualifying team (182 points) with Lincoln-Way East missing by six points and Normal Community missing by nine points.

Camryn Viger won in a photo finish with Marcellus Mines of Joliet West to help Plainfield South to win the sectional title with 54 points. The first three finishers in this race were separated by less than two seconds. Viger’s time of 15:32.4 was just two tenths of a second ahead of Mines (15:32.6). Ryan Watts of Edwardsville finished third (15:34.1). There was a 17 second gap before Oliver Burns of Plainfield North crossed the line in fourth (15:51). Fiker Rosen of Quincy (15:56) finished fifth just ahead of Caden Simone of Lincoln-Way Central (15:56) and Nolan Rogers of Lincoln-Way East (15:57).

Plainfield South’s pack was the difference in this race as the Cougars placed 5 runners in the top 19 led by Viger’s win. Dylan Maloney (10th), Ethan Reynoso (14th), Gavin Borger (17th), and BJ Sorg (19th) were separated by 14 seconds. Their overall top five split was 57 seconds. Plainfield North finished second (78 points) led by Burns finishing fourth. Minooka finished third (120 points) behind top 10 finishes from Zachary Balzer (8th) and Daniel Schalk (9th). Edwardsville scored 123 points to finish fourth. Plainfield Central will make their first team appearance at the state meet as they scored 160 points to finish fifth. O’Fallon (172 points) and Lincoln-Way East (187 points) were the final two state qualifying teams in this sectional.