Downers Grove North wins back-to-back Class 3A Boys titles

Crane’s final move leaves him with a state title

By Michael Newman

Peoria, Ill – The second state title is usually tougher to get than first. It might not have seemed to be that way when the 3A Boys Race at the IHSA State XC Championships was about to start in the afternoon. Downers Grove North was looking for a state title and they showed during the season they were close to untouchable except when Plainfield North came within 10 points of the Trojans at the Naperville Twilight Invitational a month before. The individual race had all eyes between Ben Crane of New Trier and Dylan Maloney. They had raced once before with Crane finishing two places ahead of Maloney in Terre Haute at the beginning of October.

The first mile of the race was fast as Crane and Joe Bregenzer of Barrington led the pack of nearly 30 runners through a 4:32 opening mile. The pack narrowed down to seven runner as Crane passed two miles in 9:25 with Maloney, Bregenzer, Phillip Cupial and Grant Schroder of Downers Grove North, and Quinn Davis of Plainfield North all within three seconds of Crane.

It was the same race strategy that he executed to perfection in his sectional race. Crane waited to the final kilometer to start his long kick to the finish. He gapped the field by eight seconds as he approached the finish. Crane finished third in last year’s race. This year he crossed the line in 14:03.4 as the new Class 3A champion.

“I expected the race to go out fast. I was planning on going out in 4:30 so I was not shocked,” said Crane. I’ve worked out going out that fast, so it felt good and under control.”

He added “I went by two miles and Cupial and Schroder were on my shoulder. I was starting to get nervous not letting this go into a kicker’s race. I kept my composure trying to break away. It paid off and stayed in the lead.”

Crane had learned from the previous year when he finished third in the race not making the right moves letting Aden Bandukwala slip away. This time, he was in control even trying to pass the lead vehicle in the final 200-meters.

The next three runners were separated by a second. Schroeder was the top Downers runner with a 14:11.8 time to finish second. Bregenzer held off Cupial for third 14:12.6-14:12.8. This race was particularly fast with six runners going under 14:20. Maloney ran his best time ever on this course 14:15.5 to place fifth. Quinn Davis of Plainfield North had a big race timed at 14:17.1 to place sixth. Rory Gaan of Fremd (14:17.1), Alex Krieg of Palatine (14:24.9), Liam O’Connor of Oak Park-River Forest and Thomas Czerwinski both running 14:25.2 rounded out the top 10 runners.

Whereas the Girls race team finish in this class was ultra close, it was the opposite as the margins between the first three teams were huge as one of the largest margins in an IHSA State Meet. Downers Grove North defended their state title scoring 83 points for the win. Plainfield North repeated last year’s second-place finish scoring 154 points. Last year’s third place finisher Plainfield South replayed that finish scoring 248 points to finish third scoring 248 points.

Downers Grove North’s win was significant in how fast their team time was. The five scoring runners had a cumulative time was 72:29.4 surpassing the York team’s time of 72:37 that their 1999 state winning team had. North had three all state-runners with Schroder, Cupial, and Will Surratt (12th). John Courtney was the team’s fourth runner placing 38 followed by Brady Travers who finished 49th. The team’s top five spread was 40 seconds.

Plainfield North had two all-state runners with Davis and Czerwinski in the top 10. Aidan Connors missed all-state by a half a second running 14:37.6 to place 27th. James Masso (44) and Gavin Hall (117) were the team’s fourth and fifth runners. Their top four runners were all under 15 minutes. Their fifth runner Gavin Hall ran 15:19 to place 117th. Their top five spread in this race was 62 seconds.

Plainfield South had a 40 second spread between Maloney and their second runner Alex Batsala who finished 57th. Dylan Buturusis (72), Riley Fink (84), and Kellen Hernandez (126) were the rest of the team’s top five. Their second through fifth runners spread was 27 seconds.

Lake Zurich scored 264 points to finish fourth led by Karanveer Patil finishing 21. His time of 14:30.9 is now the fastest freshman time ever in the state meet. York’s fifth place finish of 269 points could have been one of the best team performances of the day. The Dukes did not qualify for state in 2022 and finished 24th. York was in 16th place after the mile, 9th place at two miles, and then up to their fifth-place finish. Carter Olsen led the Dukes finishing 37th.

Other top 10 teams included New Trier (271 points), Lyons Township (280 points), Palatine (284 points), Barrington (322 points), and Prospect (338 points).