Sirois, Crane earn All-American honors at Nike Cross Nationals

Downers Grove North Boys and Girls teams run strong races finishing 6th and 11th

By Michael Newman

Mia Sirois of Barrington was not mentioned as a contender to be a top 10 finisher in some of the pre-meet previews for Saturday’s Nike Cross Nationals Girls Championship race. It proves that races are not run in meet previews.

Rain that started early Saturday changed the Glendoveer Golf Course from a pristine NXN course during the workouts the runners experienced on the day before into a giant slop fest of mud and standing puddles. It did not seem to effect Sirois in the Girls race as she finished sixth overall in her first national meet experience earning All-American honors.

Ben Crane of New Trier followed in a worn course and heavier rain finishing 14th in the Boys Championship race earning All-American honors.

Sirois went out safely but strong in the top 15 after the first kilometer and moved up to eight in the next two kilometers. She solidified that position the rest of the race to the finish.

“I just wanted to move up during the race and have fun. Everybody had to run in the same conditions so all you can do is embrace it and run,” Sirois said after her race. “It was a fun mud run out there. I am so excited, so grateful for the people that helped me get to this point. I’m blessed”

Crane stayed in the top 20 throughout the Boys race and was within six seconds of the lead at 3 kilometers. He ended up running 15:44 a good race considering the sloppy conditions. Sirois time of 17:16 was the fastest time for an Illinois runner on this course. The meet started running at Glendoveer in 2015. Grace Schager ran 17:16.8 in this meet in 2022.

Both Downers Grove North teams ran strong races in the Girls and Boys Championship races.

The Girls team scored 317 points to finish 11th overall. The Trojans ran between 14th to 15th in the first half of the race and then surged in the final two kilometers to get their finish.

The key for their success was the same story that we have seen from this group all season keeping close together in this race. Their top five spread was 30 seconds on their pack led by Alayna Todnem who finished 87th running 18:57.8. Ava Gilley stepped up as the team’s second runner finishing 101st (19:05.5). Audrey Casten in 107th (19:10.4), Lily Eddington in 119th (19:21.9), and Kenzie Willard in 125th (19:27.3) rounded out their top five.

Hannah Renner finished 136th running 19:33.8 as the team’s sixth runner. Freshman Macy Ermitage ran 20:25.1 to finish 179th in her first high school varsity race.

The Scenario was the same for Downers Grove North’s Boys team in their race. The Trojans ended up finishing in sixth with 217 points. The team was tenth through the first two kilometers of their race and made a move towards the front to earn their place.

Grant Schroder in his final high school race led his team running 15:56 to finish 24 missing All-American honors by three spots. Philip Cupial led the pack running 16:20.1 finishing 59th. Will Surratt in 74th (16:28.4), Brady Travers in 75th (16:28.4), and Jack Loftus in 141st (17:04) were part of the team’s top five. John Courtney in 142nd (17:04.4), and Owen Kelly in 164th (17:23.6) were the team’s sixth and seventh runners.

Their top four spread from Schroder to Travers was 32 seconds. Their overall top five spread was 68 seconds.