Sep 12, 2022

The leaders of the 2A race stream past the front of the course for the first time

============

-The second weekend of the season especially brought out the best and best of the rest in terms of getting on the board for the season. The action started from the farthest tip of the state to the central district of the land of Lincoln. But it did not stop there. There was action in the metro St. Louis area where some of the state's best performers got busy. We take a trip down and recap it for you!

First To The Finish Invitational

Detweiller Park Peoria, IL

Sep 10, 2022

Full Meet Results

2,596 Total Performances (2,594 IL)

Recap:

1A Girls-

#1 Tolono Unity squared off against #2 Winnebago and it wasn't even close. The Rockets jetted away from the competition by putting their top five runners among the top 35 and six inside the top 40. In fact, their seventh runner was 51st in the team scoring. The total amounted to 94 points. #5 Eureka surprised the field and took second ahead of the 'Bagos 197-200. The Hornets were beaten at the front of the pack, but it was not at the back in the all-important fifth position.

Grace Erb (Sr., Winnebago) got the job done for her team, taking the individual crown in 17:42 and 11 seconds better than Ahry Comer (Jr., Pope County). She beat a stellar field and one that was of all-star proportions.

1A Boys-

#4 Normal University is no stranger to winning championships of any magnitude. The Pioneers added another one to their trophy case by using a 55-second scoring split which pitted the team's players among the top 50 for a final tally of 90 points. Senior Brandt Henderson led the way with a 9th place finish in 15:52. #1 Decatur St. Teresa took second over #8 Eureka 187-190. The Bulldogs were able to squeak by placing four runners in the top 50. They had a bit of trouble closing it out and that may become an issue down the road.

Charlie Bardwell (Sr., Eureka) helped his team's cause by winning the race in 15:29. It was a close affair vs. Josiah Hortin (Jr., Tuscola) who ran a personal best of 15:32.

2A Girls-

All eyes were on Tatum David (Sr., Olney Richland Co.) and what kind of time would she throw up. It turns out that she ran to win and notched a 16:51 winner. It was not her fastest time or even a meet record, but good enough to proclaim herself as the best in the classification. Becca Heitzig (Jr., Lincoln) battled the newcomer Natalie Bierbaum (Fr., Normal University) and used her kick to stay ahead for second:17:16-17:18.

#2 Lakes won but it wasn't easy. The Ozzy Eagles put two in the top 10 scoring wise with Becca Runyan and Madison Twarling leading the way. The fifth runner would finish off the scoring in the 54th position for a total of 118 points. #6 Dunlap's fifth girl was actually ahead of Lakes at 47th but did not have any front runners inside of the top 10. The Eagles first runner was sophomore Abby Tudeen in 16th place overall which enabled them to score 151 points. #8 Dixon was able to take third with 177 pts.

2A Boys-

The pre-meet form charts said #3 Morton was the favorite to take home all of the team spoils. But someone forgot to mention this to #5 Riverside-Brookfield who not only won the team title with 184 points over #8 Glenbard South by 10 tallies, but they also had the race winner in Cooper Marrs (Jr.) 14:54 (the only runner under 15:00). #4 Prairie Ridge was third with 202. Morton placed sixth with 243 points.

3A Girls-

#4 Naperville North has been quiet on the ascension back to the top. "Speak softly and carry a big stick" could be the motto for the Huskies. They just that in clubbing the great competition by putting all of its runners in the top 60- five of the seven that finished placed in the top 40 for a scant 63 points. Four of the ten were in the top 15- junior Julie Piot took third overall in 17:35. #19 Batavia achieved something many did not think could happen. The Bulldogs took second ahead of #7 Lyons 128-129. It was like a street battle girl to girl but somehow Batavia came out ahead. Naperville Central bounced back from last weekend's less-than-stellar effort to garner fourth with 159 points.

Scout Storms (So., Barrington) surprised us all by storming back into action earlier than anticipated. Storms got a bonus by winning the race in her season debut 17:25. She was able to take out Kate Tueting (Jr., Naperville Central) by eight seconds.

3A Boys-

It was a Joe Newton "York prime era" type of performance for the upstart and #2 Plainfield South crew. They came into Detweiller and put on a show. Junior Camyn Viger put himself squarely in the discussion as a state title contender by winning in a state best 14:22. He took out the outstanding senior Riley Newport of Dekalb who ran 14:36. It was a close race until the final mile. The Cougars had two other runners under 15:00 (senior Ethan Reynoso 14:51.2, soph Dylan Maloney 14:51.8) and the fourth runner was senior BJ Sorg who ran 15:04. The final tally came to a halt with junior Gavin Borger's finish in the team's 21st position for 48 points! #3 Downers Grove North ran well also with 71 points. #4 Neuqua Valley was further down in third place scoring 139 points ahead of #11 Plainfield North's 153.