Date: 11/8/2025
Location: Detweiller Park; Peoria, IL
Course: 3.0 miles
Race Time: 2:00p; awards ceremony: 3p at the Detweiller Park venue
Weather forecast: 55°F, overcast
MileSplit IL 50 Rankings: Read Here
The qualifying teams: #1 Plainfield South, #2 Elmhurst (York), #3 Chicago Lane, #4 Downers Grove North, #5 Arlington Heights (Hersey), #6 Plainfield North, #7 Lake Zurich, #8 Mt. Prospect (Prospect), #9 Palatine (Fremd), #10 St. Charles North, #11 Orland Park (Sandburg), #12 Hinsdale Central, #13 Naperville (Neuqua Valley), #14 New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central), #15 Berwyn-Cicero (Morton), #16 Libertyville, #17 Edwardsville, #18 Downers Grove South, #19 Yorkville, #21 Glenview (Glenbrook South), #22 Huntley, #25 Batavia, Chicago Payton, Naperville Central, Frankfort (Lincoln-Way East), Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West), Oswego East, Palatine
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Outlook: Coming into the state championship, this appears to be one of the most balanced meets in a long time. Despite what many had in their pre-season locks and expectations, things have shifted like an active earthquake seismic plate in three months.
The uncertainty has raised a multitude of questions that need to be answered. Since there isn't a rock-solid team to win it or the definitive choices to take home the three trophies, it will need to be briefly discussed.
Pre-season top dogs and two-time defending state champions, Downers Grove North, have shown some significant vulnerability. Their human characteristics have given hope to other teams entering Peoria for the season's final weekend slate. For the Trojans to regain their swagger, they will need seniors Philip Cupial and Will Surratt to run with the confidence and dominance they once had. Despite the circumstances at the Hinsdale Central Sectional, the scoring split was 1:04, which, compared to Sandburg's 40 seconds, was likely the reason they only won 113-115. Surratt was not in the lineup. On Saturday, everything must fall into place, or we will have a new team champion.
Plainfield South assumed the rankings pole position several weeks ago on strong scoring pack play and their ability to step up in key situations. The Cougars are led by juniors Dylan Buturusis and Alex Batsala. They have been the glue of the squad throughout the season. Their signature performances have been at the conference and regional championship, beating cross-town rival Plainfield North in the process. At the Normal Community Sectional, the Tigers got the best of the Cougars. In that one, North rose up and took the first two spots on the strength of seniors Thomas Czerwinski and Aidan Connors. They appear to be back in a prime trophy spot.
If there is a team to approach with caution, that would be York. The Dukes have been the hottest team in the state over the past three weeks. They started with an upset win over their foe, Downers Grove North, at the WSC Silver Championship. That confidence parlayed the Dukes to a dominating win at the St. Charles Regional over tough St. Charles North. They produced a 15-second scoring split in that match. In their most recent action, against Chicago Lane, Coach Charlie Kern's troops all got out fast and furious, producing a tremendous lead for two miles. The patient crew from the North of Chicago was able to chop into the lead but ran out of real estate, losing 69-85. Leason learned that keeping the fourth and fifth runners closer throughout the meet.
At the Hoffman Estates Sectional, Lake Zurich re-established itself as a title threat with a strong performance. The Bears were led by senior Gordy Libby, who won his first sectional title. For the first time this season, they were able to get their scoring five in a spot in which they can be taken seriously. Hersey did not have their best performance, taking third behind MSL foe Prospect. All three teams will be the mix for a team trophy on Saturday.
Lake Zurich senior Cameron 'Gordy' Libby will be one of the key figures for the individual title on Saturday. He is two for two at Detweiller this season. In his first contest, he "won" the Detweiller at Dark meet, which has been an omen for any boy runner who dares to challenge the running superstitious. No boy has ever won a state title after winning Det at Dark. We will see about that one.
The preseason favorite and last year's Footlocker All-American Phil Cupial needed a hero's finish last year at Hinsdale. He trailed Santiago Chavez (Jr., Burbank Reavis) by nearly 10 seconds with about 1000 meters remaining in the contest. He mounted a devastating kick and actually won with a few seconds on the board. It's an encouraging thing to do, but it will be more challenging to accomplish against a larger field of players.
Karanveer Patil (So. Lake Zurich) ran 14:22 earlier this season at Peoria and took the Loyola Flight Night win. But he is far from being in a position of dominance after placing eighth at sectionals. He is still someone of interest.
Perhaps two of the state's most underrated runners are Samuel Hill (Jr., St. Charles North) and Samuel Assefa (Jr., Chicago Lane). They have met three times this year, and Hill has won all of them. But the gap has closed, and ironically, they seem to feed off of one another. Don't be surprised if they are in the top 5 late in the race with an opportunity to do more.
Thomas Czerwinski, Jack Jennings (Jr., Fremd), Conrad Saner (Jr., Downers Grove South), Orlando Sandoval (Sr., Morton-Cicero), and Jesse Gudauskas (Jr., Neuqua Valley) are some others to keep an eye on.