Photo: Neuqua Valley left the Culver Academies Invitational with a win (Neuqua Valley School photo)

By Michael Newman

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I am hoping that this past weekend that Illinois runners have to run in extreme heat. Temperatures in the 90’s forced meet directors to alter their schedules starting their meets earlier.

The focus this weekend was not on how fast you could run but the basics of competing against other runners.

Here are some of the highlights from this weekend’s meets.

You can read the recap from the Palatine Invitational and watch meet video here.

Roy Griak Invitational

Naperville North came into this meet as one of the top Girls teams in the nation. They left Minnesota showing that winning the Gold Division 154-156 over a good Great Oak (CA) team. “I was really impressed by the way we ran,” Naperville North Coach Dan Iverson said after the race. “It was a wildcard as being hot as it was. We ran an intelligent race and moved well as the race progressed. We were farther back then I wanted at the first kilometer. I think on a day like today being out a little slower at the beginning paid off.”

Sarah Schmitt moved nicely in the final kilometer of the race to finish 4^th overall to lead the Huskies. Alex Morris was also among the leaders as she finished 10^th. Hannah Ricci was the team’s third runner as she finished 21^st. Claire Hill (66^th) and Wagner Osborne (68^th) rounded out the team’s top five.

Downers Grove South finished sixth overall (227 points) behind the 29^th place finish from Brenna Cohoon. Their pack running behind Cohoon was evident as the spread from their second to fifth runners was only 26 seconds. Melissa Weidner led the pack by finishing 47^th. Becky Versaskes (55^th), Rebecca Diddia (56^th), and Erin Riedy (62^nd) made up the rest of their top five.

Yorkville was just one point behind Downers Grove South (228 points) as they finished seventh overall. They were without one of their top runners Emily Eberhart who was forced out of the race at 2.75 miles due to heat related issues. The Lady Foxes had two runners finish in the top 20 as Alyssa Edwards placed 12^th and Helena Kleronomos finished 20^th. Olivia Borowiak finished 43^rd followed by Mady Klebenow (83^rd) and Sara Klemm (89^th).

Yorkville’s Boys team ran their best race of the year so far as they finished ninth overall in the Gold Division race. The Foxes ran a 46 second split on their top five led by Zack Price (32^nd) followed by Ben Summers (55^th), Patrick Black (66^th), Ben Tholen (75^th), and Matt Cox (100^th).

Culver Academies Invitational

Illinois runners made their presence known to the east of the state as Neuqua Valley and Lyons Township took the top two spots in the elite race at this meet and Danny Kilrea made another statement in winning individually. Considering the oppressive heat, Kilrea ran 15:08.1 on the rolling 5k course to win by 39 seconds ahead of Neuqua Valley’s Zach Kinne.

The Wildcats had 5 runners in the first 20 to score only 49 points to win the team championship. Danny Winek followed Kinne as the team’s second runner finishing 7^th. Ryan Kennedy was four seconds back in 10^th. Michael Madiol (17^th) and Chris Keeley (20^th) were the fourth and fifth runners for Neuqua Valley. Their five-runner split was 53 seconds and only 28 seconds from their second through fifth runners.

Lyons Township scored 85 points to finish second behind Kilrea’s win. Their split from two to five was 34 seconds led by the 11^th place finish from Charles Harders.

Plainfield East won the Open division team championship led by the fourth-place finish from Zahid Salodawala. In the Closed Division race, Illiana Christian finished second behind West Lafayette (IN). The Vikings swept the top two spots as Austin Ohm ran 16:17 to win the individual race 20 seconds ahead of teammate Derek Van Prooyen.

Jackson (MI) Invitational

Wheaton-Warrenville South finished third in the Girls race scoring 147 points behind Northville MI (88 points) and Troy MI (92 points). The Lady Tigers were without two of their top five runners as freshmen Samantha Poglitsch and Becca Hauenstein were held out of this meet. South worked on pack running as there was only a 29 second split on the top five. Maria Rucoba led the group by finishing 21^st followed by Haley Ansiel (28^th), Laurel Moneysmith (29^th), Sarah Kulkarni (30^th), and Emma Emmerick (39^th).

East Peoria Invitational

The two top 2A Boys teams met at Illinois Central College with defending state champion Mahomet-Seymour narrowly winning. The Bulldogs scored 58 points to win the team championship ahead of Normal University. Mahomet-Seymour did not run their #3 runner Riley Fortune in this race. Ryan Hodge and Mathias Powell came in side-by side with Hodge getting the individual win. They finished seven seconds ahead of Mark Scaggs. Jared Schuckman led U-High finishing fourth.

Mahomet-Seymour also picked up a win in the Girls team race scoring 90 points. Normal University (100 points) and Washington (144 points) finished second and third. The individual finish was just as close as Urbana’s Olivia Rosenstein crossed the line in 18:26 four seconds ahead of Normal University freshman Lyndsey Wolters (18:30).

Bartlett Flyin’ Hawk Invitational

Schaumburg’s Madison Marasco perhaps put in one of the most impressive performances this weekend. The senior won the Girls Varsity race in 17:54 on the rolling hills of Sunrise Park. Marasco finished 18 seconds ahead of DeKalb’s Katherine Olsen. Only four runners ran under 19 minutes in this race. Batavia, led by the 3-4 finish from Mia Gianfrancesco and Marygrace Golden, placed three runners in the first ten to win the team championship with 66 points. Glenbard East (85 points) finished second.

Zach Albrecht’s individual win led Jacobs to the team win with 72 points. DeKalb (102 points) and Lincoln-Way Central (109 points) finished second and third. Albrecht’s time of 15:52 was 11 seconds faster than runner-up Jared Kreis of Lincoln-Way Central.

Rock River Run @ Sterling

Madison Diercks finished one second ahead of teammate Gianna Sagona as Belvidere North easily won the Girls team race (38 points) with Diercks running 17:52. North placed their top five runners in the first 17 places. Hononegah (81 points) and 1A #3 Rock Falls (123 points) finished second and third.

Sycamore won the Boys team title (63 points) behind top ten finishes from Stephen Poorten (3^rd) and Jake Carani (8^th). Kaneland (81 points) and Geneva (101 points) finished second and third. Jake Gebhardt from Sterling ran 15:03 to win the individual race 11 seconds ahead of Kaneland’s Matt Richtman.

Springfield Invitational

Chatham-Glenwood swept the team titles at this meet. Cooper Peterson led three Chatham-Glenwood runners in the first seven as the Titans scored 46 points to win the team title ahead of Springfield (61 points) and Danville (82 points). Andrew O’Keefe of Granite City ran away with the individual race. The junior ran 15:32 to win by 25 seconds ahead of Springfield’s Kyle Boughter.

Shanice Garbutt of Danville was even more impressive in winning the Girls Varsity race. Garbutt ran 18:24 for the individual win as she was 52 seconds ahead of Sydney Huffman of Springfield Southeast. Chatham-Glenwood had only a 29 second split on their top five as they scored 51 points to win the team title. Williamsville (115 points) and Springfield (129 points) finished second and third.

St. Joseph-Ogden Spartan Classic

Logan Hall of Arthur-Lovington ran the fastest 3-mile time this weekend in Illinois. The senior had his way on the streets of St. Joseph as he ran 14:24 to win the individual race 42 seconds ahead of St. Teresa’s Jackson Stewart (15:06). Monticello, led by the 3-4 finish of Garrett Dixon and Alec Helmuth, won the Boys team title with 112 points. Carlinville (136 points) finished second followed by Deer Creek-Mackinaw (140 points), St. Joseph-Ogden (154 points), and Urbana University (159 points).

Monticello also won the Girls team title (58 points) behind top ten finishes from Hannah Offenback (4^th) and Grace Talbert (10^th). Tolono Unity finished second (66 points) but was without their top runner Jordan Harmon. St. Joseph-Ogden placed third (70 points). Urbana University’s Arielle Summitt ran 17:55 to win the individual race finishing 13 seconds ahead of Judah Christian’s Laura Krasa and another four seconds ahead of Ailey Mitchell from Shelbyville.

Naperville Girls Invitational

On an afternoon where temperatures climbed into the low 90’s, Lockport persevered placing 5 runners in the first 11 with only an 8 second split on the group. The Lady Porters scored 44 points for the win ahead of Oswego East (87 points) and Naperville Central (93 points. It was a close finish on Naperville North’s campus course Plainfield North’s Juliana Stogsdill ran 18:33 to win by just eight tenths of a second ahead of Lincoln-Way Central’s Mackenzie Brownrigg.

Macnider Invitational

Minooka placed five runners in the first nine to easily win the Girls team race with 26 points. Chesterton IN (74 points) finished second. Emily Shelton led Minooka with the individual win (18:00.1) 32 seconds ahead of Chesterton’s Shelby Bullock. Huntley, powered by the 3-4-5 finish from Ian Geisler, Jadon Conroy, and Jeremy Roe, won the Boys team title with 49 points finishing ahead of Minooka (88 points) and Oswego (90 points). Chesterton IN senior Jake Kintzele ran 15:32 to win the race 26 seconds ahead of Minooka’s Jason Hoffman.

Whitney Young Fleet Feet Invitational @ Washington Park

Riley Wells of Rockford Christian was in control in the Boys race winning the individual race (15:48) by 20 seconds ahead of Lindblom’s Daniel Cervantes. Deerfield, led by the fifth-place finish from Henry Shore, won the team title (102 points) ahead of Mather (108 points) and Rockford Christian (119 points).

Marianne Mihas of Latin School was in charge in the Girls race winning the individual title (18:50) 12 seconds ahead of Emma Creviston from Trinity. Whitney Young had three runners in the first ten led by Ella Behrens’ fourth-place finish. The Lady Dolphins won the team title (54 points) ahead of Payton Prep (103 points) and Latin School (104 points).