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Boys Race – The pre-race hype of this sectional being the toughest in the state was proved correct Saturday. Seven of the top 25 teams stepped to the line with only five making it out. The sectional of torture and perpetual death claimed #8 Mt. Zion and #11 St. Thomas More as victims of not making it to Peoria.

For the third week in a row, it came down to a battle between #2 Monticello and #3 Tolono Unity. It was again close with four points separating the two teams. Monticello used a seventh place finish by Matt Norwell to propel them to the win. Their overall split on five runners was 51 seconds. #4 Shelbyville finished third with 125 points. #7 St. Joseph-Ogden used a 32 second split to take the fourth spot with 156 points. #24 Urbana University was the surprise finishing fifth only five points behind SJO with 161 points. Defending state champion St. Thomas More was sixth with 174 points.

Jon Davis (Oakwood HS, Fithian) set up a great state race winning the individual title running 14:46. He was nine seconds ahead of pre-race favorite Nick Hess (St. Thomas More HS, Champaign). There were 8 individual qualifiers all in the top ten.

Girls Race – If Decatur St. Teresa was going to make a statement in this race, it would have said “We are ready to win another state championship.” The top team in the state steamrolled this extremely tough field placing five runners in the first twelve to win the sectional title with 38 points. Rachel Devereux was their first runner finishing third. Their split on five was 62 seconds, but only 14 seconds from 2-5.

#4 St. Joseph-Ogden, pushed by the fourth place finish by Alyssa Pridemore, finished a distant second with 97 points. #5 Tolono Unity finished third with 113 points. #2 Monticello did not run their best race of the year, but it was enough to qualify for state finishing fourth with 184 points. #8 Urbana University grabbed the fifth and final state spot with 187 points, only three points back of Monticello. #20 Carlinville was sixth only 11 points behind U-High.

Anna Sophia Keller (St. Anthony, Effingham) made a statement is this race as well. She remained undefeated this season scorching the Hickory Point Golf Course with a 16:45 over the three mile loop. She was 49 seconds faster than fellow freshman Annemarie Michael (University HS, Urbana). Can Keller dip into the low 16:10’s? We will find out on the first race of the day Saturday morning.

Edwardsville Metro-East Lutheran Sectional

Boys Race - #13 Freeburg placed five runners in the first twenty to hold off #22 Salem to win the team championship. They were led by the 7-8 finish by Jonathan Kraus and Alex Mack. Their split on five was only 38 seconds. #19 East Alton-Wood River, led by the fourth place finish by William McLemore, finished third with 104 points. #23 Sparta and #21 Nashville were the other two qualifying teams.

Michael Brown (White County HS, Carmi) won the individual race on the hilly SIU-Edwardsville course. His time of 16:14 was 10 seconds ahead of Kenny Heaton (Sparta HS).

Girls Race - #14 Carterville placed three runners in the first ten led by the fifth place finish. It was enough to hold off #15 Freeburg to win the team title 64-71. Freeburg placed five runners in the first nineteen led by the ninth place finish by freshman Kristen Collier. Murphysboro, Herrin, and Salem were the other three qualifying teams.

Deanna Deterding (Red Bud HS) won the individual race running 19:12 for the 5k course. Savannah Ames (Althoff Catholic HS, Belleville) finished nine seconds back in second place.

Elmwood-Brimfield Sectional

Boys Race – This was the closest sectional finish in the state Saturday. The top four teams were only separated by eight points. #10 Pleasant Plains captured the individual point by one point over #18 Tremont 76-77. #6 Rochester was only two points back in third. Pleasant Plains placed four runners in the first 10 led by the fourth place finish of Daniel Plunkett.

Tremont’s second place finish was led by the 1-2 individual race finish by Connor Ehnle and Caleb Imig. Ehnle, who has missed his last two meets due to injury, won the race by five seconds running 15:20. Rochester’s Michael Gleason finished third.

Host #5 Elmwood-Brimfield was fourth scoring only 84 points. Stanford Olympia placed fifth securing the final state berth.

Girls Race - #3 Rochester placed four runners in the first thirteen to easily win the sectional championship. Taylor Bartolozzi led the Rockets with a second place finish. #9 Eureka finished second with 141 points. They were ten points ahead of third place #13 Down Tri-Valley. #24 Petersburg PORTA and #10 Elmwood Brimfield earned the final qualifying positions for the state meet. Elmwood was only two points ahead of sixth place Macomb.

Maria Brauer (PORTA HS, Petersburg) stamped herself as a top runner next week. She won the individual race running 17:55. She was 14 seconds ahead of Rochester’s Bartolozzi.

Lisle Sectional

Boys Race - #15 Latin School dominated the team race in the sectional placing five in the first 22 to win the sectional scoring only 46 points. Latin placed two runners in the first seven led by the third place finish of Aiden Sarazen. They were 96 points ahead of second place Beecher (142 points). Northridge Prep, Westmont, and Harvest Christian Academy were the final three teams to qualify. Harvest finished seven points ahead of Timothy Christian and Joliet Academy for the final qualifying spot.

Wal Khat (Mooseheart HS) won the individual race (16:41) by 21 seconds over freshman Tanner Chada (Aurora Christian HS).

Girls Race – Victoria Bianco (Latin School, Chicago) won the individual race running 19:20. She won by 20 seconds over Daly Galloway (Gardner-South Wilmington HS). Caroline Watts (Woodlands Academy, Lake Forest) was nine seconds back in third place.

#6 Latin School dominated the team race placing three in the first nine scoring only 35 points. #17 Kankakee McNamara finished second with 116 points. #23 Aurora Central Catholic, Westmont, and Willows Academy also qualified for state. Timothy Christian finished sixth missing qualifying by nine points.

Oregon Sectional

Boys Race - #1 Winnebago proved they were ready for next week’s state meet placing five runners in the top 26 to win the sectional with 82 points. #12 Rockford Christian finished second led by the third place finish by Nick Monkemeyer. #25 El Paso-Gridley finished third with 148 points, only two points ahead of #9 Sterling Newman. #20 Rock Falls earned the fifth qualifying spot finishing four points ahead of #14 Byron.

T.J. Pitcock (Byron HS) won the individual race (16:01) by six seconds over a great performance by Cody Baele (Kewanee-Wethersfield HS). His teammate Michael Cook finished fourth behind Rockford Christian’s Nick Monkemeyer.

Girls Race - #8 Kewanee-Wethersfield dominated the team race winning with 83 points. Kirstie Ramsey finished second to lead her team which placed 5 runners in the first 28. It was close between second and fifth. #19 Byron scored 148 points, 3 points ahead of # 11 Ottawa Marquette and six points ahead of #12 Henry-Senachwine. #22 Harvard is running strong at the right time. They finished fifth for the final qualifying spot.

Kelsey Hildreth (Byron HS) won the individual race (18:29) winning by 32 seconds over KW’s Kirstie Ramsey.