Above Photo: Jon Davis (right) leads the pack early in the Paxton-Buckley Loda Regional. Davis won by 1 second ahead of Andrew Warnes (David Behm Photo).

 

By Michael Newman

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Here is a brief look at the 15 1A regionals that took place on Saturday.

 

Mercer County Regional

 

Mercer County’s Ethan Morrow won the individual race in 16:42 to help his team win the Boys regional championship with 55 points. He won the race by 8 seconds ahead of freshman David Snider (Havana HS). Macomb (94 points) and Rushville-Industry (108 points) finished second and third.

 

Knoxville’s 4 runners in the first 13 was enough to give them the Girls Regional championship with 65 points. Mercer County (78 points) and Macomb (92 points were the next 2 teams in. Freshman Maya Stovall ran 19:22 to win the individual title 13 seconds ahead of Ryan Block (Knoxville HS).

 

Aurora Christian Regional

 

5 runners in the top 12 helped #17 Westmont win the regional championship with 31 points. The Sentinels are a young squad with 4 sophomores and a freshman in their top 5. Timothy Christian scored 53 points to finish second. Megan Kremer (St. Edward HS, Elgin) ran 19:11 to win the individual race by 5 seconds ahead of Westmont’s Halle Nash.

 

Walther Christian put 5 runners in the top 13 with a 50 second split to win the Boys regional championship as they won 34-59 ahead of Timothy Christian. It was all Tanner Chada (Aurora Christian HS). The junior defended his regional title running 15:30 to win by 60 seconds ahead of Harry McSteen (Joliet Catholic Academy).

 

Chester Regional

 

Carterville had 3 runners in the top 7 led by the 4-5 finish by Reese Herrin and Megan Adams gave the Lions the Regional title 69-100 over DuQuoin. All-state runner Keri Burmester (Red Bud HS) ran 19:24 to win the regional individual championship by 20 seconds ahead of Sophie Keith (Pinckneyville HS).

 

Only 3 points separated Pinckneyville and Nashville in last week’s SIRR Championship meet. The margin was a little bit closer in this regional race. Hayden Carter was Pinckneyville’s 6^th runner in this meet but his 32^nd place finish helped break the tie with Nashville and to help his team win the regional championship. Both Pinckneyville and Nashville scored 70 points. Steeleville scored 103 points to finish third. Harrison Thomas (Carterville HS) ran 15:57 to win the regional title as he finished 33 seconds ahead of Nashville’s Brandon Schnitker.

 

Luther North Regional

 

Willows Academy was boosted by the return of #1 runner Maeve Dunaway as they placed 7 runners in the top 10 to win the regional championship with 28 points. North Shore Country Day scored 58 points to finish second led by the individual win by Katie Glew. The junior steamrolled the field running 18:30 to win by 101 seconds ahead of Dunaway.

 

#25 Northridge Prep easily won the regional championship placing 5 runners in the top 12 led by Peter Conroy’s individual win. The junior ran 16:29 to win by 11 seconds ahead of Jack MacNabola (Francis Parker HS, Chicago). Parker scored 61 points to finish second 12 points ahead of North Shore Country Day.

 

Eureka Regional

 

#5 Elmwood-Brimfield showed that they will contend for a state trophy with a convincing win in the Boys race in this regional. The Trojans, behind the 1-2 finish by Derek McCoy and Matt Osmulski, placed 5 runners in the top 13 to win the regional title 36-85 over #7 El Paso-Gridley. Elmwood Brimfield ran a 60 second split on their top 5. #9 Eureka was 1 point behind El Paso Gridley in third. #19 Bloomington Central Catholic scored 124 points to place fourth. McCoy and Osmulski crossed the line together in 15:30 on the 2.9 mile course finishing 11 seconds ahead of Hunter Cobbley (El Paso-Gridley HS).

 

#7 Eureka won the Girls race 44-59 over #23 Stanford Olympia paced by the 2-3 finish by Emma Argo and Mercer Mack. The Hornets were also helped by placing their top 5 in the first 16. #24 Deer Creek-Mackinaw scored 82 points to place third just 1 point ahead of 4^th place Bloomington Central Catholic. Shelby Siltman (Olympia HS, Stanford) won the race dominating from the start. She ran 17:57 to finish 57 seconds ahead of Eureka’s Argo.

 

Franklin Regional

 

If the Paxton-Buckley-Loda Regional was the top 1A Girls regional meet of the weekend, this was a close second. Liberty, without their #1 runner freshman Katelyn Robbins, needed 5 runners in the top 16 to win the regional championship 55-57 over #8 Petersburg PORTA. Jacki Graham led Liberty with a 5^th place finish. PORTA appears to be running better and better as we approach the state meet. Adrienne Brauer led the Bluejays with the individual win (19:01) 12 seconds ahead of her sister Maria. The story this season has been the emergence of #10 Springfield Lutheran who is on the verge of qualifying for their first state appearance. The Crusaders were a close third with 62 points. They could have 4 all-state runners as they placed 4 runners in the top 7 in this race led by the 3^rd place finish of Brigid Tournoux. Their split on their top 5 is over 5 minutes but their 55 second split on their top 4 is something to keep an eye on. #25 Quincy Notre Dame scored 96 points to finish fourth.

 

#13 Pleasant Plains won the Boys regional championship 60-84 over #23 Liberty. Tyler Johnson is one of the top 1A runners this year and it showed in this race. Johnson won the regional title (15:47) winning by 17 seconds ahead of sophomore Wyatt McIntyre (Athens HS). Auburn was the only other team under 100 points as they scored 97 to place third.

 

Harrisburg Regional

 

#14 Herrin showed its power up front again as they placed 3 runners in the first 4 and 5 in the top 14 to easily win the Girls Regional title with 28 points. Kara Martin led Herrin with the individual win (19:53) ahead of teammate Maura Farrell by 11 seconds. Fairfield outdistanced Hamilton County 82-88 for second place.

 

Herrin’s 3 runners in the top 6 was the difference in winning the Boys Regional championship 47-49 over Benton. Hamilton County scored 74 points to place third. Tyler Byars (Hamilton County HS, McLeansboro) ran 17:20 to win the race by 12 seconds ahead of Benton’s Gavin Hartley.

 

Kankakee McNamara Regional

 

#20 McNamara did not place a runner in the top ten in the Boys race. They did run a 16 second split on their top 5 led by the 13^th place finish by Jacob Quigley to win the regional title scoring 80 points. Prairie Central (94 points) and Beecher (97 points) finished second and third. Sirlaurence King (Leo Catholic HS, Chicago) ran 15:51 to win the individual race by 30 seconds ahead of Michael Mankowski (Gardner-South Wilmington HS).

 

Daly Galloway (Gardner-South Wilmington HS) dominated the Girls individual race. Her winning time of 18:01 was 65 seconds ahead of April van Ryn (Chicago Christian HS, Palos Heights). #12 Chicago Christian placed 5 in the top 12 to score 33 points to win the regional title. Clifton Central was second with 72 points.

 

Bureau Valley Regional

 

Even without #1 runner Kirstie Ramsey in their lineup, #3 Annawan-Wethersfield was in control of this race placing 4 runners in the first 7 and 5 in the top 12 to win the regional with only 28 points. The Flyin’ Geese were led by the individual win of Olivia Draminski. The senior ran 19:29 to finish 19 seconds ahead of teammate Jocelyn VanAntwerp. #21 Amboy, paced by the 3-5 finish of Megan Grady and Erin Hosto, scored 85 points to place second. Sterling Newman scored 91 points to place third.

 

#14 Rock Falls presence up front was evident by the 1-2 finish of Brayden Hamblen (15:48) and Seth Williams (16:07). It was the pack of #15 Sterling Newman that placed 5 in the top 13 to win the regional championship 46-83 over area rival Rock Falls. #17 Galva-Mid County also scored 83 points but finished third.

 

New Athens Regional

 

#18 Breese Mater Dei is peaking at the right time as they won the Girls Regional title 34-46 ahead of #13 Freeburg. Mater Dei placed 5 runners in the top 10 led by the 3-4 finish of Elyse Faust and Sophia Lager. Their split on 5 was an impressive 53 seconds. Freeburg was led by good front running of Ashley Gilmore. The junior led 3 Freeburg runners in the top 10 by finishing second (19:56)11 seconds behind individual winner Haley Kerpan (East-Alton-Wood River HS). Roxana could also be in the hunt for a state berth by finishing third in this meet with 97 points.

 

#11 Freeburg was in control in winning the Boys race placing their first 4 in the top 5. They won 22-59 ahead of Breese Mater Dei. Freeburg’s Charlie Parrish ran 16:17 to win the regional title 11 seconds ahead of teammate Alex Mack. East Alton-Wood River finished third with 117 points.

 

Paxton-Buckley-Loda Regional

 

High winds in this meet meant tactical racing especially for Jon Davis (Oakwood HS, Fithian). The 2 time 1A state champion outsprinted Tolono Unity’s Andrew Warnes to win the individual race by one second. Davis’ time of 15:09 broke an 8 year old course record set by Beecher’s Matt Paarland when he ran 15:18. #1 Tolono Unity is the team to beat in 2 weeks at Detweiller Park. The Rockets put 5 runners in the top 12 with a 50 second split to win the regional title 32-73 ahead of #3 St. Joseph-Ogden. #4 Monticello finished third with 76 points. #12 Paxton-Buckley-Loda (105 points) and #18 Urbana University (141 points) finished fourth and fifth.

 

Nothing was decided in the Girls race except it will be close in the 1A state finals. #4 St. Joseph-Ogden put 4 runners in the top 9 led by the 4^th place finish by Faith Houston. That offset the 1-3 finish by #1 Urbana University’s Arielle Summitt and Annemarie Michael to give the Spartans a 42-47 over the top ranked 1A team in the state. #2 Tolono Unity scored 50 points to finish third. #15 Monticello (123 points) and St. Thomas More (135 points) finished fourth and fifth. Summitt won the individual race in 18:11 to win by 8 seconds ahead of Jordan Harmon (Tolono Unity HS).

 

Robinson Regional

 

Anna Sophia Keller (St. Anthony HS, Effingham) took her first steps towards her 3^rd state cross country title winning the individual race (17:04) by over 2 minutes ahead of Kara Weichman (Teutopolis HS). Keller’s win paced #19 St. Anthony to a 56-69 regional win over Teutopolis. Paris scored 73 points to finish third.

 

#6 Robinson tuned up for next week’s sectional race by winning their own regional 35-82 ahead of Marshall. Noah Tennison led Robinson with the individual win (15:48). He was 19 seconds ahead of second place Kort McClellan (Toledo Cumberland HS).

 

Seneca Regional

 

Eva Bruno won the individual race leading 3 Seneca runners in the top 4. The #11 Irish won their own regional 45-91 ahead of Ottawa Marquette. Bruno’s time of 19:48 was 35 seconds ahead of runner-up Katherine Schnedier (Illinois Valley Central HS, Chillicothe. Illinois Valley Central finished third with 100 points.

 

Devin Smith led 3 runners in the first 6 with his third place finish. It gave #22 Illinois Valley Central the 64-83 win over Minonk Fieldcrest. #21 Henry-Senachwine scored 94 points to finish third. Freshman Christopher Collet (Seneca HS) ran 17:06 to win the individual race by 5 seconds ahead of Thomas Lechtenberg (Marquette Academy, Ottawa).

 

Shelbyville Regional

 

Marcus Skinner’s win led 4 Rams runners in the top 5 and the Regional win by #2 Shelbyville. They scored 26 points ahead of second place #8 Carlinville and their 46 point total. #24 Mt. Zion was a distant third with 118 points. Skinner ran 15:36 to win the race by 3 seconds ahead of sophomore Logan Hall (Arthur-Lovington HS) and his second place finish. Carlinville held back in this race as they ran a 45 second split on their top 5. They placed 5 in the top 15 led by the 6-7 finish of Nolan Kreipe and Cory Landon.

 

#6 Carlinville and #9 Litchfield mirrored their South Central Conference of last Monday with another close race at this regional. The individual win by Colleen Madden and 2^nd place finish by Jacey Roper was enough to hold off Litchfield’s 3-4 finish of Alexandria Quarton and Madi Thorne and to win the regional title 60-63. #16 Shelbyville scored 105 points to finish third. Madden’s time of 18:26 was 18 seconds faster than her teammate Roper.

 

Winnebago Regional

 

Harvest Christian Coach Steven Bland asked at the beginning of the year rank his team low as he liked his teams to stay unnoticed. Not anymore. Both Boys and Girls teams made big statements at this regional held at the Fuller Forest Preserve. The Lions edged #10 Johnsburg 56-57 for the Boys Regional title behind the 4-7 finish of Andrew Dobrescu and Michael Sisko. Johnsburg placed 3 runners in the first 6 paced by Matt Stelmasek’s individual win. Stelmasek ran 14:20 on the 2.85 mile course to outdistance second place Skyler Yunk (North Boone HS, Poplar Grove) by only 5 seconds. Byron finished third with 93 points.

 

It was also close in the Girls race. Nygia Pollard finished 5^th overall to lead 3 Harvest Christian runners in the top 10 and to the regional win 63-66 over #20 Rockford Christian. Winnebago (77 points), Byron (82 points), and Johnsburg (95 points) were the next teams in. Madison Fanseen (Rockford Christian HS) ran 17:45 to win the individual race in a photo finish with Jordan Peterson (Harvard HS). The two runners were only separated by 22 hundredths of a second.