Fox Valley boys cross country regional roundup
The Jacobs boys cross country team raced to a Class 3A regional title Saturday by winning the team competition at Rock Valley College in Rockford.
William Hennessy led the charge for the Golden Eagles. The senior finished second in 15:00, 18 seconds behind first-place finisher Nick Miller of Harlem. Junior Ryan Ross (15:42) placed fifth.
Matt Goldby (15:56), Trevor Tschosik (16:15), Jon Godinez (16:17), Pat Nerja (16:18) and Matt Johnson (16:22) contributed to the victory for the Golden Eagles.
Jacobs won the team title with 47 points, followed by Harlem (59). Larkin, Huntley and Dundee-Crown were also among the top seven teams able to qualify for next week’s sectional. Larkin finished fifth (126), followed by Huntley (127) and D-C (198).
CL South moves on at Palatine:No one would fault Palatine for looking ahead to the Class 3A state race in two weeks.
After all, the Pirates have sat on top of the Illinois Cross Country Coaches poll for most of the season.
But host Palatine kept its feet firmly cemented in the present by cruising to the 3A regional title with 33 points at Deer Grove East on Saturday.
Palatine placed five runners in the top 12 in dominating the nine-team field.
#147;We#146;re trying not to take anything for granted,#148; said Palatine coach Chris Quick, whose team won the Mid-Suburban League title last weekend. #147;We tried to come out and make something happen today. Our goal all season has been to run our best race, we still don#146;t feel like we#146;ve run our best race.#148;
Lake Zurich senior Pat Juras (14:54) came on strong in the final mile, holding off Barrington senior Erik Peterson (14:57) to take the individual title.
#147;That#146;s my kind of race,#148; said Juras, who won the North Suburban Conference title last weekend. #147;Holding back the first two and giving everything on the third mile. I won conference, but this is a lot more significant. Hopefully this builds for later races.#148;
Palatine placed five runners in the top 12 to win its own regional at Deer Grove East on Saturday; Lake Zurich (57 points) took second in the team standing followed by Barrington (77), Prairie Ridge (91), and McHenry (119). Crystal Lake South (153) took sixth, with Grant (202) nipping Round Lake (205) for seventh place.
The top seven teams advance to next Saturday#146;s 11:30 a.m. Schaumburg sectional at Busse Woods.
Junior Dustin Throw (16:01) finished in 25th place and qualified individually for Cary-Grove with junior teammate Daniel Sikora.
Senior Mitch Wilkins (15:09) set the pace early before settling for fifth place to lead Prairie Ridge.
#147;I had a hunch it was going to go out slow, so I wanted to lead it,#148; said Wilkins of the early pace. #147;I had the foot speed, but I couldn#146;t close the last mile.#148;
Freshman Jesse Reiser (15:49) took 14th to help pace McHenry to fifth place. Senior Tay Tomal (19th, 15:54), senior Cody Wallstrom (23rd, 15:58), and junior Bryan Wyszynski (24th, 16:00) aided the Warriors.
Junior Duncan Henderson (13th, 15:47) and junior Ian Meador (17th, 15:53) led Crystal Lake South.
#147;The first 800 meters felt slow,#148; said Henderson, who clung to the lead pack early. #147;But then the leaders started pushing. The key was just staying with them and giving my all.#148;
#8212; Michael EakenKliem, Burlington Central advance in Class 2A: Senior Clint Kliem finished 3.3 seconds behind Crystal Lake Central junior Alex Baker at the Class 2A regional race host by Kaneland at Elburn Woods. Kliem finished in 15:50.3 to lead the Rockets to a fourth-place finish. Central finished with 118 points. Yorkville won the team title with 36 points.
Doby advances in Class 1A: Harvest Christian Academy of Elgin finished eighth in the team standings at the Class 1A Aurora Christian regional race at Oakhurst Forest Preserve in Aurora, but the Lions did advance one individual, Robert Doby. A junior, Doby finished the three-mile course in 17:14.8 to to punch his sectional ticket.