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Boys cross country: Lake Zurich headed to state again

With the wind at its back, the Lake Zurich boys cross country team continued its long run of success Saturday morning at the Class 3A Hoffman Estates sectional meet.

Behind individual champion Josh Methner, Hersey rolled to the team title with 88 points. But the runner-up Bears (120 points) kept their streak alive as they advanced to the IHSA state meet for the 12th consecutive season under head coach J.B. Hanson.

Barrington outdistanced Warren 178-192 for the fifth and final team berth to the 74th annual state meet next weekend in Peoria, followed by Palatine in seventh, and Mundelein in eighth.

Lake Zurich's squad was led by junior Jack Gilboy in seventh, Jake Myers in 22nd, Patrick Hart in 29th, and Danny Burns in 32nd.

"We have worked super-hard this season, everyone pushes each other hard, and I'm just happy with how we did," said Gilboy, who will be striving for an All-State (Top 25) run downstate. "We're hoping for a top-three finish at state, and it's not going to be easy so we all have to have our best race downstate."

Hanson was happy with the team performance and optimistic looking ahead to the state meet next Saturday.

"It seems like we have different guys step up every week and Jack Gilboy ran really tough for seventh place today," said Hanson, whose team had five runners in the top 41. "They do a great job of holding each other accountable and trying to stick together."

The Notre Dame-bound Methner (defending Class 3A state champion) had a winning time of 15:23.6 while Mundelein senior Carter Schorr turned in an outstanding second-place time of 15:33 to earn the first individual at-large berth to state. Mundelein's Dillon Blake (sixth) earned the fifth at-large berth downstate.

"I came into it nice and relaxed and didn't over think it," said Schorr. "I'm happy with my performance and the biggest thing with me is getting my confidence back. I think I have the physical abilities to be All-State (Top 25)."

Stevenson got not one, but two individual at-large qualifiers to reach the state meet as the senior duo of Anthony Rodriguez and Corey Pacernick placed fourth and fifth respectively for the Patriots.

"They've been battling with Gilboy and the Mundelein kids all season, and our conference (North Suburban) had six of the Top 10 runners here today," said Stevenson coach Scott Sommers. "Corey (Pacernick) was the conference champ a few weeks ago so they were both ready for this meet today."

It wasn't easy, but Libertyville senior Will Gordon (10th) came through big-time during the stretch run to place 10th for the sixth at-large berth to state and his second trip to the legendary 3-mile race at Detweiller Park. Cary-Grove's Maxum Caesar (11th) earned the final trip to state.

"It was really tough out there with the mud, but it was a great race and I'm excited for state," said Gordon, who will be trying to break the school record of 14:36 in his final high school meet. "Hopefully it's better conditions (at state). I want to stick with the Mundelein guys and All-State is my goal."

Libertyville coach Stuart Mendelsohn was ecstatic with Gordon's performance.

"He stayed with the front pack for the first mile, and he was in a solid place with a half a mile to go," Mendelsohn said. "He was in 14th place, and he passed four guys to end up taking 10th place."

Grant's Justin Splitt (13th) just missed state by two places while Griffin Pasha led Warren in 16th place.

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