Neuqua Valley's Gretchen Leland leads a pack across the finish line in the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
The annual Twilight Invitational more or less provided an appetizer for the upcoming West Suburban Silver meet in the boys' division.
Dan Watcke and Colby Revold were runner-up and just outside the top 10, respectively, Wednesday night for Hinsdale Central at the prestigious regular-season cross country invite.
The Red Devils eased past conference rivals Lyons Township 98-115 for their second major championship this fall.
Downers Grove North, another league rival of perhaps the strongest conference in the state, was third with 136 points.
Waubonsie Valley (146) edged DuPage Valley Conference foe Neuqua Valley (152) for fourth.
"LT is tough," Hinsdale Central coach Jim Westphal said. "They could flip the script next week (at the league finals). Don't forget what Downers North can do, and then there is always York."
"I was looking for a get-back-into-it race," said Watcke, who was vanquished only by Herscher senior Drew Rogers with his second-place time of 14 minutes, 58.1 seconds. "I am more of a middle-distance guy. I was just sitting on the leaders to see what I could do."
"The thing about this team is we are deep," Revold, who finished No. 11, said. "We have a front-runner (in Watcke). We have guys who are filling in the (Nos.) 4, 5 and 6 spots. You need that."
Lyons' Charlie McLawhorn was third overall in 14:59.8 for the Lions.
In the girls race, Naperville North, the Class 3A champion of the last four state-sanctioned state meets, turned back Minooka - the last team to defeat the Huskies in Peoria - 99-115.
Lucy Westlake and Sophie Golobitsch - both veterans of the Huskies' 2019 state team - led the way as the former snared the last top-ten berth.
Batavia senior Katrina Schlenker, a state runner-up as a freshman, was fifth n 17:08.2.
"I wanted to break 17," the Liberty-bound Bulldogs star said. "It will be motivation to do it in the next race."
Naperville North's Marissa Magana finishes in 27th place in the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Wheaton Warrenville South's Ashlyn Adams edges Naperville North's Logan Brennan at the finish line at the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Glenbard West's Carlin Hass leads teammate Maggie Hubbard to the finish line at the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Naperville North's Addison George finishes the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Downers Grove North's Karly Harkness leads Naperville North's Jackie Liu and Waubonsie Valley's Lily Baibak near the finish of the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
St. Viator's Mary Grace Hegberg turns a corner under the lights at the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021. She finished second overall.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Hinsdale Central's Daniel Watcke runs through a corner under the lights at the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Downers Grove South's Tim Neumann leads a group near the finish of the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Hinsdale Central's Daniel Watcke finishes second in the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Downers Grove North's Roy Llewellyn races to the finish against Chicago Lane's Hunter Whitney at the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Hinsdale Central's Colby Revold nears the finish of the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Naperville Central's Luke Noren finishes the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Waubonsie Valley's Angel Solis finishes the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Waubonsie Valley's Ethan Marshall finishes the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Naperville North's Gabe Ryan on his way to a sixth-place finish at the Twilight Cross County Invitational at Naperville North High School on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com