Cross Country: Oswego, Oswego East advance teams to sectionals

OSWEGO – Audra Soderlind doesn't need to be reminded what the barometer is for the state's cross country runners.

On Saturday, she stacked up pretty good.

Soderlind, an Oswego sophomore, took third place behind Naperville North's top two runners in the first of three flights at the Class 3A Oswego East Regional. The regional divided both the girls and boys fields into three separate flights to meet COVID-19 restrictions on participant levels. The individual finishes, though, were combined together from the three flights.

Naperville North, which won its 10th straight regional title, had the meet's top five times, led by individual champion Maggie Gamboa (17:50.9). Soderlind was sixth overall in 18:16.4.

"I honestly feel like today went really well," Soderlind said. "I was really happy that I was able to stick with the two Naperville North girls and I feel like we're in a good position for the rest of our team races."

Soderlind and Oswego didn't have a chance to gauge themselves against four-time defending state champion Naperville North because of COVID-19 restrictions limiting teams to competitions against conference teams and schools in their COVID regions. So Soderlind looked forward to Saturday's meet.

"They're the best team in the state, they have really good runners, they're good competition," Soderlind said. "The race was a really good pace."

The top five teams – Naperville North (15 points), Oswego East (75), Oswego (85), Neuqua Valley (105) and Naperville Central (116) – all advanced to next week's sectional at Whitney Young.

"It gives us confidence getting second place," said Oswego East's Maddie Zarembski, 12th overall in 18:58.2. "We've had a really good season. It's been super fun. I'm just glad that we've been able to have a season."

Soderlind and others had to deal with cool, crisp conditions with a biting wind in Saturday morning's first race.

"The wind was getting really bad, especially at the back part. That was a little challenging because we thought it would die down. You just have to pump your arms and know it will be over really soon," Soderlind said. "But it wasn't that wet, which was surprising. Overall the course was really good."

Oswego East's Naylah Allen was 13th overall in 19:01.4, Wolves' teammate Morgan Dick 14th in 19:02.7 and Oswego's Peyton Brueck 16th in 19:07.0.

"I didn't think it was a horrible race," Zarembski said. "I thought we could have closed the gap on the girls in front of us a little bit but otherwise it went pretty well."

In the boys race, Oswego's Balin Doud made a furious late charge to finish eighth overall in 15:36.5, just passing Oswego East's Alexander Das (ninth, 15:38.9) down the stretch. Neuqua's Nicolas Dovalovsky (15:02.0) took first.

"That was probably my worst race of the season to be honest with you," Doud said. "I didn't race myself and I kind of left Ethan hanging, but it is what it is."

Fifth-place Oswego (101) points, joined Naperville North (63), Neuqua (64), Waubonsie Valley (94) and Naperville Central (95) in advancing to sectionals. Oswego East advanced individuals Das and Nick Henz (11th, 15:45.7).

Doud, like others, had to deal with not having a pack to run with throughout.

"That's tough because usually it's Ethan and I and Huey and we make different moves together. Obviusly that's not the case right now," Doud said. "I just wasn't there today and I feel bad. I was like this is it, this is one of my worst races, I'm going to exhaust myself at the end. it jsut wasn't there and I'm disappointed in myself."

Oswego East's Nick Henz was 11th in 15:45.7 and Oswego's Ethan Forsell 12th in 15:46.9.

Doud admitted that it was a unique challenge facing runners he had not competed against all year.

"It's a totally different dynamic," Doud said. "Conference, where we raced incredibly, we've seen all those guys, we know how they race, we know how to pick them off. These guys we don't know when they're tired, when they're not. There is no strategy. It's just flooring it."