Cross country: Dixon claims Big Northern Conference titles

OREGON – Since joining the Big Northern Conference, Dixon has greatly enhanced the league’s reputation in distance running.

That was bore out again with conference titles in both the boys and girls race on Saturday. The girls were particularly dominating with all of its entrants finishing in the top 10. Kamryn Rogers led the way with a second place behind champion Ariel Hernandez of Rock Falls. Hernandez (19:53) was the only runner to crack the 20-minute barrier on the 3-mile Park West course.

“I knew there would be people coming behind me. (Rogers) went out with me,” Hernandez said.

Hana Ford backed up Hernandez with fourth place with a 20:33 clocking. The Rockets (89) took third behind Dixon (28) and Winnebago (65).

For the sophomore Rogers (20:06), it was her first time on the Park West course after running on it in middle school.

“Kam Rogers was our No. 5 runner last year. Now, she’s No. 1,” Dixon coach Simon Thorpe said.

Rogers led a close pack of Emma Smith, Kate Boss, Teyla Wendt, Daniela Love and Olivia Arduni, who all finished within a minute of each other to record the meet’s closest split (collective time between each other).

“On paper, we were slated for 24 points, so we were close to our seed,” Thorpe said. “The course was a little soggy and we were out there by ourselves.”

It was back-to-back conference titles for the Duchesses after 1A power Winnebago put a few championships together. The Indians have graduated the core of those teams.

“Yes, Winnebago has lost girls and it affected the conference dynamics,” Thorpe said. “We’re the biggest school and typical of being the biggest school, we should have the best numbers. That makes a difference in cross country.”

Oregon was a distant seventh with 192 points and garnered a 17th place from Ella Danhorn.

Even though they are the biggest school in enrollment, there were no seniors running for the Dixon boys team. Instead, the Dukes are in the process of developing another standout group in a storied history over the last couple decades.

”We’re rebuilding,” said Aaron Conderman, who took third behind individual champ Weston Forward of Rockford Christian. “We’re looking to come back strong the next couple years and contend at state.”

In a class by himself, Forward ran 16:07 to 16:45 for Conderman. Freshmen Dean Geiger (16:52) and Averick Wiseman (16:55) were fifth and sixth for Dixon. Sophomores Westin Conaster (17:40) and Keegan Shirley (18:00) were 11th and 16th to round out the scoring. It was much tighter in the boys race, as Dixon defeated RC 41 to 57 for their first title since 2019. Winnebago was next at 63 and Rock Falls fourth at 80.

“It was kind of was I expected,” RF coach Mark Truesdell said. “I usually don’t give compliments, but today we did all right. Our goal for both the boys and girls was to survive and and get through the regionals.”

Gunnar Damhoff took 12th for the Rockets with a 17:44. In a prime example for pack running, the next four scorers (Christian Cid, Anthony Valdiva, Gabe Moyer and Brady Root) were within 40 seconds of each other, even besting the splits by the Dixon girls.

Dixon will be at the Kaneland 2A regional this Saturday and Rock Falls, along with Sterling, go to Galesburg for a different 2A regional. Dixon feeds into the Woodstock sectional, while RF and Sterling will be at Geneseo.