January 10, 2025
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NewsTribune 2023 regional cross country preview

By Kevin Chlum
First finisher, Mendota’s Anthony Kelson running the course at Eastwood Country Club in Streator Saturday during the LaSalle County Invitational.

First finisher, Mendota’s Anthony Kelson running the course at Eastwood Country Club in Streator Saturday during the LaSalle County Invitational. (Tom Sistak For Shaw Media)

The IHSA cross country postseason begins Saturday. Here’s a look at all the regionals involving NewsTribune-area teams.

Class 2A Metamora Regional

Time: 10 a.m. girls, 11 a.m. boys

Location: Black Partridge Park

Teams: La Salle-Peru, Ottawa, Streator, East Peoria, Joliet Catholic, Kankakee, Manteno, Metamora, Morris, Morton, Pontiac, Washington.

Worth noting: It’s a tough girls field that features two MileSplit top 10 teams in Washington (No. 3) and Morton (No. 5). La Salle-Peru senior Ashlee Lord has had a strong season with a best time of 20:36.1, which ranks 25th among regional competitors this fall. Teammates Kiely Domyancich (21:34.7) and Anya De La Luz (21:23.3) also will be in the mix to qualify for the sectional. De La Luz was a sectional qualifier last fall. In the boys race, the Cavs have three runners who have turned in top 50 times in the regional this season in Adam Kasperski (17:17.3), Braylin Bond (17:40.5) and Griffin Hammers (17:48). The field features No. 1 Morton.

Next: Geneseo Sectional

Class 1A Seneca Regional

Time: 9 a.m. girls, 10 a.m. boys

Location: Seneca Ag Farm

Teams: St. Bede, Hall, Putnam County, Mendota, Princeton, Henry-Midland, DePue, Amboy co-op, Aurora Christian, Aurora Central Catholic, Dwight, Hinckley-Big Rock, Marquette, Seneca, Somonauk, Stark County.

Worth noting: Aurora Central Catholic is the team to beat as the Chargers enter the regional with six of the top seven times turned in this season. The Chargers are ranked No. 5 in Class 1A by MileSplit. Breaking up the ACC bunch at the top is Mendota junior Anthony Kelson, who ran a 16:22 at the La Salle County Meet, which ranks fourth in the regional this season. Kelson was a state qualifier last year after he placed 10th at the Rock Falls Regional and 17th at the Oregon Sectional. Teammate Dagen Setchell is ranked 11th at 17:08.6. Hall junior Eri Martinez-Prado (17:34) and Princeton sophomore Augustus Swanson (17:35.9) have turned in top 15 regional times, while Henry-Midland’s James Braun (18:12) and Noah Dorsey (18:31.6) also have top 25 times. Swanson was a sectional qualifier last year. The Mallards qualified for sectional as a team last fall and return Braun, Dorsey, Preston Rowe, Jerrod Meffert and Nico return from that team. St. Bede’s Greyson Marincic is a returning sectional qualifier. In the girls race, Henry-Midland sophomore Daniella Bumber, who placed top 25 in the sectional last year, enters the regional with the fourth-best time this season at 19:20. Teammates Elizabeth Knuckey and Lexi Serpette also ran in the sectional last year as the Mallards qualified as a team. Princeton has a trio of top 25 performers in Ruby Acker (20:57), Payton Frueh (21:26) and Alexandra Waca (22:51).

Next: Oregon Sectional

Class 1A Bureau Valley Regional

Time: 10 a.m. girls, 11 a.m. boys

Location: Bureau Valley Walnut campus

Teams: Bureau Valley, Mercer County, Cambridge, Unity Christian, Galva, Kewanee, Annawan-Wethersfield, Morrison, ROWVA, Orion, Riverdale, Erie-Prophetstown, Alleman, West Carroll, Sherrard, Newman, Rockridge.

Worth noting: Adrian Gallardo (18:16.2) and Maddox Moore (18:27.4) will lead the host Storm into the regional. Leah House is Bureau Valley’s only runner in the girls race.

Next: Oregon Sectional

Class 1A Peoria Notre Dame Regional

Time: 10 a.m. girls, 11 a.m. boys

Location: Donovan Park

Teams: Fieldcrest, Abingdon-Avon, Elmwood-Brimfield, El Paso-Gridley, Eureka, Prairie Central, Farmington, Illini Bluffs, Knoxville, Deer Creek-Mackinaw, Midwest Central, Peoria Notre Dame, Peoria Christian, Peoria Heights, Princeville, Tremont, Lowpoint-Washburn

Worth noting: The Fieldcrest boys will face a tough field as the regional features four Class 1A top 10 teams, according to MileSplit in No. 3 Eureka, No. 4 Elmwood-Brimfield, No. 6 Peoria Notre Dame and No. 10 El Paso-Gridley. Fieldcrest junior Caleb Krischel’s season-best time of 16:53 at the Elmwood Invitational ranks 31st in the regional. He advanced to a sectional last fall. The girls field is tough as well with three top 10 teams in No. 3 Eureka, No. 6 Peoria Notre Dame and No. 7 El Paso-Gridley. Fieldcrest senior Clare Phillips was a sectional qualifier last year.

Next: Elmwood Sectional

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