Kane County Chronicle 2024 boys cross country All-Area team

First team

Francesco Benelli, senior, Batavia

The 2024 Kane County Chronicle boys cross country Athlete of the Year, Benelli saw another massive jump in his progression to end his high school career. He finished with top-15 finishes in all but one of his races on the season, and even managed to win the individual title in the DuKane Conference meet in 14:42.7. He also became one of just seven Bulldogs to ever break the 15-minute barrier. Benelli finished the season with all-state honors after taking 13th place in 14:26.6, which also broke a 51-year old school record in the process, while also helping the Bulldogs to a program-best 14th-place finish as a team.

Ben Bohr, sophomore, Aurora Central Catholic

After a strong freshman campaign with the Chargers a season ago, Bohr continued his success into his sophomore season. Bohr finished with 12 top-10 finishes on the season, including two victories on the season. He won the McNamara regional race (15:44.3), was fourth in the Lisle sectional (16:19.9 over 5 kilometers) and took all-state honors with a 23rd-place finish (15:18.6) in the Class 1A race while leading the Chargers to a sixth-place finish as a team.

Greyson Ellensohn, senior, St. Charles East

Ellensohn was fairly consistent in his final high school cross country season. Ellensohn set his personal-best in the Peoria High School Invite, where he ran a 14:57.7 to finish third. He also accumulated three second-place finishes on the season, including in the Glenbard West regional, where he finished the 2.88-mile race in 14:46.7. He took ninth (15:00.4) at the Lake Park sectional, and finished his career with an 81st-place finish (15:06.6) in the Class 3A state race, which was a 15-second improvement from his state race a season ago.

Sam Hill, sophomore, St. Charles North

Hill established himself at the front of a young North Stars' squad in his sophomore season. Hill finished the season with top-10 finishes in seven of his races, including a fifth-place finish (15:12.9) in the DuKane Conference meet. He then finished fifth (14:50.7) at the Glenbard West regional and 14th (15:07.4) at the Lake Park sectional to qualify for state, where he ran a 14:47.5 to finish 41st in the Class 3A race, and finished as the sixth-fastest sophomore in the state.

Carson Kaiser, freshman, Kaneland

In his debut season at the high school level, Kaiser emerged as the newest threats that the Knights have produced over the years. Kaiser finished the season with three victories, a second-place finish at the Interstate 8 conference meet and a sixth-place finish in the Class 2A state race for All-State honors. The freshman’s personal-best mark of 14:41.6 was the second-best mark among all freshmen in the state this season.

Evan Nosek, senior, Kaneland

Despite missing a month of racing with a foot injury, Nosek still managed to have a senior season to remember. The senior finished all eight of his races inside the top-10, with his seventh-place finish at the Interstate 8 Conference meet (his first race back post-injury) being his only finish outside of the top-3. He had four wins throughout the season, including in the Kaneland sectional (14:52.7). Nosek capped off his high school career with a third-place finish in the Class 2A state race in a personal-best time of 14:36.7, becoming the first Kaneland runner and the 16th boys runner to earn all-state honors in all four seasons in Illinois.

Edward Polaski, sophomore, Batavia

Polaski had a breakout campaign in his sophomore season. He finished his second cross country season with five top-10 finishes on the season, including a third-place finish (15:00.4) at the DuKane Conference meet. He capped off his sophomore campaign with consecutive sub-15 finishes at both the Lake Park sectional (14:53.0 - seventh place) and the Class 3A state race (14:41.6 - 33rd). His time at state was also the third-fastest time among all Illinois sophomores.

Second team

David Bednarek, senior, Batavia

John Daffenburg, senior, Marmion

Will Polaski, sophomore, Batavia

Matthew Sullivan, senior, Marmion

Jack Swiatek, junior, Aurora Central Catholic

Ryan Tobin, senior, St. Charles East

Evan Whildin, senior, Kaneland

Honorable mention

Joseph Dorando, junior, Marmion

Julian Hipp, senior, Geneva

Michael Whitacre, junior, Marmion

Michael Wilson, junior, St. Charles East