ST. CHARLES – Most cross country teams view their season as having two parts. The first one is running in multi-team races such as Saturday’s St. Charles North Invitational, and the second consists of competing for honors in the conference and state series.
The first half of the season is preparation for the second.
Wheaton Warrenville South’s boys team showed it is ready for what Tigers coach Chris Kuntz calls the “championship season” by winning the varsity race at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve. Paced by Michael Atkins’ first-place finish, Wheaton Warrenville South placed four runners in the top 15 for a score of 53.
“We just ran great as a pack and Michael ran great at the front. We always concentrate on packing,” Kuntz said. “The split between the second and fifth runners was 12 to 15 seconds. We concentrate on (runners) two through five and two through seven.
“We’ve got conference in two weeks and then we start the state tournament. That’s what we are gearing up for and we are ready for it.”
Atkins crossed the finish line with a time of 15:22.9.
“I didn’t want to take out the mile. I sat on whoever took it, I knew not to race that mile. In previous races, I raced in the first mile, and it didn’t go so well,” Atkins said. “Going up that big hill in the back, I turned the jets on, and I cruised down the downhill. From there on out it was just solo running.”
Waubonsie Valley came in second, scoring 63 points. Warrior senior Angel Solis (15:46.5) finished fifth and was immediately followed by classmates Jacob Tukker (15:47.8) and Ethan Marshall (15:48.7).
Nicholas Keeling’s second-place finish (15:29.6) helped Naperville Central earn third-place honors (81).
“I just ran the race smart,” said Keeling. “I’m not 100% sure on the splits but I think it was basically a 5:10 even throughout the race and it really worked in my favor.”
The senior believes his squad is also ready for the second half of the season.
“Our regional and sectional are competitive,” Keeling said. “But I think we are now capable of competing in them.”
Marmion finished fourth (146) and Cary-Grove took fifth (171).
Connor Carlson (15th, 16:13.2) led the Cadets and Ian Barnes (ninth, 16:02.3) was the Trojans’ top runner.
Prairie Ridge’s Will Gelon finished third with a time of 15:43.3 and Carter Eid of Bartlett came in fourth, a half second behind Gelon.
On the girls side, while area runners took the top five places in the girls varsity race, Winnebago, one of the competing schools farthest from Leroy Oakes, took home the first place team trophy.
Winnebago, located west of Rockford, scored 73 points to take top honors. Grace Erb (18:25.4), who finished sixth, was the Indians’ top runner.
Downers Grove North and St. Charles North both tallied 75 points. Downers Grove North, based on its narrower spread between the first and fifth runners’ times, was awarded second place.
Although it had a much shorter drive home than Winnebago, Downers Grove North collected its awards and left the invite after the girls varsity race.
“I thought we did well. Last week (at the Flyin’ Hawk Invite) we were a little down and this week we came back up and came out and competed,” St. Charles North coach Shari Hayes said. “I feel like everyone improved. No one got passed at the finish line. No one got beat in the home stretch so for me, all of my girls did well.”
Katrina Schlenker of Batavia won the race with a time of 17:41.6.
“I had a really strong couple weeks of training. I went to Minnesota last weekend, so I had a good race there. Nice hills, so it prepared me for this race,” Schlenker said. “I just went out there and tried to have a strong race. My time might be a season best. I’m definitely looking for a faster time, maybe next week at Naperville.”
Led by Keely Behr’s seventh-place finish (18:28.9), Metea Valley came in fourth (106).
Boosted by Schlenker, Batavia finished fifth (109).
South Elgin’s Naomi Ruff took second, crossing the finish line at the 17:48.5 mark.
Bella DiCrosta of St. Charles North finished third, completing the course in 17:51.9.
“I was hoping for a better finish, but I tripped at the end,” said DiCrosta. “Other than that, I thought I ran a really strong race. It was a good day.”
Metea Valley’s Sarah Maggio (18:00.3) and Jocelyn Onstot (18:21.7) of Cary-Grove rounded out the top five runners.
Led by Keely Behr’s seventh-place finish (18:28.9), Metea Valley came in fourth (106).