Downers Grove North's boys cross country team, ranked No. 1 since preseason, ran away with a dominating repeat Class 3A state championship, while in a tight 3A girls race York took second and Downers Grove North third. And Benet's Finn Richards won the Class 2A boys state title.
DeKalb's Jacob Barraza ran a personal record time in holding off Wheaton Warrenville South's Josiah Narayanan as boys champion, York swept the boys and girls team titles, York freshman Karlin Janowski won the girls race and Batavia boys and girls were second at Lake Park.
Willowbrook senior Amelie Ojeda, sidelined outdoor track season after being struck in the eye by an errantly thrown baseball, continued her return Saturday, becoming her school's first girls cross country sectional champion. Meanwhile Downers Grove North swept the team titles.
With Downers Grove North's girls cross country team winning the West Suburban Silver title for the first time since 1997, the Trojans swept the girls and boys team titles. Trojans' junior Philip Cupial and York freshman Karlin Janowsk were race winners.
Led by wins from Avery Hacker and Francesco Benelli in the girls and boys races, Batavia came away with both team titles at the DuKane Conference meet on Saturday at Lake Park.
Downers Grove North junior Philip Cupial, who ran a personal record and course record 14 minutes, 24.09 seconds to win Naperville North’s Twilight XC Invite, leading the Trojans to the team championship, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Read more him.
Cary Grove junior Jameson Tenopir used a big surge in the final mile to win the boys race, St. Charles North boys win first home meet, and Shayne Dietzen's win in girls race paces Glenbard West to team win.
Benet Academy's Finn Richards outpaced Kaneland's Evan Nosek to win the boys race, and Delilah Helenhouse cruised to an easy win in the girls race at the Larry Eddington Invitational.
Wheaton Warrenville South senior Sy Narayanan, an All-State 12th at last year's state cross country meet, has his sights set even higher this season, while defending champion Downers Grove North is preseason No. 1.