Cross country runners square off at Oregon Open

By Andy Colbert

For Shaw Media

OREGON – No team scores were kept at the Oregon Open cross country meet, but teams were able to get a feeling of how they may shake out when the sectionals return here in two months.

“Rockford Christian and Riverdale are head and shoulders above everyone,” said Newman coach Pat Warkins, when assessing the boys competition. “Then there is another tier of Erie-Prophetstown, Rock Falls and us. I would be disappointed if our boys don’t make state.”

Traditionally, those three schools are on the bubble for state qualification and this year looks to be no different.

None have a standout runner and will rely on a strong pack from 1-5.

“Pack-wise, we ran well,” Warkins. “Our times were a little slow, but were not in the shape I want us to be. Part of it is my fault for missing the first week of practice from having Covid.”

Lucas Schaab paced the Comets with a 22nd place finish in 18:18. Lucas Simpson and Ken Boesen also cracked the 19-minute barrier.

Rock Falls got a 10th from sophomore Anthony Valdiva (17:38) and 15th from senior Jose Gomez ((17:57).

“Both the boys and girls are works in progress,” RF coach Mark Truesdell said. “We’re young and it’s going to take some time.”

E-P was paced by Charlie Link with a 17:59, good for 18th place. The boys made state last year and are planning on a return trip.

“We shortened our 1-5 gap and the mile splits were better for everyone,” said E-P coach Tom Green, who coaches the team with his wife Liz.

Enthusiasm in high in the program under the Greens with 28 runners out, more than most schools have, including state power Winnebago, which only has 19 total boys and girls.

“For us, success breeds success. We also have a good middle school program,” Green said.

Tommy Murray of Riverdale was individual champ out of 138 competitors and has his sights set on a state title. Riverdale and Rockford Christian took the top six spots.

“I’m really excited to beat Rockford Christian,” said Murray, who placed ninth downstate with a time of 15:17. “My goal this year is to run 14:45 at Detweiller (site of state meet).”

Though team scores weren’t kept, hypothetically, Riverdale would have edged RC 50-61, with RF taking fifth, Newman sixth and E-P eighth.

The top local finish was an eighth place by Elijah House (17:32 of Bureau Valley.

Polo got a 31st place from Carson Jones, with an 18:42. Ben Plachno was 69th at 20:17. Both runners got around 300 miles of training this summer. The two seniors only started running as sophomores when coach Tony Hardin started the program.

“Hopefully, both of us can make it to state as individuals,” Jones said.

On the girls side, Winnebago dominated with the top three individual places, but Rock Falls also made a name for themselves.

Kat Howard was fifth at 21:20, Hana Ford 6th at 21:24, Ariel Hernandez 12th at 22.11 and Brooke Howard 18th at 23:19.

“We’ve got some newer runners and getting the numbers built up from where we started,” Truesdell said.

Oregon sophomore Ella Dannhorn made it two top-10 finishes in a row with a 21:34, good for eighth.

“It wasn’t great. I felt awful,” Dannhorn said. “I tried to stick with the girls at the front, but couldn’t.”

Other locals finishing in the top 25 of the 110-girl field were Jillian Norman (23rd, 23:54) of E-P and Claire Crisham (24th, 23:58) of Newman.

Oregon had good balance with Abbie Ludwig, Natalie Tremble, Katelyn Bowers and Hadley Lutz finishing between 50th and 60th place. That would have placed the Hawks a respectable eighth out of 13 teams.

Polo got a 72nd from Kamryn Stockton and 75th from Ramsie Grenoble. Courtney Grobe, who was at a volleyball tournament, normally would have pushed those two girls for the No. 1 spot according to Hardin.

Hardin was excited to have 21 middle school runners competing that day. In all, over 800 middle school and high school runners were at Park West.

“It’s big deal for us to have that many and most are sixth or seventh grade,” Hardin said.