One Hawk to run at state cross country meet in Peoria

Oregon junior Daniel Gonzalez was the lone Hawk to advance to the 1A state cross country finals this Saturday in Peoria after running a personal best (16:32) to finish 17th at the 1A Alleman Sectional on Nov 2.

Gonzalez was the eighth individual out of 10 to advance to state from the sectional.

Two Big Northern Conference teams, Winnebago and Byron, qualified teams for the state meet finishing second and sixth.

Rockford Christian won the meet, followed by Winnebago, Kewanee (Wethersfield), Princeville, Rockford Lutheran, Byron, and Aledo (Mercer County). Runners from these teams will compete Nov. 9 at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

Winnebago’s Nicolai Martino won the race (15:16) and and Byron’s Tim Starwalt finished third (15:37).

Other results for Winnebago were: Aiden Vazquez (15:49), Joseph Erb Jr. (16:35), Hudson Pope (17:02), Daniel Hodgdon (17:08), Blake Linder (17:13), and Blake Inglima (18:31).

Other Byron results were: Michael Muzzarelli (17:04), Conner Welt (17:20), Braden Dietrich (17:49), Gavin Early (18:18), Micah Hilliker (18:26), and River Wygant (18:46).

The Hawks finished 19th as a team and Forreston-Polo followed finished in 15th place, but had no one qualify for the state final.

Other Oregon scores were: Caleb Brooks (18:29); Elliot Peeling (20:35); Aidan Guida (20:47); Tristyn Smith (21:06), and Josvaldo Montes-Arroyo (24:34).

Noah Genandt led Forreston-Polo (18:09) to finish in 72nd place. Other runners and their times were: Landon Graden (18:18); Taryn Heather (18:51); Kale Grobe (19:10), Kameron Grobe (19:10); Casen Grobe (19:14); and Eli Weilacher, (19:38)

In the girls race, Winnebago took first followed by Byron, Toulon (Stark County), Sherrard, Cambridge, Seneca and Genoa-Kingston.

Winnebago’s Molly Webb finished seventh (18:55) followed by Morgan Capriola (18:57), Svea Glidden (19:13), Ella Carlson (20:05), Ashlynn Robinson (20:14), Audra Mecum (20:52), and Emma Woolery (21:26).

Byron was led by Ashley Potter (19:19) in 15th place followed by Gabriella Northrup (20:31), Grace Burnes (20:37), Emma Franchi (20:41), Elinor McHale (20:44), Addison Helms (21:35), and Alayna Swanson (21:38).

Oregon finished 11th as a team, led by senior Ella Dannhorn’s 35-place finish in 20:35.

Other runners for Oregon were: Jillian Hammer (21:43), Christine Ramirez (22:23), Lorelai Dannhorn (22:29), Melanie Carrillo (23:44), Abbie Ludwig (24:17), and Madeline Rogers (24:32).

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Oregon's Daniel Gonzalez runs at the 1A Rock Island Cross Country Sectional on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island. (Earleen Hinton)