Sauk Valley state cross country preview

Boys

Class 2A

The basics: Saturday at 10 a.m. at Detweiller Park in Peoria

Defending team champion: Marion

2023 individual champion: Marion sr. Dylon Nalley, 14:05.20

Local interest: Dixon – Dean Geiger, so., Aaron Conderman, sr., Keegan Shirley, jr., Averick Wiseman, so., Westin Conatser, jr., Hayden Fulton, sr., Brody Hopper, so. Rock Falls – Gabe Moyer, jr., Gunnar Damhoff, sr.

FYI: Dixon placed 19th as a team last year and returns six of its runners from last year’s state meet, led by Conderman’s 18th-place finish in 15:05.22. Geiger was 87th, Wiseman was 94th, Shirley was 169th, Conatser was 202nd and Fulton was 225th. Geiger is coming off an eighth-place finish in 15:23.39 at last week’s sectional meet; Conderman (15:33.43) was 11th, Shirley (15:40.08) was 16th, Wiseman (15:52.31) was 22nd and Conatser (16:02.48) was 30th.

The Dukes won a regional title and the Big Northern Conference title.

Rock Falls’ Moyer is making his state cross country debut coming off a 20th-place finish in 15:50.66 in the sectional round. Damhoff is also making his debut after taking 28th in 15:58.86.

Class 1A

The basics: Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at Detweiller Park in Peoria

Defending team champion: Tuscola

2023 individual champion: Benton sr. Gavin Genisio, 14:12.56

Local interest: Oregon – Daniel Gonzalez, jr.

FYI: Gonzalez is making his state cross country debut after running a personal best 16:31.9 to take 17th at last week’s sectional. He is Oregon’s first boys state cross country qualifier since Ian Hussung in 2017. Hussung took 55th that year in 16:02.

Girls

Class 2A

The basics: Saturday at 11 a.m. at Detweiller Park in Peoria

Defending team champion: Glenwood

2023 individual champion: Lincoln sr. Becca Heitzig, 16:34.75

Local interest: Dixon – Kamryn Rogers, jr. Rock Falls: Ariel Hernandez, sr.

FYI: Hernandez took 34th in a personal record of 18:12.84 at last year’s state meet. She took eighth at the sectional last week after clocking a season-best 18:20.41. Rogers is making her state debut for Dixon after a 22nd-place finish in a season-best 18:45.54 at the sectional. Her PR was an 18:35.8 last season.