Let’s go bananas because it’s time for the boys and girls cross country 3A state meet at Detweiler Park in Peoria on a rainy Saturday. For the boys, Naperville North, Central, and Neuqua Valley make their team appearances while Ian French from Metea runs in as an individual. For the girls Naperville Central, North, and first qualifier Waubonsie Valley bring in their squads while Neuqua Valley has individuals competing for new PR times along with Metea Valley’s Kaylee Russell making an individual appearance. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Naperville North runners compete for allstate
We start with the girls race and they’re off. It’s a tight pack to start things off but as we get into it Barrington sophomore Mia Sirois begins to pull away in the top spot as a pack forms behind her. During the race Naperville North’s Emma Berres and Rianna Tandon stay next to each other while Naperville Central Lola Satre-Morales and Waubonsie’s Mia Bertolini stay in the middle of the pack followed by Shania Tandon catching up.
Halfway through Sirois has nobody in sight and sees nothing but an open course. Berres and Rianna Tandon keep their pace going in the top 15.
Barrington wins the girls cross country state championship
Coming to the finish line, Sirois cruising to a new course record with a time of 15 minutes and fifty-three seconds. Berres is the area’s top finisher for the girls at 13th while Rianna Tandon takes fifteenth followed by Shania in 24th to earn All-State. Barrington is your girls 3A state champion by one point over York with Downers Grove North in third place. Naperville North finishes the meet in seventh place.
Up next is the boys and Downers Grove North comes in as defending champs and is searching for a second straight title. The pack is tight early but quickly separates starting with Joe Bregenzer from Barrington taking charge over New Triers Ben Crane. Naperville Central’s Patrick Clune and Manny Nejera are hanging out in the middle of the pack along with Naperville North’s Ammar Bhanpuri. Bregenzer and Crane are still in front ahead of Plainfield South’s Dylan Maloney. Downers Grove North’s Grant Schroder and Phillip Cupial are not too far behind.
Downers Grove North runs to another Cross Country state championship
Near the two-mile mark, it’s Crane who jumps first and he does not look back from there. To the finish line comes Crane who wins the race with a time of 14 minutes and three seconds. Schroder, Bregenzer, and Cupial follow along with Maloney and Plainfield North’s Quinn Davis. Naperville Central’s Patrick Clune takes 26th, the top runner for our area boys and the season ends with Downers Grove North repeating as 3A boys’ cross-country state champions.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
