By Michael Newman

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The 1A meets will kick off the state meet next Saturday. If Saturday’s sectional results are any indication, the first two races at Detweiller Park should be exciting. Here is a look at each of the 5 1A sectional meets that took place throughout Illinois.

Decatur St. Teresa Sectional @ Hickory Point GC, Decatur

This meet has been tabbed as the best 1A sectional meet of the weekend. It failed to disappoint the expectations of some. Anna Sophia Keller (St. Teresa HS, Decatur) turned in a spectacular performance in winning the Girls individual race. The defending state champion ran a solo 16:43 to win the individual title. She won by 37 seconds ahead of Arielle Summitt (Urbana University HS). Summitt’s teammate Annemarie Michael was only nine seconds back in third place.

Top ranked St. Joseph-Ogden upheld their top status in 1A winning the team championship. Led by the eighth place finish by freshman Faith Houston, the Spartans ran a 58 second split on their first five runners to score 84 points. Defending 1A champion #3 St. Teresa finished second with 105 points. The Bulldogs placed three runners in the first 13 led by the 4^th place finish by Lauren Evelti. It was close for the next two positions. #5 Monticello was paced by a seventh place finish by Madison Tutich to finish third with 117 points. #6 Urbana University was two points back in fourth pushed by the 2-3 finish by Summitt and Michael. #8 Tolono Unity placed fifth with 134 points behind the 5-9 finish by Nicole Bagwell and Taylor Renfroe.

Jon Davis (Oakwood HS, Fithian) did not play around in the Boys Sectional race. He made a statement winning the sectional title not being pushed in 14:43. The defending state champion’s margin of victory was 40 seconds ahead of Curtis Reed (Mt. Zion HS) and Eric Ponder (Tuscola HS).

#1 Monticello tuned up for next week’s state meet putting 5 runners in the first 21 to win the team title with 48 points. The five runner split between first runner Matt Norvell (5^th) and fifth runner Will Montgomery (21^st) was only 34 seconds. #7 Shelbyville was a “small” surprise finishing second with 73 points. Marcus Skinner placed fourth overall to lead his team. The split on their first five runners was 57 seconds. Their 2-5 split was only 23 seconds.

#2 Tolono Unity finished third with 83 points only ten behind Shelbyville. Andrew Warnes’ sixth place finish led Unity’s 49 second split on their first five. Brennan Guido finished ninth to help #11 St. Joseph-Ogden qualify for state by finishing fourth with 113 points. #21 Urbana University was a bit of a surprise taking the final qualifying spot with 190 points. They finished ahead of sixth place #16 Robinson and seventh place #13 Paxton-Buckley-Loda.

Elmwood Sectional @ Maple Lane GC, Elmwood

Defending 1A champion #3 Elmwood placed four runners in the first eleven to win their own sectional with 60 points. Matt Osmulski and Nate Herridge led Elmwood with a 4-5 finish. Their split on the first five runners was only 63 seconds. #10 Rochester return to the state meet after finishing second with 99 points.

Tyler Johnson (Pleasant Plains HS) won the individual race in 15:23. He was a second ahead of second place Hunter Cobbley (El-Paso Gridley HS). Michael Gleason (Rochester HS) was four seconds back in third place. Johnson’s individual win helped #12 Pleasant Plains capture the third qualifying position with 135 points. #24 Stanford Olympia finished fourth with 158 points behind the sixth place finish by Connor Stine. Cobbley’s second place finish helped El Paso-Gridley take the fifth and final spot with 181 points. #14 Tremont finished sixth missing qualifying by five points.

#2 Petersburg PORTA had a 1-2 finish by Maria Brauer and Anna Tamborski along with a 6^th place finish by Adrienne Brauer. That was enough to give the Bluejays the sectional championship with 60 points. Maria Brauer showed that she was ready for a run at a top spot at next week’s state meet. The junior ran 17:38 to win the individual race by 36 seconds ahead of teammate Tamborski. #4 Rochester finished second with 85 points behind the 10^th place finish by Madeline Campbell.

#10 Rock Island Alleman scored 128 points to finish third. #14 Elmwood-Brimfield finished fourth on their home course scoring 138 points. Monmouth-Roseville was a surprise taking the fifth qualifying spot 171-177 ahead of sixth place #11 Eureka.

Oregon Sectional @ Oregon Park West

The other featured match up on the 1A sectional landscape was at this meet between three of the top 1A Boys teams in the state. #4 Rockford Christian had visions of a state championship at the beginning of the season. Those visions got a little brighter after Saturday’s race. Led by the individual win by Nick Monkemeyer, the Royal Lions placed 5 runners in the top 23 to win the sectional championship with 75 points. Their overall split on five runners was 56 seconds but only 13 seconds on their second through fifth runners.

Monkemeyer won the individual title but just barely running 16:03 to edge Al Baldonado (Hall HS, Spring Valley). Brayden Hamblen (Rock Falls HS) was three seconds back in third place.

#5 Winnebago finished second with 94 points behind the 5-6 finish of Nathan Smith and Nathan Ambrose. Winnebago had a 60 second split on their five runners. #6 Johnsburg was another ten points back in third place with top ten finishes by Matt Stelmasek (8^th) and Noah Miller (10^th). #8 Sterling Newman Catholic qualified for state finishing fourth with 113 points. #19 Galva Mid-County captured the final qualifying spot scoring 152 points behind the seventh place by Ethan Stanley.

#9 Annawan-Wethersfield placed two runners in the top eleven and 5 runners in the first 29 to win the Girls Sectional title with 75 points. Kirstie Ramsey led the Flyin’ Geese with an individual win. Ramsey’s time of 18:47 was 11 seconds faster than second place Abigail Jones (Marian Central HS, Woodstock). Senior Kaitlyn Cline helped Wethersfield placing 11^th. #13 Seneca finished second with 109 points led by the third place finish by Eva Bruno. #18 Woodstock Marian continues their state surge finishing third with the second place finish by Jones. Marian’s 2-5 split in the race was only 17 seconds. #17 Henry-Senachwine was a solid fourth scoring 134 points. #23 Winnebago took the final spot scoring 157 points to place fifth. #15 Illinois Valley Central finished sixth with 174 points failing to advance.

Edwardsville Metro-East Lutheran Sectional @ SIU-Edwardsville

Red Bud’s Keri Burmester was in control in the Girls Individual race. The junior won the race in 19:12. She was 23 seconds behind her teammate Deana Deterding. Just like the two Red Bud runners had control individually, so did #7 Freeburg in the team competition. The Lady Midgets placed 5 runners in the first 23 to win the team championship with 57 points. They were led by the 7-8 finish by Ashley Gilmore and Emily Marler.

#19 Herrin finished second behind the 3-4 finish by Kara Martin and Maura Farrell. There was a gap of 82 points between second and third places. After that it was very cozy. Red Bud makes the trip to the state meet behind their front runners Burmester and Deterding. They were only 1 point ahead of fourth place #22 Carterville who had 178 points. Murphysboro earned the fifth and final qualifying spot with 189 points. Belleville Althoff finished sixth and missed qualifying by three points.

It was all #9 Freeburg in the Boys race. The Midgets placed 5 runners in the first 15 to easily win the team championship with 38 points. Their split of 36 seconds was led by the 4-5 finish of Alex Mack and Charlie Parrish. Nashville was a distant second with 105 points led by the 7^th place finish by Freshman Brandon Schnitker. Sparta had a six second split between their first three runners. That was good enough to get them third place with 156 points. Pinckneyville finished fourth only five points behind Sparta. It’s always all hands on deck for Fairfield since they only run five runners in their races. Corbin Kakac won the individual race to lead tiny Fairfield to 167 points for the final qualifying spot. Murphysboro finished sixth missing qualifying for the state meet by five points. Kakac won the individual race by 14 seconds ahead of Harrison Thomas (Carterville HS).

Lisle Sectional @ Community Park, Lisle

#25 Westmont bounced back from their third place regional finish by placing three runners in the first six to win the Boys sectional race with Nick Dea, Anthony Alessi, and Mitch Perrotta leading the way. Montini Catholic joined their Girls team, who qualified in 2A, at the state meet by finishing second with 135 behind Tyler Pacana’s eighth place. Beecher finished third only one point behind Montini. Harvest Christian Academy and Peotone were the other two qualifying teams. Tanner Chada (Aurora Christian HS) won the individual race in 16:17. He was 12 seconds ahead of second place Brandon Wilkerson (Tri-Point, Cullom).

Chicago Christian placed 4 runners in the first 21 to win the Girls team championship with 81 points. Westmont finished second with 107 points. It was the first time in the school’s history that both the Boys and Girls teams qualified for the state meet. Harvest Christian Academy finished third only one point behind Westmont. Clifton Central and Willows Academy were the other two qualifying teams.

Daly Galloway (Gardner-South Wilmington HS) tuned up for next week’s state meet easily winning the individual race. Her time of 18:37 was 29 seconds ahead of second place Isabella Wolke (Christian Liberty Academy, Arlington Heights).