Local High School Runners Qualify for State

Several area high school cross-country teams will be headed to state next weekend.

The Neuqua Valley boys cross-country team won the West Aurora sectional Saturday with five of its runners placing in the top 10. Other teams that will be advancing to state following the West Aurora sectional include: Plainfield North High School, St. Charles East, Marimon Academy and Naperville Central.

Keagan Smith, a senior for Huntley High School, won Saturday’s race with a time of 15:29.13, and has qualified for state. Neuqua Valley’s Aidan Livingston, a senior, finished in second with a time of 15:31 while his teammate, Scott Anderson, a junior, came in third,with a time of 15:32.

Other individuals to qualify for state include:, Seth Conroy, senior, Huntley, fifth place with a time of 15:38; Bennett Peterson, junior, Oswego, eighth place, 15:39; Dylan Zangri, junior, Oswego East, 15th place with a time of 15:53; Mike Grocholski, senior, Huntley, 16th place with a time of 15:54; David Galvan, senior, Aurora East, 17th place with a time of 15:54; and Emerson King, junior, Naperville North, 18th place with a time of 15:55.

Area girls also fared well at Saturday’s sectional with several now heading to state next weekend.

The Naperville North girls cross-country team took home the sectional championship. Other teams headed for state include: Batavia, Geneva, Neuqua Valley, Oswego and Metea Valley.

Judy Pendergast, a senior at Naperville North, won the race with a time of 16:50.78. McKenzie Altmayer, a senior at Geneva High, came in second with a time of 17:18 while Sarah Schmitt, a sophomore at Naperville North, came in third with a time of 17:37.

Individuals who have qualified for state include: Audrey Ernst, a sophomore at St. Charles North, who placed fifth at the sectional meet with a time of 17:46; Rachael Lau, senior, Plainfield North, 9th place with a time of 18:00; Juliana Stogsdill, freshman, Plainfield North, 10th place with a time of 18:03; Madison Kaufmann, junior at St. Charles North, 11th place with a time of 18:03; Megan Patton, sophomore at Plainfield North, 22nd place with a time of 18:33; Rachel Huwe, senior from Harlem High School, 23rd place with a time of 18:34; and Alana Austin, junior at Naperville Central, 25th place with a time of 18:34.

The state cross-country finals will be held on Nov. 7 at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

For a full list of qualifiers from the West Aurora sectional, and other area sectionals, visit the IHSA website.