PEORIA – Individual performances highlighted local efforts in the 70th running of the Illinois state boys cross country meet Saturday at Detweiller Park.
In the Class 3A race, Minooka junior Soren Knudsen placed 11th, in 14:46 over the 3-mile course, to earn All-State honors for the first time.
“This is awesome,” Knudsen said. “During the middle of the season when I was dealing with injury issues, I never dreamed this could happen. It really hasn’t hit me yet.”
Knudsen started well and was in the top 20 for much of the race.
“I kept hearing coaches tell their runners what place they were, so I knew were I was,” Knudsen said. “With 1,200 meters to go, I knew I had to make a move. I didn’t come here not to be in the top 25 (All-State status). This is really a big steppingstone to the track season, and I can tell you there won’t be many races I lose in track.”
Knudsen is the son of former Lockport state champion Jim Knudsen, who won the cross country title in 1981.
Minooka led the area with a 16th-place team finish. Miguel Lomeli (87th, 15:25), Justin Tutt (112th, 15:32), Jack Sullivan (139th, 15:47) and Cody Hoshell (145th, 15:50) were next best.
“Soren is a very smart runner and has confidence the latter part of any race,” Minooka coach Kevin Gummerson said. “He is so fit and is as tough as nails. I’m really happy with how the team performed today. We got out well and had nothing to lose.”
Plainfield North, making its first team appearance, finished 18th. The Tigers were led by the 36th-place finish of senior Jack Sebok in 14:57. Brendan McGath (100th, 15:29), Omar Paramo (123rd, 15:38), James Suchy (127th, 15:40) and Ethan Prior (129th, 15:41) were next best for North.
Raul Rosendo led Joliet Central with a time of 15:22 to finish 81st, as the Steelmen ended up in 25th place. Next for Central was Andre Martinez (150th, 15:52).
Other top finishers in Class 3A were Plainfield South’s Austin Brown (92nd, 15:26), Hunter Dyer (107th, 15:30) and Andy Bhatia (124th, 15:38), Joliet West’s Mario Scarcelli (131st, 15:41) and Lincoln-Way Central’s Nathan Coppens (151st, 15:54).
In the Class 2A race, Lincoln-Way West junior Evan Mitchell finished 15th in 15:01 to earn All-State honors. It was the first All-State accolades for the boys cross country team in school history.
“Finally,” Mitchell said. “This is such a great feeling. I’ve been working on this since my freshman year. The last half-mile I was hurting, but I knew I had to go. I’m going to enjoy this.”
“Everything worked out today, just as we planned,” West coach Jason Van Swol said. “Evan ran well, the weather cooperated and I’m so happy for him.”
In the Class 1A race, Seneca freshman Christopher Collett was 34th (15:45), while Gardner-South Wilmington senior Michael Mankowski placed 71st (16:17).