• FIRST TEAM
Ian Barnes, Cary-Grove, jr.
Barnes was an All-Area second-team selection as a sophomore and built on that with another strong season this fall. He finished third in the Fox Valley Conference Meet (behind Crystal Lake Central’s Tommy Landt and Karson Hollander). Barnes took third in the Class 3A Grant Regional and was 26th in the Hoffman Estates Sectional.
Luke Chaffin, Marengo, sr.
Chaffin repeated as the Kishwaukee River Conference champion and was unbeaten in the KRC races this season. In one of Chaffin’s best races, he was third at the Class 2A Belvidere Regional, finishing behind Marian Central’s Peter Walsdorf and Crystal Lake Central’s Karson Hollander. He finished the season taking 12th at the Lakes Sectional. Chaffin was an All-Area second-team pick last year.
Karson Hollander, Crystal Lake Central, soph.
Hollander had an outstanding sophomore season for the Tigers, who lost one dual as a team, to Jacobs, and won the FVC Meet, the Class 2A Belvidere Regional and the Lakes Sectional. Hollander was second in the conference, regional and sectional meets, leading the Tigers to their first sectional championship since 1996.
Tommy Landt, Crystal Lake Central, sr.
Landt’s finish to his senior season was heroic, as he ran with a stress reaction and right ankle sprain to take 24th at the Class 2A Lakes Sectional Meet, helping the Tigers win the team title. Had he not gutted it out, they would have lost. Teammates Danny Hamill and Austin May helped Landt walk over to the ceremony when they were awarded the team plaque. Landt’s injury eventually became a stress fracture after that race. He missed the Belvidere Regional to save whatever he had for the sectional. Landt had a remarkable senior season, going from a little-known runner to someone who dominated FVC races and won the conference title.
Peter Walsdorf, Marian Central, sr.
Walsdorf won the East Suburban Catholic Conference title by 8 seconds, won the Class 2A Belvidere Regional by 31 and the Lakes Sectional by 38. His domination led to his selection as the Northwest Herald Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. He is the lone repeat selection to the All-Area first team from a year ago. He was an honorable-mention pick as a sophomore.
• SECOND TEAM
Andrew Doetsch, Jacobs, jr.
Will Gelon, Prairie Ridge, fr.
Danny Hamill, Crystal Lake Central, jr.
Connor Maloney, Jacobs, sr.
Aidan Schleutermann, Woodstock, sr.
• HONORABLE MENTION
Yusuf Baig, Burlington Central, jr.
Aidan Gonzalez, Hampshire, jr.
Jack Hansen, Woodstock, sr.
Austin May, Crystal Lake Central, sr.
Carlos Montes, McHenry, sr.
Isai Morales, Hampshire, sr.
Thomas Patel, Huntley, sr.
Robert Perry, Burlington Central, jr.
Mitchell Ruffin, Jacobs, jr.
Zach Secor, Marengo, sr.