Fueled by a season-best 1:34 split between all-sectional Macy Dick and their No. 5 finisher and 1:39 to their No. 7 finisher, Oswego East placed fifth at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional and advanced to the state meet for the third straight year with a top-seven finish.

Yorkville junior Owen Horeni, who took second at the Class 3A Minooka Regional, leading Yorkville to second place as a team to qualify for sectionals, is the Record Newspapers Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is his Q&A with Joshua Welge.

Maya Ledesma ran a Channahon Community Park course record, her 40-second win leading Minooka's girls to the Southwest Prairie Conference team championship. In the boys race, Plainfield South's Dylan Mahoney repeated as champion and Plainfield North edged South for the team title.

Led by All-Staters Evan Nosek and David Valkanov, Kaneland's boys placed fourth at the Class 2A state cross country meet on Saturday. Also at state, Sandwich sophomore Sunny Weber was third in Class 2A with a school record time and Yorkville's girls took ninth as a team.

Dylan Maloney ran a Channahon Community Park course record to lead Plainfield South's boys team to the Southwest Prairie Conference cross country title, while Yorkville edged Minooka for the girls championship and Oswego East's Morgan Dick won the girls race.

Gallery

Varsity girls and boys finish ahead of the rain in the Southwest Prairie Conference cross country meet in Channahon.

It was a special night for Downers Grove North at the 2023 Naperville Twilight Cross Country Invitational.

The boys cross country season is underway. Here are previews of teams from around the Record Newspapers coverage area.

Oswego East senior and Bradley commit Parker Nold, who took second place at regionals and sectionals and eighth place for his second straight top 10 finish at state, is the Record Newspapers boys cross country Athlete of the Year.