May 09, 2025
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Community to celebrate Downers Grove North boys cross county state championship Saturday night

By Bob Rakow
Downers Grove North’s Ryan Eddington, left, and Grant Schroder battle to the finish at the Naperville Twilight Cross Country meet at Naperville North High School on Wednesday night, October 4, 2023.

Downers Grove North’s Ryan Eddington, left, and Grant Schroder battle to the finish at the Naperville Twilight Cross Country meet at Naperville North High School on Oct 4. One month later, the Downers Grove North boys team won the state chamionship. (John Starks jstarks@dailyherald.)

The bus carrying the Downers Grove North High School 2023 state champion cross county team is expected to return to the community at 7 p.m. for a community celebration.

The IHSA state championship race was held today in Peoria. The school’s girls cross county team took second in state.

To welcome the teams home, the team bus will be escorted by police and fire vehicles for a victory cruise through Downers Grove.

Downers Grove residents are encouraged to line the streets and cheer for the winning athletes and coaches as they make their way towards Downers Grove North High School.

The parade will start at McCollum Park, 6801 Main St.

The route will proceed north on Main Street through downtown Downers Grove, past the front entrance of Downers Grove North High School and into the West Events entrance.

Following the victory parade, the school will hold a championship ceremony in the North High Commons. Coaches will make speeches, and the team will pose for photos with the state trophy. The girls team will also be honored.

β€œWe are so proud of the teams for this historic win and hard-earned success,” Courtney DeMent, Downers Grove North principal, said in a news release. β€œAs our community can attest, these students run hard every day and their perseverance has paid off with a state championship.”

The last time the boys cross country team last won a state championship was the 2017-18 school year.

Downers Grove