BY FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
Eighth-grader Zach Ruwe captured a regional championship on Saturday in the Class 1A IESA race at St. Thomas More.
Ruwe was timed in 11 minutes, 57 seconds for the 2-mile course. He finished 23 seconds in front of the runner-up.
He will have plenty of familiar company at state as he tries to improve upon his 33rd-place state finish in 2018.
The entire Heritage team advanced, thanks to a second-place team finish.
The Hawks’ other regional placers were eighth-grader Aidan Ashbrook (11th in 12:40.8), eighth-grader Ethan Meneely (13th in 12:5.7), eighth-grader Lukas Carey (16th in 12:56.1), seventh-grader Hunter Montgomery (27th in 13:31.8), eighth-grader Cohen Sands (55th in 14:50.8) and sixth-grader Anthony Happ (56th in 14:54.0).
The meet champion was Champaign St. Matthew with 53 points. Heritage accumulated 67 points and the third team-qualifier from the St. Thomas More site, Bement, had 105 points.
Other squad members on the nine-member Heritage state roster are sixth-grader Eli Denmark-Collins and fifth-grader Clark Roland.
The boys’ Class 1A state race will be Saturday at Maxwell Park, in Normal, starting at 10:15 a.m.
There is no charge for admission, but there is a $5 parking fee.
Heritage girls’ cross-country
Eighth-grader Lillian Montgomery will be the Hawks’ lone representative in Saturday’s Class 1A IESA state meet.
Montgomery secured one of the individual berths from Saturday’s regional at St. Thomas More, placing second with a 2-mile time of 13 minutes, 31.4 seconds.
Three other Heritage runners participated at the regional: Madisyn Wilson (42nd in 17:08.3), Loran Tate (47th in 18:14.0) and Chaylea Fisher (51st in 18:48.9).
The Hawks didn’t have enough runners to be scored as a team.
Montgomery will run at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at Maxwell Park, in Normal.
There is no charge for spectator admission, but there is a $5 parking fee.
Villa Grove Boys’ cross-country
Seventh-graders Lukas Shadwick and Kurt Zimmerman earned Class 1A state-meet berths based on their performances in Saturday’s IESA regional meet at St. Thomas More.
Shadwick placed 10th (12 minutes, 37 seconds) and Zimmerman ran 12th at regional (12:44.5).
As a team, Villa Grove placed sixth. The top three schools received automatic berths at state.
Other Blue Devil competitors at regional were: Jackson Gilles (23rd in 13:23.2), Chase White (28th in 13:32.8), Anthony Burnett (80th in 19:35.2) and Owen Kneer (81st in 20:34.2).
Shadwick and Zimmerman will compete at state at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday at Maxwell Park, in Normal.
There is no charge for spectator admission, but there is a $5 parking fee.
Villa Grove Girls’ cross-country
The Blue Devils have two qualifiers for the IESA Class 1A state meet.
Sixth-grader Hayden Thomas and fifth-grader Evalice Callison earned their spots during Saturday’s regional meet at St. Thomas More.
Thomas finished 16th in the 57-runner field with a 2-mile time of 14 minutes, 40.7 seconds. Callison came in 17th at 14:54.4.
Villa Grove narrowly missed qualifying its entire team for state.
The top three schools at each regional automatically advanced. The Blue Devils were fourth with 97 points. Third-place Urbana Uni High totaled 90 points.
Other VG competitors at the regional were: Eva Piercy (37th in 16:48.9), Maddie Wicklander (40th in 17:01.6), Nadia Callison (43rd in 17:18.9), Kennedy Hinds (44th in 17:24.0) and Lilly Davis (46th in 17:49.1).
Evalice Callison and Thomas will run at state on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Maxwell Park, in Normal.
Thomas will be participating at state for the second consecutive year. She was a member of Villa Grove’s 24th-place team in 2018.
There is no charge for spectator admission, but there is a $5 parking fee.
