SJ-O boys cross country finishes second at Class 1A IHSA Sectional
By FRED KRONER
One week after St. Joseph-Ogden participated in a Class 1A boys’ cross-country regional that was regarded as one of the state’s best, the Spartans learned that the toughness of the field was warranted.
In the Saturday (Oct. 31) Decatur Sectional at Hickory Point Golf Course, the top four teams were – in the same order – the top four from the previous week at the regional.
All four schools are ranked among the top 16 in the final milesplit.com state poll.
The sectional team champion was ninth-ranked Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond (62 points) followed by 10th-ranked SJ-O (76 points), 11th-ranked Monticello (82 points), 16th-ranked Unity (120 points) and unranked Robinson (191 points).
In previous years, the top five schools would have qualified for the IHSA state finals. However, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has caused that meet to be canceled.
The sectional meet was the final race sponsored by the IHSA this season. SJ-O had qualified full teams for state in boys’ cross-country in six of the past seven seasons.
On Sunday, SJ-O learned it has received an invitation to compete in an unofficial Class 1A state meet sponsored by ShaZam Racing on Friday (Nov. 6) at Chillicothe.
SJ-O’s scoring runners (the team’s top five finishers) at the sectional packed together within 25 seconds of one another, an even better split than at regional, when they were grouped within 40 seconds of each other.
Leading the way for the Spartans was Carson Maroon (12th in 16 minutes, 31.0 seconds). He was the first freshmen finisher at the sectional.
Just behind him were junior Charlie Mabry (14th in 16:37.0), senior Brandon Mattsey (15th in 16:37.1), senior Logan Wolfersberger (19th in 16:43.6) and junior Elijah Mock (25th in 16:56.6).
The other two SJ-O entrants were both close to finishing in the top one-third of the field of 118 competitors.
Junior Luke Stegall was 40th (17:29.8) and freshman Spencer Wilson (44th in 17:34.2).
The split between the top seven at sectionals for the Spartans was 1:03, an improvement from a week earlier (when the regional was run at the same course). The top-seven gap at regional was 1:19.
“The men and women performed when it mattered most,” SJ-O coach Jason Retz said. “The men had a great 25-second 1-5 split to finish second.
“They are hoping in one more week they will be able to close the gap on the team in front of them. Both groups plan on finishing their seasons Friday at the ShaZam meet; a great opportunity to run against the top 1A teams in the state.
“I know both are excited to have that opportunity.”
