Jack Fisher Leads St. Joseph-Ogden to Third-Place Finish at Patriot Invitational with Season-Best Time

By Fred Kroner

Jack Fisher ran a season-best 3-mile time on Saturday (Oct. 19), helping the St. Joseph-Ogden boys’ cross-country team to a third-place finish in the 34-school Patriot Invitational at Peoria’s Detweiller Park.

Fisher was the individual runner-up in 15:31.70.

The Spartans’ next five varsity runners entered the finish chute within 48 seconds of one another.

Colin Burnett was 27^th (16:28.30) and was followed by Nate Farney (37^th in 16:42.80), E.J. Beckett (39^th in 16:45.30), Eli Franklin (65^th in 17:09.60) and Lance Retz (73^rd in 17:16.40).

There were 284 finishers in the varsity race.

Meet champion Elmwood finished with 82 points and was followed by Notre Dame De LaSalette (103 points) and SJ-O (145 points).

In the boys’ junior varsity event, four SJ-O runners finished within 23 seconds of one another.

The Spartans placed eighth out of 14 schools which fielded full teams.

The SJ-O leaders were Henry McCannon (42^nd in 19:29.20), Hunter Dilley (45^th in a season-best 19:32.30), Mark Harbourt (46^th in 19:33.50) and Cyrus Zadeh (52^nd in 19:51.50).

The Spartans’ other JV participants were Sam Zadeh (74^th in 20:35.60), Nathan Hinkel (83^rd in 20:52.00) and Patrick Clark (130^th in 25:54.00).

SJ-O returns to action on Saturday (Oct. 26) In the IHSA Class 1A Regional at Tuscola’s Wimple Park.