St. Joseph-Ogden Boys’ Cross-Country Team Qualifies for IHSA State Meet for Fourth Consecutive Year with Strong Finish at Cumberland Sectional
For the fourth consecutive year, St. Joseph-Ogden will send its full team to the IHSA Class 1A boys’ cross-country state meet.
The Spartans qualified on Saturday (Nov. 2) by placing second in the 21-school Cumberland Sectional held at Lake Land College, in Mattoon.
Jack Fisher was the SJ-O leader, running sixth in the 158-runner race. His 3-mile time was 15 minutes, 42.6 seconds.
The next five Spartans to cross the finish line did so within 21.2 seconds of each other.
The pack featured Colin Burnett (34th in 6:39.8), E.J. Beckett (42nd in 16:54.4), Eli Franklin (43rd in 16:55.0), Lance Retz (46th in 16:59.2) and Nate Farney (48th in 17:01.0).
Also competing at the sectional for SJ-O was Joe Griebat (71st in 17:37.1).
La Salette won the meet with 97 points. SJ-O and Urbana Uni High each tied for second with 152 points. The Spartans’ sixth runner (Farney) finished 24.4 seconds in front of Uni High’s No. 6 runner.
The top three schools at the sectional all participated in the same regional (at Tuscola) one week earlier.
SJ-O will return to action on Saturday (Nov. 9) in the IHSA state meet at Peoria’s Detweiller Park. The Class 1A boys’ race will begin at 10 a.m.
The state appearance for SJ-O in boys’ cross-country will be the 26th all-time.
