By Fred Kroner
For the 23rd time in school history, St. Joseph-Ogden has qualified its entire team for the IHSA Class 1A boys’ cross-country state meet.
The Spartans secured their latest advancement on Saturday (Oct. 30) by placing second in the 18-school Decatur Sectional at Hickory Point Golf Course.
Meet champion Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond had a team composite of 75 points. SJ-O was next with 87 points. Following the Spartans were Monticello (144 points), Decatur St. Teresa (152 points), Newton (160 points) and Shelbyville (200 points).
SJ-O’s lead pack of five runners completed the course within 47.57 seconds of one another.
Seniors Luke Stegall and Charlie Mabry were each top-10 placers in a race with 154 entries.
Stegall covered the 3-mile course in 16 minutes, 38.17 seconds and ended sixth. Mabry was eighth in 16:43.69.
Following their lead were junior Payton Wendell (21st in 17:09.48), senior Elijah Mock (27th in 17:19.62) and sophomore Carson Maroon (33rd in 17:25.74).
Junior teammate Ethan Blackburn was also less than a minute behind Stegall, ending 38th in 17:36.29.
Rounding out the SJ-O lineup was sophomore Aden Armstrong (43rd in 17:41.37).
The Spartans return to action at 10 a.m. on Saturday (Nov. 6) in the Class 1A state meet at Peoria’s Detweiller Park.
The state berth is the seventh for SJ-O under the tenure of coach Jason Retz.
