Illinois High School XC Mid-Week Highlights - September 4, 2025

Photo: Marlie Czarniewski of Plainfield North rolled to a 67 second win Tuesday at the Plainfield City Championships (Dominick Gramarosso Photo Credit)

By Michael Newman

The first two weeks of the schedule for the IHSA Illinois High School Cross-Country season has a smattering of good meets to get their teams ready for the season. While many teams will show their cards this Saturday, there have been some eye-opening performances throughout the state, Here are highlights of some of those meets.

Plainfield City Championships @ Plainfield North High School – The Boys race was more like a dual meet. The Girls meet was one team ahead of three others. The Boys race came down to crosstown rivals #1 Plainfield North and #5 Plainfield South. Plainfield raced at Neuqua Valley last Saturday. Plainfield South was at Normal West but did not run their top seven last Saturday. It would not matter. It came down to a great race to open the season. Plainfield South held off Plainfield North 27-28 to win the city championship. Plainfield Central (94 points) and Plainfield East (103 points).

It was pack running that helped the Cougars win this meet. Plainfield North took the first two places with Thomas Czerwinski (14:39) and Aidan Connors (14:40) captured the first two places. Plainfield South captured the next four positions with Dylan Buturusis (14:50), Alex Batsala (14:56), Austin Cory (14:59), and Kellen Hernandez (15:03) coming across the line within 13 seconds of each other. The Tigers brought their third and fourth runners across the line with Dominic Frigo (15:04) and James Maso (15:06) within two seconds of each other. Ethan Ensign sealed the win for Plainfield South placing ninth (15:15). Gavin Hall ran 15:25 to finish tenth for Plainfield North. Plainfield South ended up with a 25 second spread on their top five on this day. Plainfield North had a 46 second spread among their top five runners.

It was all #6 Plainfield North in the Girls race with the tigers winning the first six places with 15 points. Plainfield South (56 points) and Plainfield Central (66 points) finished second and third with Plainfield East not scoring. Marlie Czarniewski dominated this race for the Tigers running 18:02 to win the race. Tessa Russo crossed the line behind her teammate 68 seconds later to run 19:10 to finished second with teammates Ayla Czarniewski (19:16), Emaan Hussain (19:25), Zeta Zbroszczyk and Ireland Hockman who both ran 19:31 to finish fifth and sixth. Alexandria Sinclair of Plainfield South was the first non-Plainfield North to finish as she ran 19:32 to place seventh. Olivia Enger of Plainfield North ran 19:20 to win the Freshman/Sophomore with her sister Laurel Enger one second behind (19:21). If the two ran in the Varsity race, they would have been the team’s fourth and fifth runners.

Sycamore Invitational @ NIU XC Course, DeKalb – Perfect conditions welcomed the runners entered on the Northern Illinois XC Course. 2A #1 Dixon was invited to compete, but only the Girls team raced. An anticipated early season battle with two of the top 2A runners Thomas Jochum of Glenbard South and Carson Kaiser of Kaneland never materialized with Kaiser and some of top runners running. Jochum had the lead from the start passing the first mile in 4:49 and cruised from there running 15:06 for the individual win. 2A #27 Glenbard South claimed the first three places and five runners in the top 32 to win the team title with 45 points. 2A #20 Kaneland, not with their full lineup, scored 64 points to finish second ahead of Sycamore (94 points) and Wheaton Academy (130 points) to finish third and fourth. Gaincarlo Pietrasanta of Glenbard South ran 15:53 to finish second 47 points behind Jochum. South’s Evan Rubinas ran 16:28 to finish third ahead of Daniel Gonzalez of Oregon (16:41) and Liam Berry of Sycamore (16:54).

2A #15 Wheaton Academy placed 5 runners in the top 22 to easily win the Girls team title scoring 34 points. Sycamore (78 points) and DeKalb (84 points) finished second and third. Addie Painter of Wheaton Academy ran 19:25 to hold off Alex Schweiber of DeKalb (19:33) and Daniela Lovett of Dixon (19:39) to win the Girls individual race.

Peoria Notre Dame Irish Opener @ Donovan Park – This was an early season quad meet that featured four central Illinois ranked teams. We should see all four teams this November at Detweiller Park. Tuesday, they raced on the hilly terrain of Donovan Park on the west side of Peoria. 2A #6 Peoria Notre Dame placed 5 runners in the top 9 on their home course to score only 23 points for the team win. 1A #2 Eureka finished second with 54 points followed by 2A #13 Metamora (69 points) and 1A #1 Elmwood (80 points). Maxwell Kirby started his season on his home 5k course running 16:51 to win by eight seconds ahead of Metamora’s Zach Born (16:59). Joshua Stedwell of PND finished third (17:22) with teammate Luke Fady finishing fourth (17:22). Elmwood’s Aiden Faulkner finished fifth (17:25). The top five spread for the Itish was 54 seconds.

It was close in the Girls race as 1A #7 Eureka placed 5 runners in the top 9 to score 27 points to hold off 2A #18 Peoria Notre Dame who scored 30 points. The Irish placed 5 runners in the top 11. PND was led by freshman Lillian Chaddock who ran 20:05 for the individual win. Her teammate Shannon Zopel ran 21:03 to finish second. Eureka claimed the next four places with Reagan Gerber finishing third (21:20) followed by Ava Otto (21:22). Sophia Watson (21:26), and Sierra Hermann (21:36 who were separated by just 16 seconds.

Jacksonville Kickoff Meet @ Community Park, Jacksonville – 3A State qualifier Quincy opened their season placing 5 runners in the top 14 to score 28 points. Troy Triad (38 points) and Petersburg PORTA (83 points) finished second and third. Kade Parker of PORTA ran 15:37 on the 2.9-mile course to win the individual race seven seconds ahead of Quincy’s Charles Ray (15:44). Teammates Gavin Slee (16:02) and Blake Anders (16:04) finished third and fourth. The Blue Devils top five spread in this race was 85 seconds.

Peyton Kuhl of Quincy ran 18:26 to hold off Millie Schumacher of Jacksonville (18:27) to win the Girls Individual race. Maggie Zimmerman of PORTA (18:24) and Emberlie Goins of Troy Triad (19:32) finished third and fourth. Troy Triad scored 39 points for the win ahead of Quincy (51 points) and Jacksonville (76 points) finished second and third.

Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Invitational @ Midland Golf Course, Kewanee – Emily Downing of Cambridge easily won the Girls Individual race with a 18:08 time. Emily King of Knoxville placed second (18:46) ahead of Dusti King from Stark County (18:58), Alyssa Higgins of Knoxville (19:01), and Cheyenh Smith of Stark County (19:15). Geneseo scored 56 points in winning the team title ahead of 1A #29 Stark County (74 points) and Knoxville (85 points). Evan Knobloch of Stark County ran away with the Boys individual race as he ran 16:04 for the win. Henley Bourne of Geneseo and Hunter Keyster of Princeville both ran 16:31 to finish second and third. Geneseo put 3 runners in the top 9 to push their squad to the Boys team win (50 points) ahead of 1A #22 Sherrard (62 points) and Rock Island Alleman (83 points).

Art Campbell Lake County Invitational @ Waukegan Sports Park – This Wednesday afternoon meet showed off the top teams in the northeast corner of Illinois. Lakes Community scored 95 points to edge 2A #13 Lake Forest (100 points) to win the Girls county title. Libertyville (123 points), Vernon Hills (126 points), and Mundelein Carmel (137 points) rounded out the top five teams. Pilar Rosales of Lake Forest 18:59 for the Girls individual win with Juliet Bing of Carmel finishing second (19:12). Estella Ollinger of Vernon Hills (19:24), Madison Peterson of Grayslake North (19:25), and Violet Rowe of Grayslake Central (20:05) were part of the top five individuals. Lakes Community ended placing 5 runners in the top 36 (6-14-15-24-36) while Lake Forest placed their top five runners in the top 33 (1-19-20=27-33).

#14 Libertyville placed 4 runners in the top 10 to win the Boys team title with 50 points. 2A #9 Vernon Hills was second (64 points) followed by #28 Barrington (89 points) and Mundelein (103 points). Adan Cordova of Grayslake Central ran 15:42 for the win ahead of Elijah Mendoza of Mundelein (15:50) and Bryant Lester of Vernon Hills (15:54). Libertyville was led by Taylor Rihm (15:59) and Filip Vojvodic (16:02) finished fourth and fifth. Thomas Chudy (16:21) and Jack Steefe (16:26) were next for the Tigers finishing ninth and tenth. Their fifth runner was Marcello Prinz who finished 22^nd (16:44). Libertyville’s top five spread in that race was 45 seconds.

Murphysboro Invitational @ Murphysboro High School – 2A #16 Herrin was in full control of the Boys race placed 4 runners in the top 7, 5 runners in the top 13 to easily win with 30 points. Host 1A #12 Murphysboro was a close second scoring 57 points. 1A #7 Pinckneyville and Benton scored 139 points finishing third and fourth. Edward Garcia ran 15:20 on his home course to win the individual race by 46 seconds ahead of Herrin’s Nolan Frost (16:06) and Mason King (16:08). Murphysboro’s Jonathan Witzman placed fourth (16:14) ahead of Zion Wilkins of Carbondale (16:16). Herrin’s top five spread was 60 seconds.

Caroline Tepe of Okawville ran 18:38 for the in in the girls race. Sophie Krupa of Carbondale ran 19:21 to finish second ahead of Makayla Seiberg of Carmi-White County (19:25), and Murphysboro’s Harper Ellermeyer (19:31) and Ava Stuemke (20:47). Murphysboro edged 1A #21 Breese Mater Dei 73-77 for the Girls team title. Okawville (140 points), Vienna (143 points), and DuQuoin (152 points) rounded out the top five teams.