2026 Weekend Roundup: XC Season Week 3

FTTF 1A Invite

Writer: Brodie Peterson

Boys Teams: #1 Eureka, #2 East Dubuque, #3 Clinton, #4 Elmwood, #5 Chillicothe (Illinois Valley Central), #6 El Paso-Gridley, #8 Delavan, #9 Williamsville, #11 Edwardsville (Metro-East Lutheran), #13 Herscher, #15 Rockford Christian, #16 Roxana, #17 St. Joseph-Ogden, #18 Murphysboro, #19 Fairbury (Prairie Central), #20 Rockford Lutheran, #21 Toledo (Cumberland); Abingdon-Avon, Anna-Jonesboro, Argenta-Oreana, Auburn, Aurora Christian, Beecher, Biggsville (West Central), Bloomington (Cornerstone), Broadlands (Heritage), Byron, Cambridge, Canton, Carlinville, Cerro Gordo-Bement, Cullom (Tri-Point), Dakota, Decatur (St. Teresa), Dieterich, DuQuoin, Eldorado, Elmhurst (IC Catholic), Erie-Prophetstown, Farmington, Galva, Genoa-Kingston, Georgetown (La Salette Academy), Gillespie, Glasford (Illini Bluffs), Granville (Putnam County), Henry-Senachwine, Heyworth, Hinckley-Big Rock, Johnsburg, Kewanee (Wethersfield), Lawrenceville, Mackinaw (Deer Creek), Maroa-Forsyth, Maryville Christian, Monmouth-Roseville, Morrison, Mount Carroll (West Carroll), Mt. Sterling (Brown County), New Athens, Normal (Calvary Christian Academy), Oregon, Ottawa (Marquette), Peoria (Manual), Peoria Christian, Peoria Heights, Peru (St. Bede), Pleasant Plains, Port Byron (Riverdale), Princeville, ROWVA Williamsfield, Riverton, Rock Falls, Rock Island (Alleman), Rockford (Boylan), Sandwich, Seneca, Sherrard, Stanford Olympia, Steeleville, Stillman Valley, Stockton, Tolono (Unity), Toulon (Stark County), Tremont, Tuscola, West Prairie, Westmont, Winchester, Winnebago, Woodstock (Marian), Manteno

Girls Teams: #1 Eureka, #2 Winnebago, #4 Elmwood, #5 El Paso-Gridley, #6 Anna-Jonesboro, #10 Genoa-Kingston, #11 Pleasant Plains, #12 Williamsville, #14 St. Joseph-Ogden, #15 Port Byron (Riverdale), #17 Manteno, #18 Tremont, #19 Cambridge, #22 Clinton, #23 Roxana, #25 Tolono (Unity); Abingdon-Avon, Argenta-Oreana, Auburn, Aurora Christian, Beecher, Bloomington (Cornerstone), Broadlands (Heritage), Byron, Canton, Carlinville, Cerro Gordo-Bement, Cullom (Tri-Point), Dakota, Delavan, East Dubuque, Edwardsville (Metro-East Lutheran), Elmhurst (IC Catholic), Erie-Prophetstown, Fairbury (Prairie Central), Farmington, Galva, Gillespie, Glasford (Illini Bluffs), Henry-Senachwine, Herscher, Heyworth, Hinckley-Big Rock, Johnsburg, Kewanee (Wethersfield), Lawrenceville, Mackinaw (Deer Creek), Maroa-Forsyth, Marshall, Maryville Christian, Monmouth-Roseville, Morrison, Mount Carroll (West Carroll), Mt. Sterling (Brown County), Murphysboro, Nashville, New Athens, Normal (Calvary Christian Academy), Oregon, Ottawa (Marquette), Peru (St. Bede), Princeville, ROWVA Williamsfield, Rock Falls, Rock Island (Alleman), Rockford Lutheran, Rockford Christian, Sandwich, Seneca, Sherrard, Stanford Olympia, Stockton, Toulon (Stark County), Tuscola, West Prairie, Westmont, Winchester, Chillicothe (Illinois Valley Central)

Boys Individuals: #1 Cayden Bostic (Jr., Clinton), #2 Vinny Gullone (Jr., East Dubuque), #3 Grady Smith (Jr., Johnsburg), #4 Evan Knobloch (Jr., Toulon [Stark County]), #6 Adam Perry (So., Eureka), #7 Edgar Garcia (Sr., Murphysboro), #8 Coriell Green (Sr., Delavan), #9 Ryan Patrick (So., Williamsville), #10 Cameron Roedl (Sr., Toledo [Cumberland]), #12 Caden Hageman (Sr., Hinckley-Big Rock), #13 Blake Lindberg (Sr., Rockford Christian), #14 Caiden Cook (Sr., DuQuoin), #15 Weston Hodel (Jr., El Paso-Gridley), #16 Holden Gerdes (Sr., Fairbury [Prairie Central]), #17 Cole Cahill (So., Elmwood), #19 Danny Sharp (Jr., Elmwood), #25 Lucas Hollinshead (Sr., Williamsville); Clark Roland (Sr., Broadlands [Heritage]), Kyle Enke (Sr., Rockford Lutheran), Jacob Schoreder (Jr., Rockford Lutheran), Keegan OBrien (So., Maroa-Forsyth)

Girls Individuals: #4 Klarke Goranson (Jr., Manteno), #6 Dusti Smith (Sr., Toulon [Stark County]), #8 Joelle Wilson (Sr., Williamsville), #10 Jadyn Gerardi (Sr., Anna-Jonesboro), #13 Elyse Brinkmeyer (Jr., Delavan), #14 Molly Webb (Jr., Winnebago), #15 McKenna Beck (Fr., Clinton), #16 Ava Otto (Sr., Eureka), #17 Madeleine Fox (Sr., Marshall), #18 Ella Carlson (Sr., Winnebago), #19 Jana Vande Kemp (Sr., Cambridge), #20 Sophia Watson (Sr., Eureka), #21 Sierra Herrmann (Sr., Eureka), Bethany Sennett (Sr., Princeville); Audrey Dickinson (So., Glasford [Illini Bluffs]), Grace Bressner (Jr., St. Joseph-Ogden), 

Outlook: The boys field is loaded at the top, with the top four runners all legitimate contenders for the individual title. #1 Cayden Bostic of Clinton leads the way after a strong track season that included a 4:36 1600 and 9:39 3200. He’ll have to contend with #2 Vinny Gullone of East Dubuque, who comes in with a 9:26 3200 PR and a 15:08 finish at last year's 1A State XC Meet. #3 Grady Smith of Johnsburg will look to break up that matchup, while #4 Evan Knobloch of Stark County brings perhaps the strongest XC résumé of the group. Knobloch was second at last year's State Meet and followed that up with a 9:32 3200 this spring. #6 Adam Perry could be the biggest wildcard in the race. The Eureka sophomore ran 9:24.77 for 3200 this spring, showing that he has the track credentials to compete with anyone here. #7 Edgar Garcia, #8 Coriell Green, #9 Ryan Patrick, and #10 Cameron Roedl round out a very deep top ten. Green brings a 4:25 1600 PR, while Patrick and Roedl give their teams strong front-end scorers. With so many ranked runners together, expect the lead pack to stay large for much of the race before the real moves come late. The team race is just as deep. #1 Eureka enters with Adam Perry leading a talented group returning from last year's state championship squad. #2 East Dubuque has Vinny Gullone up front and plenty of depth behind him, while #3 Clinton will be hoping Cayden Bostic can provide a major advantage at the front. #4 Elmwood has two ranked individuals in Cole Cahill and Danny Sharp, while #5 IVC rounds out the top five. Behind them, #8 Delavan has #8-ranked Coriell Green, giving them an important low stick, while #9 Williamsville can put both Patrick and #25 Lucas Hollinshead into the mix. #6 El Paso-Gridley, #11 Herscher, #15 Rockford Christian, and #16 Roxana rounded out the top teams in the field. The depth is what makes this team race so interesting: Eureka and East Dubuque have strong overall groups, Clinton has the advantage of Bostic, and several teams behind them have enough individual talent to capitalize on any mistakes. The battle for the team title should remain unsettled well into the final runners.

The girls race has plenty of firepower as well, #6 Dusti Smith of Stark County is favorite after running 5:00 for 1600 and opening the XC season with a victory at IVC XC Invite. #8 Joelle Wilson of Williamsville also had a strong track season, lowering her PRs to 2:16 in the 800 and 5:16 in the 1600. #10 Jadyn Gerardi, #13 Elyse Brinkemeyer, and #14 Molly Webb will all look to join that group at the front. Webb is particularly interesting after reaching the 1A State Finals in the 1600 last spring. #15 McKenna Beck and #16 Ava Otto add two more ranked runners, with Otto coming off a 5:09 1600 and ninth-place finish at the 2A State Finals. #17 Madeleine Fox and #18 Ella Carlson will compete for the top ten, creating a deep group where the individual race could stay competitive until the final stretch. The team battle starts with #1 Eureka, which has three ranked individuals in Otto, #20 Sophia Watson, and #21 Sierra Herrmann. Herrmann also ran 11:19 for 3200 this spring, giving the Hornets plenty of strength at the longer distance. #2 Winnebago will be their biggest challenger, returning Webb and Carlson from last year's state championship team. #4 Elmwood and #5 El Paso-Gridley will try to stay close to the top two, while #6 Anna-Jonesboro has Gerardi leading their charge. #10 Genoa-Kingston, #11 Pleasant Plains, #12 Williamsville, #14 St. Joseph-Ogden, and #15 Riverdale finish up the top teams for this meet. Williamsville's Wilson gives them a potential low score, while Riverdale and St. Joseph-Ogden will be looking to use their depth to make up ground behind the leaders. With ten ranked teams in the field, this should be a race where every scoring position matters, and the team standings could change significantly between the fourth and fifth runners.

FTTF 2A Invite

Writer: Jackson Summy

Boys Teams: #2 Deerfield, #3 Aurora Central Catholic, #5 Morton, #6 Peoria Notre Dame, #7 Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South), #8 Normal University, #9 Maple Park (Kaneland), #10 Washington, #11 Crystal Lake Central, #12 Chicago (Latin), #13 Lemont, #14 Belvidere North, #17 Lombard (Montini), #19 Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge), #20 Sycamore, #22 Herrin, #23 Troy (Triad); Antioch, Arlington Heights (St. Viator), Aurora (Marmion Academy), Belvidere, Breese (Central), Carterville, Cary-Grove, Champaign (Centennial), Charleston, Chatham (Glenwood), Chicago (Northside), Chicago University, Danville, Dunlap, East Peoria, Effingham, Freeburg, Galesburg, Geneseo, Grayslake Central, Jacksonville, Jerseyville (Jersey), Joliet Catholic Academy, LaGrange Park (Nazareth), Lake Villa (Lakes), Macomb, Marengo, Metamora, Midlothian (Bremen), Morris, Mt. Zion, Normal Community West, Norridge (Ridgewood), Olney (Richland County), Ottawa, Palos Heights (Chicago Christian), Peoria, Plano, Pontiac, Rochelle, Sterling, Streator, Tinley Park, Urbana University, Vernon Hills, West Chicago (Wheaton Academy), Woodstock, Woodstock North

Girls Teams: #1 Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge), #2 Chatham (Glenwood), #4 Deerfield, #6 Lemont, #7 LaGrange Park (Nazareth), #8 Peoria Notre Dame, #9 Rockford (Boylan), #11 Lake Villa (Lakes), #13 Normal University, #14 Arlington Heights (St. Viator), #17 Cary-Grove, #18 Sycamore, #19 Mt. Zion, #24 Morris, #25 Dunlap; 1A - #16 Urbana University; Antioch, Aurora Central Catholic, Belvidere, Breese (Central), Carterville, Champaign (Centennial), Charleston, Chicago (Latin), Chicago (Northside), Chicago University, Danville, Dixon, East Peoria, Effingham, Freeburg, Galesburg, Geneseo, Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South), Grayslake Central, Jacksonville, Jerseyville (Jersey), Joliet Catholic Academy, Lombard (Montini), Macomb, Marengo, Metamora, Midlothian (Bremen), Morton, Normal Community West, Norridge (Ridgewood), Olney (Richland County), Ottawa, Palos Heights (Chicago Christian), Peoria, Pontiac, River Forest (Trinity), Rochelle, Sterling, Streator, Tinley Park, Troy (Triad), Vernon Hills, Washington, Woodstock, Woodstock North

Boys Individuals: #1 Thomas Jochum (Sr., Glen Ellyn [Glenbard South]), #4 Everett Swanson (Sr., Morris), #5 Cuyler Swanson (Sr., Morris), #6 Carson Kaiser (Jr., Maple Park [Kaneland]), #7 Quaid Berger (Jr., Olney [Richland County]), #9 Maxwell Kirby (Sr., Peoria Notre Dame), #10 Bryant Lester (Sr., Vernon Hills), #11 Andrew Aldeman (Jr., Normal University), #13 Judah Binger (Jr., Belvidere North), #14 Cooper Summy (Sr., Lake Villa [Lakes]), #17 Nico Rastatter (Jr., Chicago [Latin]), #18 Adam Galvin (Jr., Chatham [Glenwood]), #19 Judah Dicks (Jr., Olney [Richland County]), #20 John Reinbold (Jr., Aurora Central Catholic), #22 Ben Gorsage (Sr., Washington), #24 Chase Teresi (Sr., Crystal Lake Central); Maxwell Carter (Sr., Morton), Owen Gottfred (Sr., Arlington Heights [St. Viator]), Gavin Moffat (So., Chicago [Latin]), Andrew Calderon (Sr., Deerfield), Zach Born (Sr., Metamora), Keyston Beyer (Sr., Morton), Giancarlo Pietrasanta (Jr., Glen Ellyn [Glenbard South]), Ben Bohr (Sr., Aurora Central Catholic), Tyler Sjoblom (Sr., Crystal Lake [Prairie Ridge]), Tristin Butler (Jr., Olney [Richland County]), Abe Martin (Jr., Morton)

Girls Individuals: #1 Ali Londrigan (Sr., Chatham [Glenwood]), #2 Emaline Foster (Jr., Crystal Lake [Prairie Ridge]), #3 Taara Sajdeh (Sr., Chicago University), #4 Lillian Chaddock (So., Peoria Notre Dame), #6 Sophie Rentmeister (Sr., Chatham [Glenwood]), #8 Anneke Dam (Jr., Crystal Lake [Prairie Ridge]), #9 Abby Yarusso (So., Wheaton [St. Francis]), #11 Brooklyn Smith (Sr., Geneseo), #12 Nora Wedwick (Jr., Rockford [Boylan]), #13 Erin Hinsdale (Sr., Wheaton [St. Francis]), #14 Elena Mamminga (Sr., Wheaton [St. Francis]), #15 Hannah Farley (Jr., Lemont), #16 Azelea Modes (Sr., Deerfield), #17 Estella Ollinger (Sr., Vernon Hills), #18 Alexandra Santoyo (Jr., Cary-Grove), #21 Stella Martin (Sr., Deerfield), #23 Evelyn DeBaene (Jr., Geneseo), #25 Brenley Kelly (Jr., Jerseyville [Jersey]); Francesca Mora (Jr., Chicago [Latin]), Kathleen Hardy (Jr., LaGrange Park [Nazareth]), Farah Scott (Sr., Champaign [Centennial]), Maia Lancaster (So., Crystal Lake [Prairie Ridge]), Natalia Pesola (So., Lombard [Montini]), Gabrielle Kohnle (Sr., Rockford [Boylan])

Outlook: First to the Finish is where we really get a sense of where everyone is at in the season, because almost every single ranked 2A team comes down to Detweiller to compete. We are going to see an absolutely insane pool of talent this weekend, it should make the real players known by the end of Saturday. 

To kick off 2A, we’re going to see an insane matchup in the individual race. 2A #1 Ali Londrigan of Chatham Glenwood and 2A #2 Emaline Foster of Prairie Ridge are both slated to race, which should make for one of the best matchups of the day. Londrigan opened her season last week at the Granite City invite with a vicious 16:55 which earned her the #1 spot in the classification. Foster has raced twice this season, both races ended with her in first by over 40 seconds. These two athletes have been nothing short of dominant over their careers, and it should be an electric face off when they come together. 2A #3 Taara Sajdeh of Chicago University will be opening her season this week, she should be a big name to watch. Sajdeh shredded her PRs on the track this spring, running 10:45 for 3200 meters and 5:03 for 1600 meters. She will look to join the top pack and make her season opener a great one. 2A #6 Sophie Rentmeister of Chatham Glenwood entered the season as one of the top returners in 2A, she will be looking for a bounce-back race here at FTTF. 2A #8 Anneke Dam of Prairie Ridge has been trailing her teammate Emaline Foster all year, but don’t count her out of this top pack as she is an extremely solid runner. 2A #4 Lillian Chaddock of Peoria Notre Dame will be opening her season this week, she should be looking to join this top group as well. On the team side, we’re going to finally get some clarification after a really confusing first two weeks. The majority of the top ten teams in 2A have been racing by themselves over the last few weeks, so bringing them together should help us see who can truly compete when it matters. 2A #1 Prairie Ridge is the narrow favorite coming into this race, largely due to the strength of their top 3 runners. Emaline Foster is one of the individual favorites for this race, and Anneke Dam and Maia Lancaster are two returning all-staters that are capable of mixing it up in the top 10. 2A #2 Chatham Glenwood is in a similar position, with Ali Londrigan and Sophie Rentmeister up front competing for top 5 positions. Both PR and CG will be relying on their chase pack to get the win, it’ll be a battle between the 4th and 5th runners to decide who goes ahead of who. If both teams can’t pull their trailing runners up towards the front, a team like 2A #4 Deerfield could step in and clean up a win. The Warriors are much more secure in their back half than both PR and CG, which gives them a big advantage should either team have a rough day. 2A #6 Lemont should also be towards the front here, with their varsity group largely composed of freshmen. Hannah Farley will look to lead this team in the lowstick, but then the trio of freshmen will do a great job supporting behind to hopefully push this team up the podium. 

Individually, we are getting the best race that 2A will see until the state meet at First to the Finish. The #1 ranked athlete in the classification and arguably the top returning runner in the state, Thomas Jochum of Glenbard South will be opening his season this week against some of the best competition in the entire state, which should lead to a ridiculously fast race. Jochum had the best track season out of any returners in 2A, but with his unfortunate finish at the state meet, he’ll be entering the season with a chip on his shoulder. Against the best competition that 2A has to offer, I expect him to throw down a mean performance here. If there’s anyone in the field that can take him down, it’ll be 2A #4 Everett Swanson and 2A #5 Cuyler Swanson of Morris. The Swanson twins exploded on the scene during the track season, shredding their PRs and taking home two all-state medals each in the 3200 and 1600. So far this season, they have done nothing but go back-and-forth, taking wins at the Morris Early Bird meet and the Vicky Piela Invite. They should be strong contenders for a win here, and so should 2A #10 Maxwell Kirby of Peoria Notre Dame. Kirby took the win in his season opener at the Silver Streak Invite, with a pretty large margin of victory as well. Kirby also has more Detweiller experience than any other runner in this race, which does give him a small advantage against everyone else. 2A #10 Bryant Lester of Vernon Hills popped a massive race up in Wisconsin last week, it’ll be interesting to see how he stacks up against the best in the state. 2A #13 Judah Binger of Belvidere North and 2A #14 Cooper Summy of Lakes duked it out at the Rich Eschmann invite last week and came within a second of each other, both should be competing for a top 5 spot here. 2A #11 Andrew Aldeman of Normal University had a great season opener at the Clinton Invite and should be looking for another great performance here. On the team side, it’ll be just as clarifying as the girls race, as there are several different teams that could walk away with a win here. 2A #2 Deerfield is the top ranked team in the field after their great race at the Red Devil invite. Their top 3 is performing well, but the big difference maker for them has been Logan Luo, who has clearly put in the work over the summer and is contributing at a high level for the Warriors. They have what feels like an infinite number of runners that could fill that 5th spot with a time of 15:45-16:00, which should be enough for them to get close to a win here. 2A #3 Aurora Central Catholic is right with Deerfield, and should be aiming for a win as well. ACC’s firepower is much stronger than Deerfield’s, with John Reinbold and Ben Bohr up front. Their back half was the only thing holding them back during the preseason, but Bryan Lopez has been on a tear lately and has basically solved that problem for them. All they need is for Cal Rienbold and AJ Viveros to do their jobs and they should be competitive for a win here. 2A #6 Peoria Notre Dame had a solid season opener, but they were also missing one of their scorers, Joshua Stedwill, at the Silver Streak invite. If they are without Stedwill, then they could get rocked here at FTTF, but with Stedwill they are a win-contending team. 2A #5 Morton squeaked by with a win over PND at Silver Streak, but they’ll need to have a much better day if they wish to break the top 3 at FTTF. 2A #7 Glenbard South will look to fully put together their roster here at FTTF, the addition of Thomas Jochum to their roster should boost their chances significantly. There are several sneaky teams, like 2A #11 Crystal Lake Central and 2A #13 Chicago Latin that could also sneak into the top 3 on any given day. 

FTTF 3A Invite

Writer: Brayden Gaffud

Boys Teams: #1 Plainfield South, #6 Downers Grove North, #10 Palatine (Fremd), #12 Plainfield North, #17 Park Ridge (Maine South), #18 Batavia, #20 Yorkville, #24 LaGrange (Lyons), #25 New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central); Addison Trail, Algonquin (Jacobs), Aurora (Waubonsie Valley), Berwyn-Cicero (Morton), Bolingbrook, Bradley-Bourbonnais, Buffalo Grove, Burbank (Reavis), Burlington Central, Carpentersville (Dundee-Crown), Chicago (Brother Rice), Chicago (St. Ignatius), DeKalb, Edwardsville, Evanston, Fox Lake (Grant), Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West), Granite City, Hampshire, Highland Park, McHenry, Minooka, Moline, Oak Lawn (Richards), Palos Heights (Stagg), Pekin, Peoria (Richwoods), Rock Island, Rockton (Hononegah), Skokie (Niles North), Skokie (Niles West), Tinley Park (Andrew), Villa Park (Willowbrook)

Girls Teams: #7 Edwardsville, #8 Barrington, #9 Winnetka (New Trier), #11 Plainfield North, #16 Minooka, #18 Hinsdale Central, #19 Naperville North, #20 Batavia, #23 Wheaton Warrenville South, #24 Yorkville; Addison Trail, Algonquin (Jacobs), Berwyn-Cicero (Morton), Bolingbrook, Bradley-Bourbonnais, Burbank (Reavis), Burlington Central, Carpentersville (Dundee-Crown), DeKalb, Evanston, Fox Lake (Grant), Hampshire, Highland Park, LaGrange (Lyons), Libertyville, Lisle (Benet Academy), Lockport, McHenry, Moline, Naperville Central, Oak Lawn (Richards), Pekin, Peoria (Richwoods), Plainfield South, Rock Island, Rockton (Hononegah), Skokie (Niles West), Villa Park (Willowbrook), Wheaton North

Boys Individuals: #1 Jack Jennings (Sr., Palatine [Fremd]), #2 Santiago Chavez (Sr., Burbank [Reavis]), #6 Alex Batsala (Sr., Plainfield South), #9 Isaak Stein (Sr., Downers Grove North), #10 Miguel Flores (Sr., Berwyn-Cicero [Morton]), #13 David Moore (Sr., Palatine [Fremd]), #15 Legend Alka (Jr., Villa Park [Willowbrook]), #19 Elliot Batz (Sr., Rock Island), #20 Dylan Buturusis (Sr., Plainfield South), #22 Brennan Monohan (Jr., LaGrange [Lyons]), #23 Collin Frye (Sr., Park Ridge [Maine South]); Stephen Cox (Sr., Downers Grove North), Landon Harris (Sr., Granite City), Dominic Frigo (Sr., Plainfield North), Ethan Ensign (Sr., Plainfield South), Kellan Hernandez (Sr., Plainfield South), Nathan Gundersen (Sr., Addison Trail), Liam Beavers (Sr., Plainfield North)

Girls Individuals: #1 Mia Sirois (Sr., Barrington), #4 Marlie Czarniewski (Sr., Plainfield North), #5 Angelica Hil (Sr., Barrington), #6 Lennox Szymonik (So., Algonquin [Jacobs]), #7 Victoria Tarara (Jr., Barrington), #8 Miriam Eynon (So., Winnetka [New Trier]), #9 MacKenna Kerpan (So., Edwardsville), #11 Jillian Crane (So., Winnetka [New Trier]), #14 Avery Hacker (Sr., Batavia), #17 Ella Satre (Sr., Hinsdale Central), #20 Haylie Simpson (Fr., Rockton [Hononegah]), #22 Alexandra Schwantes (Sr., DeKalb); Gwnedolyn Krodel (Sr., Batavia), Kayla Ritchie (Sr., Winnetka [New Trier]), Morgan Popelar (Jr., Edwardsville), Alexandra Furey (Sr., Hinsdale Central)

Outlook: This is undoubtedly a top 3 boys field (both team and individual) that we will see all invitational season. Primarily, it will be many of the top runners in the state’s season opener. Illinois Running News #1 ranked runner Jack Jennings will be racing for the first time since his 2nd place finish at the IHSA 3A 3200m State Track Finals. There, he ran a blitzing 9:00, so expect him to be taking this field out in the lead pack. Along with him should be 3rd place finisher in that same race, #2 ranked Santiago Chavez. Santi didn’t run last week at Lyons due to injury, but if he is healthy, expect him to be a threat to the entire field. Last week’s winner at Lyons will also be running, #9 ranked Issac Stein. He will be hoping to continue his win streak, and lead to another impressive season. Alongside Stein is teammate Stephen Cox, who didn’t race last week. Cox and Stein have consistently worked well together, both in cross country and in the 3200 in track, so expect them to be right in the mix. Two other major athletes opening their season are #6 Alex Batsala and #20 Dylan Buturusis. They both bring different skillsets to the table, as Batsala was mainly a 3200 guy during track with some impressive times, while Buturusis clocks in a 1:54 800m and a 4:13 1600m. #10 Miguel Flores, #15 Legend Alka, #22 Brendan Monohan, and #23 Collin Frye are all ranked runners who challenged the front pack last week at a loaded Lyons field, so expect all of them to be continuing to make moves. #13 David Moore is also worth noting, as he will be racing at Detweiller for the first time after his incredible 14:38 at Detweiller at Dark. One final athlete proven to win in this field is #19 Elliot Batz, who took the crown at the Normal West XC Invitational 2 weeks ago, and will be sure to compete up front. Now looking over to the teams side, it is hard to ignore that FTTF will be the opening race for the top ranked 3A boys team in the state, Plainfield South. They have 5 runners returning from their 6th place finishing team from last year's state meet, including 4 seniors. Their top competitors are #6 Downers Grove North, who should be out for blood after losing to Lincoln Way East last week at Lyons. These two have consistently competed against each other at this meet, and we are sure to have a close battle once again. Can Plainfield South prove their high expectations, or will Downers North find a way to spoil their top spot. Another strong team is #10 Fremd. With two guys expected to get low sticks, it will be interesting to see if their 3-5 runners can help shake things up and possibly lead them to a win. Last year’s state champion Plainfield North will also be here, with seniors Liam Beavers and Dom Frigo hoping to lead them to continued success after placing 2nd in a tight battle at the EIU Showdown to Downers North. These 4 schools actually were the top 4 teams at last year's FTTF 3A race, so expect them to be all fighting at the front of every pack and trying to win every battle for their team. 

The main headline for this race is that Mia Sirois will finally be racing Detwieller again (kinda). She missed all of last year's XC season due to a foot injury, then became the all time girls 3200m Illinois record holder in the spring. However, she will not be running FTTF all out, but still with her skill should be at the front-half of this race. Her absence from going all-out should pave the way for an interesting individual battle lead by #4 ranked Marlie Czarniewski. She won the EIU Showdown, and is one of the very few runners in the field to have gone sub 17 minutes in the 3 mile. Challenging her for the title will be Sirois’s teammate and #5 ranked Angelica Hil. She has shown to be a front runner, with 3rd and 2nd place finishes so far this season, and should be right up there with Czarniewski. Accompanying them at the front will also be #6 Lennox Szymonik, who will be trying to make a statement as one of the state’s premier runners as she opens up her sophomore season at FTTF. Another Barrington athlete in the top 10 is #7 Victoria Tarara, who was right there will Hil at last week’s St. Charles meet. New Trier teammates Miriam Eynon and Jillian Crane are ranked #8 and #11, and will surely be working together in the front pack at FTTF. They went 1-2 at the Red Devil Invitational last week, and will be hoping to continue their 2026 success at a course far less hilly than Katherine Legge. #9 MacKenna Kerpan, #14 Avery Hacker, and #17 Ella Satre are all also worth a mention, as they were all sub 11:05 in the 3200 this past spring. They all should be trying to throw themselves into this mix of some of the most elite girls in the largest class of IHSA XC. Flipping over to the team race, it is equally as loaded, with 10 teams in Illinois Running News’s top 25 competing on Saturday. Leading them is 7th ranked Edwardsville. This team is the most reliable in the field with the strongest 2-5 runners. If they can work through the crowded packs in the middle of FTTF, they will be very tough to beat. Their top competitors are last year's state champions Barrington, who, even without Sirois running all-out, should be one of the top schools at this race. #9 New Trier’s performance will be heavily reliant on their 3-5 runners. Eynon and Crane will give them low numbers, so if the rest of their squad can inch closer to them, then they will be extremely competitive. Plainfield North should also be in the mix, as they have the top runner in the field. They have proven to be a consistent and cohesive team over the years, with 2026 being no different. Any of these squads can pull away, and the team battle should shake up next week's rankings a lot and give cohesion on who can step up when in the face of competition with a team title on the line. 

Harvey Braus Invite

Writer: Momo Hashimoto

Boys Teams: 3A - #3 St. Charles North, #7 Lane Tech, #14 Hersey, #22 Wheaton Warrenville South; Bartlett, Elgin, Glenbard North, Glenbard West, Glenbrook North, Harlem, Hoffman Estates, Huntley, Lake Park, Maine West, Schaumburg, South Elgin, St. Charles East, Wheaton North, Wheeling

Girls Teams: 3A - #1 Mt. Prospect (Prospect), #2 Hersey, #3 Lane Tech, #4 Glenbard West, #12 St. Charles North, #13 York, #17 St. Ignatius, #21 Downers Grove North, Bartlett, Elgin, Glenbard North, Glenbrook North, Harlem, Hoffman Estates, Huntley, Lake Park, Maine West, Schaumburg, South Elgin, St. Charles East, Wheaton North

Boys Individuals: 3A - #3 Sam Hill (Sr., St. Charles North), #4 Samuel Assefa (Sr., Chicago [Lane]), #7 Quinn Anderson (Sr., Chicago [Lane]), #17 Judah Clark (Sr., Wheaton North)

Girls Individuals: 3A - #2 Karlin Janowski (Jr., Elmhurst [York]), #3 Kara Glenn (Jr., St. Charles North), #12 Molly Mocko (Fr., Glen Ellyn [Glenbard West]), #15 Macy Ermitage (Jr., Downers Grove North), #16 Ainsley Carter (Sr., Chicago [Lane]), #18 Adley Wilson (Jr., St. Charles East), #19 Madeline Serur (Fr., Arlington Heights [Hersey]), #21 Julia Rodney (Sr., St. Charles North), #23 Graceleen Mabry (So., Arlington Heights [Hersey])

Outlook: The Harvey Braus Invite continues the early weeks of this year's cross-country season with loaded competition across the boys and girls teams.

On the girls’ side, multiple of the 3A top teams will be on the start line, making for an exciting competition which will hopefully bring out some new talent and interesting performances. The spotlight will fall on both (3A #2) Karlin Janowski, who is hoping to continue her very strong start to the season after coming off a win at the Leavey Invite, and (3A #3) Kara Glenn, who will be sure to mix up the field. Freshman phenom (3A #12) Molly Mocko is hoping to show out in the loaded field, surrounded by fast competition from (3A #15) Macy Ermitage and (3A #16) Ainsley Carter. (3A #18) Adley Wilson is hoping to lead St. Charles East into the rankings with five runners battling it out this Saturday, and (3A #21) Julia Rodney will be hoping to help move (3A #12) St. Charles North up the rankings. (3A #2) Hersey will be led by underclassmen (3A #19) Madeline Serur and (3A #23) Graceleen Mabry, both of whom are hoping to lead the team to a title while facing major competition from (3A #1) Prospect, (3A #3) Lane Tech, and (3A #4) Glenbard West. The Harvey Braus Invite is once again setting a loaded stage for the 3A girls and will make for a fast and high-energy continuation of the season. 

On the boys’ side, (3A #3) Sam Hill is also hoping to come off of his win at Leavey last weekend and continue his season with a win at Lake Park this weekend, but will face major competition from 2025 6th place state finisher (3A #4) Samuel Assefa. Assefa is looking to make his season debut and make for a blitz of a race between himself and Hill. Assefa and Hill will also be competing on the team front, as both Samuel Assefa and Quinn Anderson of (3A #7) Lane Tech will be running to lead their team to the title in the face of very strong competition from (3A #3) St. Charles North led by Sam Hill. (3A #14) Hersey and (3A #22) Wheaton Warrenville South will additionally be bringing strong performances, overall making for a solid lineup for the boys. 

DePaul Ram Invite/Catholic Cup

Writer: Ella Buciak

HS Boys Teams: 3A - #23 Chicago (Whitney Young, 2A - #16 Niles (Northridge Prep), 1A - #10 Elgin (River Valley Christian), Bensenville (Fenton), Burbank (St. Laurence), Chicago (Alcott), Chicago (Amundsen), Chicago (British International School of Chicago), Chicago (Cristo Rey Jesuit), Chicago (Daystar), Chicago (DePaul), Chicago (F.W. Parker), Chicago (Hancock), Chicago (Jones), Chicago (Juarez), Chicago (Kennedy), Chicago (Kenwood), Chicago (King), Chicago (Lake View), Chicago (Lincoln Park), Chicago (Lindblom), Chicago (Marist), Chicago (Mt. Carmel), Chicago (Noble/ITW Speer), Chicago (Noble/Mansueto), Chicago (Noble/Pritzker), Chicago (Noble/UIC), Chicago (Northside), Chicago (Resurrection), Chicago (Senn), Chicago (Solorio Academy), Chicago (St. Ignatius), Chicago (St. Patrick), Chicago (Taft), Chicago (Von Steuben), Chicago (Washington), Chicago (Wolcott), Chicago Heights (Marian), Elk Grove Village, Elmhurst (Timothy Christian), Franklin Park-Northlake (Leyden), Hillside (Proviso West), Maywood (Proviso East), Niles (Notre Dame), Oak Park-River Forest, Skokie (Niles West), Wheeling, Wilmette (Loyola Academy), Wilmette (Regina Dominican), Winnetka (North Shore County Day)

HS Girls Teams: 3A - #14 Chicago (DePaul), #17 Chicago (St. Ignatius), 2A - #22 Elmhurst (Timothy Christian),1A - #9 Elgin (River Valley Christian), Bensenville (Fenton), Burbank (St. Laurence), Chicago (Alcott), Chicago (Amundsen), Chicago (British International School of Chicago), Chicago (Cristo Rey Jesuit), Chicago (Daystar), Chicago (F.W. Parker), Chicago (Hancock), Chicago (Jones), Chicago (Juarez), Chicago (Kennedy), Chicago (Kenwood), Chicago (King), Chicago (Lake View), Chicago (Lincoln Park), Chicago (Lindblom), Chicago (Marist), Chicago (Mt. Carmel), Chicago (Noble/ITW Speer), Chicago (Noble/Mansueto), Chicago (Noble/Pritzker), Chicago (Noble/UIC), Chicago (Northside), Chicago (Resurrection), Chicago (Senn), Chicago (Solorio Academy), Chicago (St. Patrick), Chicago (Taft), Chicago (Von Steuben), Chicago (Washington), Chicago (Whitney Young), Chicago (Wolcott), Chicago Heights (Marian), Elk Grove Village, Franklin Park-Northlake (Leyden), Hillside (Proviso West), Maywood (Proviso East), Niles (Northridge Prep), Niles (Notre Dame), Oak Park-River Forest, Skokie (Niles West), Wheeling, Wilmette (Loyola Academy), Wilmette (Regina Dominican), Winnetka (North Shore County Day)

MS Boys Teams: #24 - River Forest (Roosevelt), Alcott, Bernardin Catholic, Chicago (Alphonsus), Chicago (Catherine Cook), Chicago Frances Xavier Warde, Chicago (ICSJ), Chicago (Near North), Chicago (Old St. Mary’s), Chicago (Queen of All Saints), Evanston Academy SJA, Evanston (St. Athanasius), Glenview (Our Lady of Perpetual Help), King Arts, Chicago (Lane Tech Academic Center), Mitchell Elementary, Niles (Northridge), Northside Catholic Academy, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Chicago (Queen of Angels), Chicago (Sacred Heart), Chicago (St. Andrew), Chicago (St. Benedict), Chicago (St. Clement), Chicago (St. Josaphat), Chicago (St. Matthias), Chicago (Whitney Young), Daystar Academy, Pritzker, School of St. Mary, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Helen. St. Viator, University of Chicago Lab, Wilmette Sts. JFX

MS Girls Teams: #10 - River Forest (Roosevelt), #17 - Chicago (St. Benedict), Alcott, Bernardin Catholic, Chicago (Alphonsus), Chicago (Catherine Cook), Chicago Frances Xavier Warde, Chicago (ICSJ), Chicago (Near North), Chicago (Old St. Mary’s), Chicago (Queen of All Saints), Evanston Academy SJA, Evanston (St. Athanasius), Glenview (Our Lady of Perpetual Help), King Arts, Chicago (Lane Tech Academic Center), Mitchell Elementary, Niles (Northridge), Northside Catholic Academy, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Chicago (Queen of Angels), Chicago (Sacred Heart), Chicago (St. Andrew), Chicago (St. Clement), Chicago (St. Josaphat), Chicago (St. Matthias), Chicago (Whitney Young), Daystar Academy, Pritzker, School of St. Mary, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Helen. St. Viator, University of Chicago Lab, Wilmette Sts. JFX

HS Boys Individuals: 3A - #18 Amilo Rajandram (Chicago [Whitney Young]

HS Girls Individuals: 2A - #7 Viviana Tryonopoulos (Chicago [Kennedy]), 2A - #22 Lyla Plaisier (Elmhurst [Timothy Christian]) 

MS Boys Individuals: #14 - Nolan Kardosh (River Forest [Roosevelt])

Outlook: On the girls’ side, all eyes are on the host. DePaul (3A #14) looks to defend their home turf on Saturday with the most talented squad in program history, led by seniors Emily Stecky and Ella Buciak, juniors Abigail Radich and Ryan Greeby, and freshman Chloe Milton. The Rams got second at their home meet last year, and look to earn the title as the top returning field. St. Ignatius (3A #17) is another top contender, along with competitor Timothy Christian (2A #25), fronted by sophomore Lyla Plaiser (2A #22), who’ll have to contend individually with Kennedy senior Viviana Tryonopoulos (2A #9) for a top spot. The boys race is headlined by the Whitney Young Dolphins who check in at 3A #23, led by senior Amilo Rajandam, who’ll be the runner to beat and returning race champion. Whitney Young has a strong showing for the team title, but Northridge Prep and River Valley Christian look to compete in an interesting dynamic. The meet’s Catholic Cup is another half of the story, with River Valley Christian enters ranked in both the boys’ and girls’ sides. Individually, Roosevelt’s Nolan Kardosh looks to win favorably.

Parkside Invite

Writer: Vinny Ciccarelli

Boys Teams: #7 Downs (Tri-Valley), #8 Chatham (Glenwood), #15 Dunlap, #18 Normal (Kingsley), #22 El Paso-Gridley; Bloomington, Bloomington (Cornerstone), Bloomington (Evans), Brimfield, Champaign (Edison), Champaign (Franklin), Champaign (Holy Cross), Champaign (Jefferson), Champaign (St. Matthew), Channahon, Clinton, Danville (North Ridge), Dixon (Reagan), Dunlap Valley, East Peoria Central, East St. Louis (Clark), East St. Louis (Lincoln), East St. Louis (Younge), Edwardsville (Liberty), Edwardsville (Lincoln), Effingham, Elmwood, Franklin, Galesburg, Germantown Hills, Heyworth, Homer Glen (Homer), Jacksonville, Lemont (Old Quarry), Mahomet-Seymour, Metamora, Morris, Mt. Zion, New Lenox (Martino), Normal (Chiddix), Normal (Epiphany), Normal (Metcalf), Normal (Parkside), Peoria (Limestone Walters), Peoria (St. Jude), Pontiac, Quincy, Rochester, South View, Springfield (Blessed Sacrament), Springfield (Franklin), Springfield (Lincoln), St. Joseph, Stanford Olympia, Taylorville, Tolono Unity, Tremont, Bloomington (Trinity Lutheran), Washington, Willowbrook (Westview Hills), Yorkville

Girls Teams: #2 Metamora, #6 Mt. Zion, #7 Chatham (Glenwood), #9 Brimfield, #14 Clinton, #16 Downs (Tri-Valley), #19 Dixon (Reagan), #20 Normal (Chiddix), #24 El Paso-Gridley; Bloomington, Bloomington (Cornerstone), Bloomington (Evans), Champaign (Edison), Champaign (Franklin), Champaign (Holy Cross), Champaign (Jefferson), Champaign (St. Matthew), Channahon, Danville (North Ridge), Dunlap, Dunlap Valley, East Peoria Central, East St. Louis (Clark), East St. Louis (Lincoln), East St. Louis (Younge), Edwardsville (Liberty), Edwardsville (Lincoln), Effingham, Elmwood, Franklin, Galesburg, Germantown Hills, Heyworth, Homer Glen (Homer), Jacksonville, Lemont (Old Quarry), Mahomet-Seymour, Morris, New Lenox (Martino), Normal (Epiphany), Normal (Kingsley), Normal (Metcalf), Normal (Parkside), Peoria (Limestone Walters), Peoria (St. Jude), Pontiac, Quincy, Rochester, South View, Springfield (Blessed Sacrament), Springfield (Franklin), Springfield (Lincoln), St. Joseph, Stanford Olympia, Taylorville, Tolono Unity, Tremont, Bloomington (Trinity Lutheran), Washington, Willowbrook (Westview Hills), Yorkville

Boys Individuals: #2 Carter Janello (8th, Normal [Kingsley]), #22 Roman Hinthorne (8th, El Paso-Gridley), #25 Oliver Trower (8th, Bloomington [Trinity Lutheran]); 

Girls Individuals: #6 Julia Farley (8th, Lemont [Old Quarry]), #15 Kamila Trachsel (7th, Downs [Tri-Valley]), #21 Adelyn Etherton (7th, Mt. Zion), #22 Maud Nelson (7th, Brimfield), #25 Rayleigh Reach (6th, Metamora)

Outlook: This week’s Parkside Meet brings cross country action to the horizon, with many very talented runners set to compete. Channahon one of the 2025 season standout Middle school teams, is set to start their season here.On the boys’ side, No. 7 Downs (Tri-Valley), No. 8 Chatham (Glenwood), No. 15 Dunlap, No. 18 Normal (Kingsley), and No. 22 El Paso-Gridley headline a field that also includes Bloomington, Channahon, Clinton, Danville (North Ridge), Dixon (Reagan), Edwardsville (Lincoln), Mahomet-Seymour, Metamora, Morris, Mt. Zion, New Lenox (Martino), Normal (Chiddix), Pontiac, Rochester, Springfield (Lincoln), Tolono Unity, Tremont, Washington, Willowbrook (Westview Hills), Yorkville, and many more. One of the biggest storylines entering the meet will be Channahon making its season debut, with the program expected to be one of the favorites on the boys’ side despite not yet having a team race on its 2026 résumé. The depth behind the leading programs, however, should make the team competition anything but automatic, as Downs, Chatham, Dunlap, Normal (Kingsley), and El Paso-Gridley all enter with the ranking credentials to challenge near the front. The individual boys’ race could be just as compelling, led by No. 2 Carter Janello of Normal (Kingsley), an eighth-grader who enters as the highest-ranked individual in the field and one of the athletes most capable of controlling the race from the opening stages. Janello’s No. 2 ranking puts him among the very best middle school boys in Illinois, and his presence gives Normal (Kingsley) a legitimate individual title contender while also providing the team with a potential low score at the front of its lineup. Janello will be looking to capitalize on the opportunity to race against a deep field and further establish himself near the top of the state rankings. Behind Janello, No. 22 Roman Hinthorne of El Paso-Gridley gives the field another ranked eighth-grader and provides his team with a proven front-end presence. Hinthorne’s ranking places him among the state’s top individual runners in his age group, and his performance could be especially important for El Paso-Gridley as the team looks to compete with several ranked programs. A strong race from Hinthorne could give El Paso-Gridley valuable points at the front while also putting pressure on the other individual contenders. No. 25 Oliver Trower of Bloomington (Trinity Lutheran) rounds out the ranked boys’ individual field and gives Bloomington (Trinity Lutheran) an athlete to watch throughout the race. Trower enters with the distinction of being one of the state’s top-ranked eighth-graders, and this meet provides him with an opportunity to test himself against Janello, Hinthorne, and a large group of talented runners from across central Illinois. The girls’ race brings an equally impressive collection of teams, with No. 2 Metamora, No. 6 Mt. Zion, No. 7 Chatham (Glenwood), No. 9 Brimfield, No. 14 Clinton, No. 16 Downs (Tri-Valley), No. 19 Dixon (Reagan), No. 20 Normal (Chiddix), and No. 24 El Paso-Gridley leading the way. Metamora enters as the highest-ranked team in the field and will have the opportunity to show why it sits near the top of the Illinois Running News rankings, while Mt. Zion and Chatham (Glenwood) provide two more major contenders capable of making the team race competitive. Brimfield, Clinton, Downs, Dixon, Normal (Chiddix), and El Paso-Gridley add even more depth, meaning the battle for team positioning could extend well beyond the top few programs. At the front of the individual race, No. 6 Julia Farley of Lemont (Old Quarry) enters as the highest-ranked girls’ runner competing and immediately becomes one of the primary athletes to watch. Farley, an eighth-grader, has already established herself as one of Illinois’ leading middle school girls, and her No. 6 ranking reflects the level of expectations surrounding her. She will have an opportunity to make an early statement against a field containing several other ranked runners, and a strong performance could further solidify her position among the state’s top individuals. Farley also represents Lemont (Old Quarry), giving the program a major individual presence even though the team is competing against a particularly deep collection of ranked squads. No. 15 Kamila Trachsel of Downs (Tri-Valley) will also be one of the runners to watch closely. The seventh-grader has quickly placed herself among the state’s top-ranked middle school girls, and her No. 15 ranking makes her one of the highest-rated young athletes in the field. Trachsel’s performance could have an impact both individually and for Downs, as the program enters the meet ranked No. 16 on the girls’ side. No. 21 Adelyn Etherton of Mt. Zion brings another strong front-running option to the race. The seventh-grader is ranked just outside the Top 20 and will be looking to challenge several runners ranked ahead of her while helping No. 6 Mt. Zion compete for position in the team standings. With Mt. Zion already carrying one of the highest team rankings in the field, Etherton’s ability to stay near the front could be an important part of the team’s overall performance. No. 22 Maud Nelson of Brimfield is another athlete who could play a major role in the individual and team competitions. The seventh-grader enters ranked No. 22 and gives No. 9 Brimfield a ranked individual capable of scoring valuable points near the front of the race. Nelson will have the opportunity to measure herself against Farley, Trachsel, Etherton, and the rest of the field while helping Brimfield attempt to make an impact among the ranked teams. Finally, No. 25 Rayleigh Reach of Metamora adds another fascinating storyline to the girls’ competition. Reach is only a sixth-grader, making her one of the youngest ranked athletes in the field, yet she enters ranked No. 25 among the state’s top middle school girls. Representing No. 2 Metamora, Reach will have the chance to compete alongside one of the strongest teams in the field while gaining valuable experience against older and highly ranked competitors. Her development will be one of the storylines worth following throughout the season, and a strong showing here could provide another indication of Metamora’s depth. With five ranked boys’ teams, nine ranked girls’ teams, three ranked boys’ individuals, and five ranked girls’ individuals all scheduled to compete, this meet has the ingredients for one of the most competitive fields of the week. The boys’ side will be particularly intriguing with Channahon making its season debut as a favorite while Janello, Hinthorne, and Trower battle for individual honors, while the girls’ race will feature Farley leading a talented group that includes Trachsel, Etherton, Nelson, and Reach. With so many ranked programs and young athletes competing in the same race, the results could provide an important early-season measuring stick and give Illinois Running News readers another look at which teams and individuals are beginning to separate themselves as the 2026 cross country season continues.