Throw Back Thursday: 2025 Clinton "Light It Up" Invite

There are plenty of cross country meets across Illinois that are memorable because of the competition. There are others that stand out because of the course. And then there is the Clinton “Light It Up” Invitational, where the atmosphere is every bit as much a part of the experience as the racing itself.

For this week’s Throwback Thursday, we’re going back to the opening weekend of the 2025 season and the annual night race in Clinton, where some of the state’s best runners opened their seasons under the lights.

The crisp August evening provided the perfect setting for one of Central Illinois’ most unique cross country meets. With the course winding through grass, blacktop and the track, athletes raced well into the evening as the lights illuminated the course and a lively crowd helped create an atmosphere unlike a typical early-season invitational and the racing certainly lived up to the setting.

Coming into the meet, all eyes were on Chaz Oberkfell of Gillespie. The defending Class 1A state champion had plenty of motivation after finishing second at the 2024 edition of the “Light It Up” Invite, where Will Fuson handed him an early-season defeat. This time around, Oberkfell wasn't going to let the opportunity slip away. The senior found himself in a battle with Richland County sophomore Quaid Berger, and the two remained together deep into the race. When it came down to the final kick, Oberkfell managed to get the edge.

He crossed the line in 14:41.3, just ahead of Berger's 14:42.8. The two were separated by less than two seconds in one of the closest finishes of the opening weekend. Behind them, Sullivan's Johnathan Iacobazzi finished third in 14:58.5, while Clinton sophomore Cayden Bostic announced himself with a fourth-place finish in 15:09.4. Mahomet-Seymour's Augustus Gaudio and Delavan's Corie Green followed closely behind in 15:15 and 15:16, respectively. For Oberkfell, it was the beginning of another remarkable season. He would eventually return to Detweiller Park and successfully defend his Class 1A state championship, running 14:32.1 to win the state title.

But on this night, it was all about getting the season started and getting a little redemption along the way.

While Oberkfell took the individual spotlight, Mahomet-Seymour stole the show in the team competition.

The Bulldogs packed five runners into the top 16 and scored just 51 points to cruise to the team championship. Clinton finished second with 106 points, followed by Richland County, Monticello, Moline and Gillespie.

The performance was an early indication of just how strong Mahomet-Seymour's pack could be.

Gaudio led the Bulldogs in fifth, while Henry McMurry, Tate Bode, Adam Smigielski and Tayten Gergen all finished inside the top 16. For Clinton, Bostic's fourth-place finish highlighted an impressive home performance. The Maroons also showed the depth that would make them a team to watch throughout the fall. Illinois Running News later noted that Clinton's top five had only a 1:30 spread at the meet.

The girls race had its own dominant performance. Klaire Eighner of Maroa-Forsyth opened her season in spectacular fashion, covering the three-mile course in 17:07 to win by 28 seconds. Shelbyville's Tessa Bowers finished second in 17:35, while teammate and freshman Leah Shoaf made an immediate impression by taking third in 17:48. Rochester's Ashley Zeibert and Monticello's Macie Owen rounded out the top five, both breaking 18 minutes. Eighner's performance was the kind of early-season race that immediately gets people's attention. She was already an established all-state runner, but opening the year with a 17:07 under the lights made it clear that she was going to be one of the athletes to follow throughout the season.

The team race belonged to Shelbyville. The Rams put two runners inside the top three and used their depth to score 104 points, defeating Normal University, Rochester, and Pleasant Plains. Rochester finished second with 142 points, while Normal University and Pleasant Plains tied with 158. It was an impressive opening-night performance for a Shelbyville squad that would continue to be one of the better teams in Class 1A throughout the season.

Of course, you can't talk about the Clinton “Light It Up” Invite without talking about what makes the meet different. This isn't just another Saturday morning invitational. It's a night race. The lights come on. The crowd gets louder. The course takes on an entirely different look. And after a long summer of training, there's something special about finally getting to race in that kind of environment. Even the opening races had their own storylines. Gibson City's Keegan Dewall, a senior running cross country for the first time after previously competing in track and basketball, won the opening co-ed race in 16:02. Mahomet-Seymour freshman Paige Jansen won the open girls race in 19:40. By the time the varsity races rolled around, the stage was set and the athletes delivered.

A year later, the 2025 Clinton “Light It Up” Invite feels like one of those meets that offered a preview of what was coming. Oberkfell won the individual battle and went on to defend his state championship. Berger emerged as one of the names to watch in Class 2A. Bostic opened his sophomore season with a fourth-place finish and became one of the leaders of a strong Clinton team. Mahomet-Seymour showed its pack-running strength from the very beginning. Eighner announced herself with a 17:07, while Shelbyville started the year with a team championship and all of it happened under the lights. That's what makes the Clinton “Light It Up” Invite such a special part of the Illinois cross country calendar. The times and places become part of the record books, but the atmosphere is what people remember.