High school cross country: Marian Central's Walsdorf outruns competition for sectional crown

LAKE VILLA – Marian Central’s Peter Walsdorf, Crystal Lake Central’s boys and the Crystal Lake South girls all would relish the opportunity to run one more week after their performances at the Class 2A Lakes Cross Country Sectional on Saturday.

But since there is no IHSA Cross Country State Meet this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they will settle with ending their season as champions.

Walsdorf blew away the field to win by almost 49 seconds to finish his season unbeaten. Central’s boys battled through with No. 1 runner Tommy Landt far less than 100% to win their first sectional since 1996. And South’s girls put it all together to win their first sectional team title in school history.

Central finished with 92 points, eight better than last year’s 2A state champion Kaneland. Two other Fox Valley Conference teams – Burlington Central (117) and Hampshire (120) – joined Central in the top three.

South put its five scoring girls runners in the top 28 and scored 71 points. Vernon Hills (85) was second and Prairie Ridge (90) was third. Because of the pandemic, races were flighted with teams’ No. 6 and 7 runners in one race, Nos. 3-4-5 in the next, then Nos. 1-2 and individual qualifiers in the next race.

Walsdorf bolted out early and was never challenged in the boys race, winning in 15:15.93. Grayslake Central’s Bryan Vale (15:54.59) was second, Grayslake North’s Armani Diaz (15:55.85) was third and Crystal Lake Central’s Karson Hollander (16:00.43) was fourth.

Woodstock’s Aidan Schleutermann took sixth and Prairie Ridge’s Will Gelon was eighth. Isai Morales led Hampshire with an 11th-place finish and Marengo’s Luke Chaffin took 12th.

Kaneland coach Chad Clarey told Walsdorf after the race it was the most impressive sectional performance he had seen.

“That definitely means a lot to hear that from competitors’ coaches,” Walsdorf said. “I was really hoping to run that well in the wind today. It was kind of like the (Belvidere) regional, get out ahead and stay ahead. It went well last week and it went the same today.”

Walsdorf will run at the ShaZam Invitational, sponsored by the running website il.milesplit.com, an unofficial state meet next weekend in Chillicothe.

“It’s a perfect year,” Marian coach Murray Domich said. “Season-wise, he was really untouched all year. Next week will be a good tester. We’re excited about it.”

Domich expects Walsdorf to battle with Limestone’s Wilson Georges, the top returning runner from last year’s Class 2A State Meet, in that race.

Landt was battling a stress reaction and sprain in his right ankle that limited his training the last two weeks. He struggled through the race, finishing 24th, but helping the Tigers finish their season on top. Austin May was 14th and Danny Hamill was 16th for Central.

“We didn’t think we had won it at first,” Hollander said. “It feels great. A lot of credit to everyone on this team. We’ve worked so hard, we thought we deserved this.”

South girls coach Ken Greenfield was thrilled with his team’s performance following the race, even before he knew the Gators had won.

“No matter what the places are with the teams, I’m proud of the girls,” Greenfield said. “We had seven good races today, which I always think is the goal. It’s hard to get all seven runners to run well on any one day, especially when it’s the culminating meet of the season.”

A few moments later, Greenfield was handed the meet results and shortly after that, Lakes athletic director Kurt Rowells handed the Gators their sectional plaque.

Lakes’ Brooke Stromsland won the race in 17:22.63, followed by Grayslake Central’s Bella Domier (17:22.63), South’s Bella Gonzalez (17:54.80) and Prairie Ridge’s Rachel Soukup (18:08.61). The Gators’ Abby Machesky was ninth and Addie Frisch was 11th. It was the first time Gonzalez lost a race this season, but she still celebrated her team’s success.

“It’s a great way to end the season,” Gonzalez said. “It was tough. We put in a lot of hard work and I’m really proud of them. I really liked having that competition. There were so many great runners and I liked being able to push myself.”

South’s Emma Murphy is one of three seniors in the lineup to go out with a title.

“It’s a great way to end my senior year with such amazing teammates,” Murphy said. “I’ve never seen a team work so hard. Every practice we go to we just push each other and I knew this could be the outcome of our hard work together.”

Gonzalez and Soukup, the top two finishers at the FVC Meet on Oct. 9, ran together for most of the race. Gonzalez added some distance in the last mile and almost caught Domier.

Murphy finished 20th and Chelsea Greene was 28th for the Gators’ other scoring runners.

“It was nice to be right up there with (Gonzalez) for the first two miles,” Soukup said. “It was nice to have someone there pushing me. I dropped back a bit, but it helped me get a good start on the race. I’m really pleased with how I finished (the season). It’s a good end with all the hard work I put in over the summer.”

Prairie Ridge’s Colette Janik (12th), Rylee Lydon (13th) and Bridget Jewell (17th) were next. Crystal Lake Central’s Annie Ferrero took 18th.