It’s the 2024 Boys Naperville Twilight Invitational under the lights at Naperville North. 16 different high schools are here to run, including local teams like Naperville Central, Naperville North, Metea Valley, and Neuqua Valley. Downers Grove North won last year’s event, while Naperville Central and Neuqua finished inside the top 5. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
A pair of Downers Grove North runners jump to the front to begin the Boys Naperville Twilight Invitational
The sound of the starter gun marks the start of the race for all 134 runners. Things get off to a good start for Batavia’s Francesco Benelli along with Downers Grove North’s Grant Schroder and Philip Cupial. A few Huskies from Naperville North.
About half a mile in the race. DGN’s Cupial and Plainfield North’s Quinn Davis are neck in neck while leading the pack that includes Benelli from Batavia, Oak Park River Forrest’s Liam O’Conner, and Naperville North’s Jackson Truty with other runners coming from behind.
As the runners go past the first mile, the pack is still the same with O’Conner, Cupial, Schroder, and Benelli. Naperville North’s Jackson Truty and Ammar Bhanpuri are running alongside Redhawk Patrick Clune and Neuqua Valley senior Aaron Hamilton and freshman Grayson Meek. Metea Valley’s Ian French leads the way for the Mustangs around the top 30.
Cut to the two-mile mark, it’s a short pack of Trojans Cupial and Schroder: Oak Park’s Liam O’Conner; Benelli from Batavia; and Plainfield North’s Thomas Czerwinski and Quinn Davis are just behind. Later on, there’s Plainfield North’s James Maso and Aidan Connors along with Minooka’s Nico Cimino. Another group comes in at the two-mile mark, led by Naperville Central’s Clune and Naperville North’s Truty.
Cupial and Schroder secure 1-2 for DGN with multiple Naperville-area runners inside the top 15
In the stadium near the end, it’s Cupial, and Schroder along with Czerwinski. Catching up is Liam O’Conner and Francesco Benelli with Aidan Connors coming up from behind.
At the finish line, it’s Cupial taking first place with a time of 14:24 with Schroder coming in close in second with a time of 14:25. Czerwinski comes in third with a time of 14:27 and Quinn Davis in 4th with a time of 14:32. Redhawk Patrick Clune manages finish at 14:48 and in 8th place. Truty takes 14th for North, while Wildcats Grayson Meek and Aaron Hamilton finish 15, and 16, respectively. French secures 27th place for Metea Valley.
The Trojans of Downers Grove North take home the 2024 Twilight Invite ahead of Plainfield North and Batavia. While Naperville North and Neuqua Valley round out the top 5.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!