A very pleasant Saturday in Chicago finds four of our area teams competing in the Whitney Young 3A cross country sectional. It’s the last meet of the season so you know all runners are chasing personal bests.
Heat Two
To the 2nd of four races and we get a pack of Wildcats from Neuqua Valley to start things off. Stephen Smilie and Austin Burke lead the charge with Naperville North’s Nick Williams behind them. Waubonsie’s Ethan Marshall is also involved in the pack. In the end Burke just takes the race by a nose over Williams with a time of 15 minutes and 18 seconds. Jacob Tukker from Waubonsie behind them for third in the heat.
Heat Three
The gun goes off in the third heat as Sandburg makes an early push with Declan Tunney and Brock Rice. Neuqua Valley with a pair in the mix with Vasant Fong and Noah Schalliol The two Eagles stick together in front with Naperville North’s Tommy Paltzer behind them. Coming to the 2 mile and now we got pack of Huskies behind the Eagles with Paltzer and his partner in crime Gabe Ryan and in then end it’s the Huskies getting by with Gabe Ryan taking the race with a time of 15 minutes and 17 seconds.
Heat Four
To the final race of the season and as the gun goes it’s a battle between Neuqua Valley standout Nicolas Dovalovsky and Naperville Central’s Arthur Graham. Dovalovsky is the DVC and regional champion already this year.
It’s a tight window as no lead is safe in this one. North’s Julian Head and Chase Burell along with Neuqua’s Aiden Stone are involved in the pack. Zack Benziger and Aidan Oster from Waubonsie Valley a little further back.
Coming to another turn and it’s bumble bees chasing polka dots for this Halloween matchup as the two along with Hinsdale Central’s Daniel Watcke start to pull away in this one.
Approaching the two mile mark and the result stays the same with Graham and Dovalovsky fighting for first. Downers Grove North with a pair of runners in front of Neuqua’s Stone and North’s Head, who remain in the pack behind them.
However in the end Arthur Graham pulls away and finishes his senior year a high note with a fantastic time of 14 minute and 45 seconds. Watcke takes second while Dovalovsky drops into third. Overall it’s Downer Grove North taking the Whitney Young 3A sectional team title. Evan Cummins and Rob Llewelyn finish 7th and 9th to lead the Trojans. Chase Burrell is 12th for North and Aidan Stone 15th. Neuqua in 2nd as a team and Naperville North in 3rd.
Full results of the Whitney Young 3A boys cross country sectional can be found HERE.
For additional prep sports action, visit our Naperville Sports Weekly page.
