DVC teams compete at 2024 IHSA girls cross country 3A sectionals

For a second straight year, we’re at Katherine Legge Park in Hinsdale for an IHSA girls cross country 3A Sectional. Last year saw Downers Grove North come on top, with Naperville North and Naperville Central rounding out the top three. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.  

135 runners compete at the IHSA Girls Cross Country Sectional

And they are off, with runners from all five Naperville DVC schools in attendance, including the teams of North, Central, Neuqua, and Waubonsie. Both the Huskies and DGN enter off a Regional title last weekend.

After about a mile in, Willowbrook’s Amelie Ojeda leads Naperville North’s Emma Berres by about five seconds. DGN’s Lily Eddington is in third, and Naperville Central’s Lola Satre-Morales leads a pack of runners which includes Macy Dick of Oswego East, and Neuqua’s Elizabeth Hall. The Tandon twins of North, four DGN runners, along with Lily Baibak and Mia Bertolini of Waubonsie are just outside the top 10. The rest of the pack follows behind.

Further down the course, Ojeda grows her lead, as the Warrior is running away with the title. Berres continues to lead Naperville North in second as she has a six-second lead ahead of the pack of DGN runners, and Dick of Oswego East. In eighth is Rianna Tandon of North, as Redhawk Satre-Morales, and Wildcat Hall have also moved inside the top 10. Shania Tandon of North and the Warriors of Bertolini and Baibak are charging up the course. A herd of DVC runners also are close.

We move down the course and the lead for Ojeda of Willowbrook has grown to about 15 seconds over North’s Berres, who is just in front of DGN’s Alayna Todnem.

Willowbrook’s Ojeda finishes 15 seconds ahead in first place

At the finish line, it’s Willowbrook’s Ojeda who wins the Sectional at a time of 16:35.58. Second place is Todnem of DGN at 16:51.55, and Huskie Berres secures third at 16:58.79. Eddington, Casten, Willard, and Gilley all finish inside the top nine for DGN. Rianna Tandon gets fifth place for the Huskies, with Shania Tandon placing in 11th. Elizabeth Hall advances individually for Neuqua with a 10th-place finish.

Warriors Baibak and Bertolini finish 12th and 14th respectively, with Redhawk Satre-Morales placing between the two in 13th. Kathryn Rohr places in 17th for North, and Kaylee Russell is coming up, as the Mustang moves on individually to state with a 23rd-place finish. We have some crosstown rivals finishing together with Huskie Anika Lovisa in 26th and Redhawk Brynn Miller in 27th. Then it’s the Redhawk Macy Bjork placing in 30th and Chloe Piot the Huskie in 31st. Our final individual qualifier is Addison Guskey of Neuqua who places 35th.

Waubonsie girls cross country advances to state for the first time in program history

For the second straight year, the Hinsdale Central 3A Sectional ends in a 1,2,3 finish of Downers Grove North, Naperville North, and Naperville Central. Waubonsie Valley, Oswego East, Hinsdale Central, and DGS round of the State Qualifying teams. It’s the first time Waubonsie qualifies for the state meet as a team and the 31st straight year that the Huskies make it to the finals! Neuqua Valley just misses out in eighth place.