The boys are back at Waubonsie Valley High School for an IHSA Cross Country Regional. Neuqua Valley took home the DVC competition last week and won the Naperville North Regional last season. All the Naperville area schools are looking for a spot in next week’s Sectionals. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
83 runners get the 2024 IHSA Cross Country Regional underway
The boys are off. Running for a strong start is a pack from Oswego East with Naperville Central’s Patrick Clune also sneaking in towards the middle. There are a total of 83 runners in this event.
Over by the tennis court, it’s Redhawk Patrick Clune leading the race. This is followed up with Neuqua Valley’s Grayson Meek, Jesse Gudauskas, and Aaron Hamilton, Ian French of Metea Valley is running in between Huskies Ammar Bhanpuri and Jackson Truty. Naperville North’s Simmon Reckamp is also catching up to the pack. Naperville Central’s Toby Slider and a couple of Metea Valley runners running in, plus Redhawk Gavin George is also on the run with a couple of Naperville North Huskies and a few running Redhawks. A pack of Warriors shortly follow the main herd.
Coming down the hill, it’s the Redhawk, Clune, keeping a nice pace. However, a huge line of runners that includes Neuqua Valley freshman, Meek, with West Aurora’s Nathan Gerhmann trailing from behind, followed by Downers South’s Conrad Saner and John Clinton. Bolingbrook’s Isaac Stowers, Huskie Jackson Truty and Wildcats Gudauskas and Hamilton are running right there.
Going into the two-mile mark, it’s Clune keeping a nice pace. A group of runners includes Huskies Ammar Bhanpuri and Jackson Truty; Gehrman of West Aurora, Conrad Saner from Downers Grove South, and Wildcat’s Meek, Gudauskas, and Hamilton continue to stay in the hunt. We also see a duo of Stowers from Bolingbrook and Metea Valley’s Ian French. Shortly after, more DVC runners keep on pushing, with the finish line approaching.
Patrick Clune is the individual Regional Champion while Neuqua Valley finishes first as a team
In the end, it’s Clune who comes out on top, with a finishing time of 15:12.70. The Wildcats secure second and third place with Meek and Gudauskas, respectively. Saner comes in 4th for DGS and Neuqua’s Hamilton finishes in 5th place. Bhanpuri is the top Huskie in sixth, while Truty and Reckamp get 9th and 10th. French of Metea is just behind in 11th place and he qualifies for Sectionals individually. A pack of DVC runners is just behind. Waubonsie’s Braedon Koerner, Kyle Beitler, and Anchyuth Randeep finish the meet all together.
Neuqua Valley dominates the Regional meet with a score of 40. Naperville North comes in second, Naperville Central in third, Downers South in fourth, and West Aurora gets the last team sectional qualifying spot in fifth.
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