The Riverside-Brookfield High School boys cross country team turned in a tremendous regular season. The Bulldogs carried their success into the postseason by winning their own Class 2A regional at Sundown Meadows Forest Preserve in Countryside over the weekend.
RBHS scored 36 points to finish ahead of runner-up St. Francis (69), Glenbard South (95), Nazareth Academy (98) and Montini (105) in a nine-team field.
Senior Jacob Wardzala led the Bulldogs with a second-place time of 15 minutes, 59 seconds over a three-mile course. Seniors Connor O’Brien (5th/16:06), Jack Sagan (8th/16:29) and Ryan Hahn (10th/16:44) finished in the Top 10 as well.
The Bulldogs’ other contributors included senior Jason Noel (11th/17:01), junior David Keen (21st/17:45) and junior Chris Magno (23rd/17:52).
Montini’s Jacob Mondschean recorded a time of 15:52 to place first in the individual standings.
RBHS moves on to the Wheaton Academy Sectional on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Kress Creek Farms in West Chicago.
LTHS boys
Senior Andrew Tarasuk and four underclassmen led the Lions to second place with 51 points at their own regional in Class 3A.
Tarasuk finished the three-mile run in 16:04, just ahead of sophomore teammate Jack Ehlert’s 16:05. Freshmen Owen Hays (16:06), Sawyer (16:19) Madell and Jocael Thorpe (16:26) also ran well the Lions.
RBHS girls
RBHS junior Tara Janney won the Riverside-Brookfield Regional with a time of 18:59. In the team standings, Wheaton Academy edged RBHS 38-39 to claim the regional team title.
In addition to Janney, junior Nadia Kaczmarz finished fourth at 19:31 and senior Hailey Jurgens fifth at 19:39. The remaining Bulldogs included Cora Lutes (13th/20:34), Melissa Oliveira-Liz (16th/20:44), Tess Bruno (21st/21:14) and Emma Forberg (35th/22:13).
Fenwick girls
Senior Margaret O’Brien recorded a time of 19:00 to come in third at the Whitney Young Regional. Juniors Laura Durkin and Mary Bridget Donahue posted times of 19:34 and 19:36, respectively, to place 10th and 12th for the Friars. Junior Arlene Amaya placed 20th at 19:59.
Fenwick also provided a glimpse of the future with a pair of solid showings from freshmen Katie Cahill (20:00) and Maria Quinn (20:03)
In the team standings, Fenwick placed second (64) behind regional host/champion Whitney Young. Sydney Partyka of Taft won the individual title with a time of 18:37.2
LTHS girls
The Lions won their own regional with an impressive team score of 33 points to finish ahead of conference rival Hinsdale Central (41).
Emily Henkel came in second (17:53), Kate Dickman earned fifth (18:20), Marta Gokucki notched seventh (18:30) and Cara Paliakis placed ninth (18:40) for the deep Lions.
Kirsten Meyer (18:49), Lily Kedzuch (19:01) and Maddie Cranny (19:10) also continued for the Lions.
