Edwardsville’s boys cross country team dominates regional field, Alton’s Havis, Cummings, also qualify

BELLEVILLE – Edwardsville’s boys cross country enters this weekend’s Granite City Sectional with confidence after capturing the team title in the Belleville West Regional.

The road to the 72^nd IHSA Boys Cross Country Championship at Detweiler Park in Peoria got under way Saturday with regional meets in three classes throughout Illinois. Here is a look at how area teams and runners fared in regionals in Belleville (Class 3A), Highland and Jacksonville (Class 2A) and Effingham St. Anthony and Shelbyville (Class 1A); the top six teams (Class 2A and 3A) and top seven teams (Class 1A), as well as the top five runners (all classes) from non-qualifying teams advanced to their respective sectionals next Saturday.

CLASS 3A BELLEVILLE WEST REGIONAL

Both Edwardsville and Granite City advanced as teams out of the Belleville West Regional, while Alton advanced two individual runners to next Saturday’s Granite City Sectional at Wilson Park in Granite City.

Edwardsville took the team title with 21 points, going 2-3-4-5-7 among their scoring runners on the day, while Granite City took the individual crown as the Warriors’ Andrew O’Keefe turned in a 15:08.06 time for the honors on the day. O’Fallon (65), Belleville East (103), the host Warriors (126), Collinsville (131) and Belleville West (142) all advanced as teams; Quincy (179) and Alton (181) failed to qualify as teams.

The Tigers’ Roland Prenzler led the way for his team with a second-place time of 15:12.83; he was followed by Jack Pifer (third in 15:28.16), Max Hartmann (fourth in 15:30.35), Franky Romano (fifth in 15:40.87) and Holden Potter (seventh in 16:05.42) to round out the scoring runners for the Tigers; Todd Baxter (14^th in 16:35.40) and Jack Perulfi (26^th in 17:01.27) also ran for EHS on the day.

Patrylak said he looks forward to this week’s Granite City and he is confident his girls will qualify for state as a team if all goes well.

Roland Prenzler was a standout for the Tigers in the boys meet, setting a personal best over the course. Patrylak also praised his others in a close group – Jack Schoenthal, Max Hartmann and Franky Romano. Todd Baxter, Holden Potter and Jack Perulfi also drew praise from the coach.

“Baxter ran really well and ran a big P.R.,” Patrylak said. “The boys overall were solid, but I felt like their best rest so far was the conference meet. The boys did take care of business.”

In addition to O’Keefe, the Warriors were led by Jeremiah Petty (21^st in 16:50.99), Tony Harold (30^th in 17:15.83), Jack Blomme (35^th in 17:22.76) and Tyler Tindall (39^th in 17:39.22); Logan Gilmore (42^nd in 18:04.22) and Aiden Sampson (45^th in 18:11.54) also ran for GCHS on the day.

The Redbirds’ Cassius Havis (sixth in 15:56.20) and Kelvin Cummings (16^th in 16:38.79) both advanced to the sectional as individuals; three Quincy runners also moved on as individuals.

CLASS 2A JACKSONVILLE REGIONAL

Two individuals each from Civic Memorial and Jersey advanced to next Saturday’s Decatur MacArthur Sectional at Decatur’s Hickory Point Golf Course out of the Jacksonville Regional at Community Park in Jacksonville.

The Eagles finished seventh as a team with 159 points and the Panthers finished eighth at 192 points. Chatham Glenwood and Springfield shared the team title with 32 points each, with the Titans’ Drey Maton nosed out Springfield’s Kyle Boughter by 68-hundredths of a second (15:09.18 to 15:09.86) for the individual championship. Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (121), Rochester (132), Taylorville (142) and the host Crimsons (151) all advanced to Decatur as teams on the day.

Cohl Callies (18^th in 16:28.55) and Mark Eldridge (29^th in 16:58.21) advanced to the sectional for the Eagles on the day, while the Panthers’ Drew Bertman (27^th in 16:52.28) and Christian Cazier (28^th in 16:54.36) also moved on as individuals.

CLASS 2A HIGHLAND REGIONAL

Triad had two top-20 runs to help the Knights finish third in the Highland Regional; fellow Mississippi Valley Conference teams Mascoutah (51 points) and Waterloo (71) finished in the top two spots, with the Knights third at 112 points; Carbondale (112), Marion (117) and Mount Vernon (157) also advanced to the Decatur MacArthur Sectional as teams, with the individual title going to Marion’s John Bruce in 15:38.26.

Drake Bleier was the Knights’ top runner on the day, finishing eighth in 16:32.26, with Jarod Willis taking 17^th in 16:49.61; he was followed by Ben Walter (21^st in 17:02.03), Deric Patton (30^th in 17:13.17) and Isaiah Barker (35^th in 17:23.74) to round out the scoring. Seth Martin (38^th in 17:29.60) and Caleb Bagwell (43^rd in 17:37.62) also ran for Triad on the day.

CLASS 1A SHELBYVILLE REGIONAL

Piasa Southwestern advanced a runner into next week’s Carlinville Sectional out of the Shelbyville Regional Saturday, but the Birds failed to qualify as a team with a 10th-place finish on the day with 233 points. Carlinville (56 points) won the team competition, with Toledo Cumberland (77), Marshall (99), Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond (113 points), Neoga (142), Casey-Westfield (154) and Litchfield (163) moved on as teams; Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond’s Logan Hall took the individual title with a time of 14:57.97.

Southwestern’s Caden Bohn finished 12^th in a time of 16:53.36 to advance as one of the top five runners on non-qualifying teams to reach the sectional; Carrollton’s Daniel Vandersand finished 85^th in 23:54.30.

John Hough also contributed to this story.