Alka delivers an All-State effort in Peoria

Willowbrook junior Legend Alka earned All-State honors with his 12^th-place finish in Saturday’s (Nov. 7) IHSA Class 3A boys cross-country state final. Alka completed the 3-mile race at Peoria’s Detweiller Park in 14 minutes, 28.6 seconds.

Saturday’s Class 3A boys race, which was the sixth and final state-championship contest of the day, featured 235 finishers.

The top 25 finishers in each of Saturday’s races secured All-State recognition.

Addison Trail senior Nathan Gundersen also delivered an All-State performance in the Class 3A boys race in Peoria. Gunderson finished the race in an eighth-place time of 14:19.8.

O’Donnell and Yurich compete in 3A girls state final

Glenbard East junior Teigan O’Donnell and Willowbrook senior Bethany Yurich competed in the Class 3A girls state final, which started one hour before the Class 3A boys race in Peoria. O’Donnell, who also competed in the Class 3A state meet during her freshman and sophomore seasons, negotiated the 3-mile course in a 130^th-place time of 18 minutes, 17.5 seconds. Yurich (18:38.5) ran to a 166^th-place finish in the race, which included 241 contestants.

Montini’s Natalia Pesola earns All-State recognition in girls 2A level

Montini Catholic sophomore Natalia Pesola turned in an All-State performance with her 24^th-place finish in Saturday’s Class 2A girls state final. Pesola (18:00.3) ran the 3-mile course at Detweiller Park at a pace of almost exactly 6 minutes per mile. The Class 2A girls race included 234 finishers.

Broncos’ boys team places seventh in the 2A team standings

Montini Catholic’s boys team earned a seventh-place finish in the Class 2A boys state final in Peoria. The Broncos posted a team total of 307 in the competition, which included 28 teams. Senior Nino Pesola delivered Montini’s best individual finish in the 3-mile race, which he completed in 15 minutes, 5.5 seconds. Sophomore Matthew Ferris (15:19.7) placed 66^th for the Broncos. He finished just ahead of his brother, senior Owen Ferris (15:21.3), who landed in 71^st place. Seniors Adriel Garcia (15:33.9; 103^rd) and Gavin Conway (15:37.9; 110^th) completed Montini’s scoring lineup. Junior Charlie Ahrens (16:15.8; 178^th) and sophomore Victor Sharma (16:44; 206^th) also represented the Broncos in the Class 2A boys race, which featured 232 finishers.