Darren Kinnard/River Radio Sports Central
PEORIA — Saturday, November 4, 2023.
That date will go down as one of the biggest days for high school cross country in the southern Illinois region. An area that has not produced many trophies throughout the years at the state meet, was responsible for a team state championship, two runner up finishes, two individual medalists, an individual runner up, as well as 16 individuals earning All-State honors.
Marion’s Dylon Nalley repeated as the 2A boys medalist. All eyes were on the Marion senior to see if he could break the all-time record. Nalley got a record, just not the all-time mark. Nalley’s winning time of 14:05.20 broke the previous 2A record set by Carbondale’s Alex Partlow two years ago by more than six second.
Nalley’s teammates then wrote the rest of the story. Mekye Lomax (13th) and and Raphael Greer (17th) both earned all-state honors with top 25 finishes. Gabriel Greer (28th) and Cade Parks (69th) rounded out the scoring as the Wildcats cruised to the 2A team championship, easily outdistancing Glenbard South. It marks only the fifth state championships for the region in the 77 years of state meets, and the first for a team south of Interstate 64.
Complete 2A results are here.
The day started with the Anna-Jonesboro Lady Wildcats placing five in the top 70 led by freshman Jadyn Gerardi’s ninth place finish. Aleah Box (34th), Liz Hammer (50th), Zoe Jones (65th) and Maggie Gooden (69th) helped the Lady Wildcats put a scare into two-time defending champion Tolono Unity, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Rockets from a third straight title. A-J took home the State Runner Up trophy. It was not only the first trophy in program history but only the fourth girls trophy for the region since the Girls State Meet started in 1979.
Father McGivney’s Elena Rybak (6th) and Kaitlyn Hatley (15th) Pope County’s Ahry Comer (11th), Pinckneyville’s Vanessa Teel (23rd), and Murphysboro’s Miah Gilmore (24th) all medaled, earning all-state honors.
The Benton Rangers were the third area team to win a trophy. Led by Gavin Genisio’s repeat performance as medalist, the Rangers put all five scoring runners in the top 62, which gave Tuscola a run, but was not quite enough to win the state title. The Rangers’ first trophy in program history is the 1A State Runner Up.
Genisio and Pinckneyville’s Isaac Teel finished 1-2 individually for the second straight year. Genisio’s winning time of 14:12.56 was the second best in 1A history. Teel’s time of 14:29.39 was the 11th best. In addition to Geiniso and Teel, other area individuals winning medals and gaining all-state honors included Benton’s Gabe McLain (4th) and Cole Buchanan (13th), as well as Steeleville’s Cayton Cratch (18th).
Complete 1A results are here.
In 3A, O’Fallon’s Dylan Ybarra (4th) and Zach Thoman (16th) earned all-state honors.
Complete 3A results are here.
