Submitted by Tayloran Atwell
On Saturday, the Geneseo cross country teams took on the challenging hills of Richmond Hill at the IHSA Class 2A Regional, hosted in Geneseo. The three-mile course is widely known as one of the toughest in Illinois, challenging runners with the steep hill beside the Barn Theater and the climb up H.K. Robinson Drive. Runners must conquer both hills twice over the course's two loops, making Richmond Hill a true test of endurance, strength, and determination.
In the IHSA Class 2A postseason, 12 regionals are divided among four sectionals. The top six teams from each regional automatically advance to their assigned sectional, along with the next five individual runners who are not members of qualifying teams. With a trip to the IHSA Sectional at Black Partridge Park in Metamora on the line, both Geneseo teams rose to the challenge.
The Varsity Girls were the first to hit the course, starting at 10:00 a.m. with their sights set on advancing to the sectional. Brooklyn Smith led the way in spectacular fashion, crossing the finish line first overall to become the IHSA Class 2A Geneseo Regional Champion with a time of 19:04.0. Evy DeBaene followed with an impressive 10th-place finish in 21:12.3. Charlize Wachtel placed 16th in 21:33.0, followed closely by Alivia Brown in 18th place with a time of 21:40.9. Ayla Schultz rounded out the Lady Leafs' top five scorers, finishing in 22:14.0. Also competing among the top seven Varsity runners were Lucy Wachtel, who finished 37th in 22:39.9, and Zania Sefton, who crossed the line in 23:08.6.
The Lady Leafs finished as regional runners-up with 69 points, behind Dunlap's winning score of 37. Their strong team performance secured their place in next weekend's IHSA Sectional, giving them another opportunity to compete for a spot at the State Finals.
The Varsity Boys closed out the regional with an 11:00 a.m. start. Henley Bourne led the Leafs with an outstanding fifth-place finish in 15:48.8, earning medalist honors. Greyson Claerhout finished just outside the top 10, placing 11th in 16:33.4. Kael McCord was the third Leaf across the line, finishing 32nd in 17:25.0. Will Ehlert and Henry Woodward followed closely, placing 34th and 37th with times of 17:35.0 and 17:38.0, respectively. Rounding out the top seven Varsity runners were Ephraim Mueller in 45th place (18:22.0) and Rylan Carlson in 52nd place (18:40.0).
The Varsity Leafs finished fifth overall as a team with 119 points, behind Metamora, Washington, Dunlap, and Morris. Their fifth-place finish secured the boys a spot in the IHSA Sectional, keeping their postseason hopes alive.
With both teams advancing, the Leafs now turn their attention to the IHSA Class 2A Sectional at Black Partridge Park in Metamora on Saturday, October 31. The girls' race is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., followed by the boys' race at 11:30 a.m. At the sectional, the top seven teams and the top 10 individual runners who are not members of a qualifying team will advance to the IHSA State Finals at Detweiller Park. With a trip to State on the line, the Leafs will look to build on their regional performances and earn the opportunity to compete among the best in Illinois.
The challenge only gets tougher from here, but both teams have earned the opportunity to keep competing. With Brooklyn Smith capturing an individual regional championship, the Lady Leafs earning a runner-up team finish, and both squads advancing to Sectionals, Geneseo heads to Metamora ready to take on the next challenge and fight for a chance to run at State.
IHSA Regional @ Geneseo
Varsity Lady Leafs:
Brooklyn Smith - 1st - 19:04.0 - IHSA Regional Champion - Medalist
Evy DeBaene - 10th - 21:12.3
Charlize Wachtel - 16th - 21:33.0
Alivia Brown - 18th - 21:40.9
Ayla Schultz - 28th - 22:14.0
Lucy Wachtel - 37th - 22:39.9
Zania Sefton - 42nd - 23:08.6
Varsity Leafs:
Henley Bourne - 5th - 15:48.8 - Medalist
Greyson Claerhout - 11th - 16:33.4
Kael McCord - 32nd - 17:25.0
Will Ehlert - 34th - 17:35.0
Henry Woodward - 37th - 17:38.0
Ephraim Mueller - 45th - 18:22.9
Rylan Carlson - 52nd - 18:40.0
We’ll have more images from this event on Monday morning.
