Five future members of the ICC women's cross country team excelled in their track sectionals last Friday and three of them will extend their high school careers one more week at state. Alyssa Imig of Tremont won the 1600 meter run at the Macomb class A sectional with a time of 5:42.5. She also helped her 4 x 800 team to the title and a state meet berth. At the Beardstown sectional, Katie Drendel topped the 800 field with a 2:33.3, and, like Alyssa, was on the winning 4 x 8. One of the favorite 4 x 8 teams at state will be the one from Eureka, where Bonni Martin carries the batton. Her team won the Bloomington class A sectional with a fine 10:10 clocking. In the AA sectional at Bloomington, Brittany Carius lowered her PR in the 3200 meter run with an excellent 11:53.4, but unfortunately it was not enough to make state. The time, however, moved her into sixth place in this week's Peoria Journal Star Honor Roll. Three of the five ahead of her are state cross country champions. Also running well on a 4 x 8 team was Kim Leubcke of Peoria Richwoods. Her team ran 10:12.1 at the Bloomington sectional, but that too was not enough to make state in the tough AA field.
The boys will run their sectionals this week, but many of the future Cougars rank high on this week's Honor Roll. Shane Leiby of East Peoria ranks second in the 800 with his 1:56.5, which he ran in the Mid Illini Conference meet last Thursday. By the way, no less than eight soon-to-be Cougars ran in this meet! Brother Nick Leiby also makes the Honor Roll with his 2:01.6. Add a third ICC recruit, Brock Kingsland, and you have three fourths of the leading 4 x 8 team which ran an awesome 8:02.9 at conference. Also making the honor roll 4 x 8 teams are Kyle Lueken of Limestone, and Eric Hill of Pekin. Not yet making the list, but winning the Mid state 6 conference 800 was Cody Roeder of Peoria Woodruff.
Good luck to all of these runners at state and sectionals this week!
2 comments:
East Peoria's boys 4x8 qualified for state last night, at sectionals in Bloomington, by finishing 2nd.
3 out of the 4 in the relay are ICC recruits (Shane Leiby, Nick Leiby, and Brock Kingsland). The fourth, Hugh Gill, would be a possible candidate if only he wasn't a sophomore.
Everyone was a touch off and didn't quite run there 8:02.9 from conference, which ranked them first. Nonetheless, it was a very good race, with a time of 8:05.6. Even Kingsland ran a season best with a split of 2:02
I see a sub-8:00 at State. Maybe EP can match what the Eureka girls did, placewise. Congratulations, Bonni and her Hornet teammates!
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