DGN, Smith take first at Leavey Invite

Senior Zack Smith captured first place and junior Ryan Clevenger was third as the Downers Grove North boys cross country team won the St. Charles East Leavey Invitational Saturday at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve.

Smith pulled out the 3.0-mile race by just half a second over Wheaton North senior Joseph Emmanuel (15:05.5 to 16:00.0) with Clevenger a close third (15:12.4). While Smith did not compete in the invite last year, Clevenger made a significant jump from taking 56th in 16:10.1.

The Trojans’ other finishers were seniors Jared Spilky (12th, 15:49.7) and Marc Mathy (21st, 16:04.0) and juniors Jack Diamond (36th, 16:20.8), and Zac Christensen (37th, 16:21.3) and Joe Carter (77th, 17:37.6).

Downers North won the team title 73-94 over Jacobs with Batavia third with 118 points. Jacobs senior Matthew Johnson, who was fourth (15:28.6), and four other of the Eagles’ top-five finishers did not race when Downers North opened the season with a home triangular against Jacobs and Plainfield North Aug. 29. 

The frosh-soph team was 12th (310 points).

Freshman Alec Danner was sixth (17:03.8), just .1 behind fifth-place Geneva sophomore Steve Creger. Marmion's Charlie Zimmer, one of two freshmen ahead of Danner, won the race by .4 over Waubonsie Valley sophomore Justin Caton (16:20.2 to 16:20.6).

Downers North's other top-seven team finishers were freshman Tristan Jahn (68th, 18:31.8) and sophomore Ryan Cantlin (69th, 18:33.6), freshman Collin Leger (130th, 19:51.1), sophomore Rocco Manzo (172nd, 20:43.2) and freshmen Devin Johnson (178th, 20:50.0) and Zach Goliszewski (198th, 21:29.3).

The open race was cancelled.