DGN at Minooka Invite roundup

Seniors Ryan Clevenger and Zac Christensen both had second-place flight finishes for the Downers Grove North boys cross country at the annual Minooka Flight Invitational Saturday, Sept. 20.

The invite combines the results from seven flight races. The Trojans (31 points) finished third behind Neuqua Valley (12) and defending Class 2A state champion Yorkville (13) and just ahead of Whitney Young (37) and Hoffman Estates (41).

Clevenger covered the 3.0 miles in 15:01 to finish second in the No. 1/top flight to Yorkville senior Jake Hoffert (14:55), who was third at the 2013 2A state meet behind two seniors in 14:40. Clevenger later was seventh in the Class 3A state final in 14:38.

Christensen (16:05) was second in the No. 3 flight to Yorkville junior Trevor Wills (15:55), 65th at 2A state last year.

Sophomore Alec Danner (15:55) was fourth in the No. 2 flight with the team’s second fastest time. Senior Joe Carter (16:25 at No. 5) and junior Bradley Wilcoxen (16:30 at No. 6) both finished third, senior Jack Diamond (16:40 at No. 4) was sixth and junior Robby Prescott (17:21 at No. 7) was 11th.

Clevenger, Christensen, Danner, Carter and Wilcoxen all earned individual medals for top-five flight finishes.

The Trojans entered the invite ranked No. 9 for 3A by MileSplit Illinois and No. 10 by DyeStat Illinois. Neuqua Valley was ranked No. 3 in both polls while Yorkville is the No. 1-ranked team for 2A.

Downers North's frosh-soph team was seventh (191 points). Sophomore Tristan Jahn was 27th (17:07), one second shy of 25th. Also in the lineup were sophomore Drew Pyburn (35th, 17:21), freshman Jacob Ridderhoff (36th, 17:24), sophomores Zach Goliszewski (44th, 17:38) and Andrew Marek (49th, 17:43) and Don Knapp (57th, 17:57) and freshman Ryan Birkmeier (60th, 18:00).

In the open race, senior Jack McGinnis finished 16th (17:29) and earned an individual ribbon with a top-25 finish. The team’s other top-10 finishers were junior Nick Torres (46th, 18:06), freshmen Tyler Mertes (83rd, 18:34) and Sam McCool (84th, 18:36), junior Rocco Manzo (102nd, 18:51), freshman Rielly Britt (119th, 19:01), sophomore Collin Leger (120th, 19:01), freshman Brendan Lockerby (133rd, 19:14), junior Ryan Cantlin (139th, 19:19) and senior Dillon Murphy (150th, 19:26). No team results were kept.

-- by Bill Stone