Jesuit LA Boys, Prospect IL Girls Run To Decisive Team Victories at LaVern Gibson XC Course

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The boys from Jesuit High in New Orleans, and Ciara O'Shea from Madison Central KY, weren't even supposed to be in Indiana this weekend. 

But the cancellation of the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary, N.C., due to the extensive rain and wind brought by remnants of Hurricane Ian, led them to switch their entry fees and find new plane tickets. 

O'Shea ran one of the fastest high school times ever under the lights at the Nike XC Town Twilight, Presented by the Garrett Companies. She won by nearly 30 seconds and crossed the finish line in 16:52.1. 

The only high school girls to run faster at LaVern Gibson Championship Course were Sydney Thorvaldson of Rawlins WY, who clocked 16:38.3 in 2020 at the XC Town USA Meet of Champions, Presented by the Garrett Companies, and Zofia Dudek from Ann Arbor Pioneer MI, who ran 16:49.3 in 2019 at Nike Cross Midwest. 

RACE VIDEOS | RESULTS

Meanwhile, US#9 Prospect of Illinois ran impressively as a team, placing five scorers in the top 18 of the overall results. A team score of 34 points, and four finishers under 18 minutes, was miles ahead of second-place Noblesville IN (111) or third-place Mason OH (118). 

Jesuit LA took on the challenge of competing outside of its normal comfort zone and taking on some of the top teams in the Midwest. The No. 3 team in the country showed its mettle by defeating No. 9 Carmel IN, 97-106, despite missing two members of its top five. 

Carmel's Kole Mathison led from wire to wire and also crossed the finish line with one of the fastest performances in the history of the LaVern Gibson course. Mathison ran 14:51 and got within three seconds of Futsum Zienasellassie's legendary time of 14.48.

The night-time races were conducted somewhat in the dark, with glowsticks, spotlights and headlights helping to light the way for runners. 

Prospect's Hailey Erickson, Veronica Znajda, Meg Peterson and Lily Ginsberg finished 3-4-5-7 and all went under 18 minutes in a sensational team performance. The four all fit between Erickson's 17:41 and Ginsberg's 17:54. 

In the boys championship race, Jesuit put five scorers inside the top 40. Brady Mullen, a sophomore, led the way with sixth place in 15:04 and teammate Jack DeRoches was 12th in 15:11. Patrick Dowd was 18th in 15:25 and Patrick Buisson was a second behind him in 21st with 15:26. There was a 19-second gap back to fifth and Leland Crawford, who was 40th in 15:45. 

Michael Vocke, the team's presumed leader when he's healthy, and Lucas Sampedro, both sat out for the Bluejays. 

Addison Knoblauch of Homestead IN, the NXR Midwest runner-up last year, led or ran beside O'Shea for about eight minutes and ultimately finished second in 17:21.3. O'Shea surged ahead and pulled away before the 3,000-meter mark. 

Tatum David of Olney (Richland Country) IL was third in 17:28.8 and Lily Baker from Columbus North was fourth in 17:30.3.

Mathison needed something in reserve to hold off Rock Bridge MO's Andrew Hauser in the homestretch, but managed to win by nearly five seconds. Hauser, the reigning NXR Midwest champion, crossed in 14:56.4 and Cameron Todd of Brebeuf Jesuit IN was third in 14:57.3.

The fourth runner under 15 minutes, Daniel Watcke of Hinsdale Central, clocked 14:58.9.