The Montini Catholic girls and boys cross-country teams participated in the First to the Finish Invitational at Detweiller Park in Peoria on Saturday, Sept. 12. Running on the course that hosts the IHSA state meets each November, both Montini teams delivered strong performances in the competition. Montini’s boys team finished fifth out of 51 teams in the standings of the Boys 2A event, earning the best finish in the invitational in program history. The Broncos’ girls team placed 20th in the 39-team Girls 2A competition.
Senior Nino Pesola led the Montini boys team with his 16th-place finish in the individual standings in the 3-mile Boys 2A race, which he completed in 15 minutes, 24.2 seconds. Senior Gavin Conway of the Broncos placed 45th after finishing the race in 15:54.7. Sophomore Matthew Ferris (15:59.4) of Montini ran to a 49th-place finish.
Pesola, Conway and Ferris earned medals for their top-50 finishes in the Boys 2A race’s individual standings.
Sophomore Natalia Pesola secured a medal with her 18th-place finish in the Girls 2A race in Peoria. She completed the 3-mile race in 19 minutes, 3.4 seconds.
