Warriors run past the Blazers before competing in Peoria

Willowbrook’s girls and boys cross-country teams competed against Addison Trail in last week’s races at Lombard Common. The Warriors ran to dominant team victories in the girls and boys events at the Sept. 8 competition, which took place in warm and bright conditions.

Willowbrook senior Bethany Yurich ran to an impressive victory in the 3-mile girls race, which she completed in 20 minutes, 29.1 seconds. Sophomore Kate Borho of the Warriors turned in a second-place time of 22:23.7. Willowbrook sophomore Vivian Little (22:34.4) placed third, while sophomore Paige Simek (23:02.9) provided Willowbrook with a fourth-place finish. Junior Juliet Oddo (23:30.7) claimed fifth for the Warriors in their win over the Blazers. Oddo finished just ahead of Willowbrook sophomore Rachel Simek (23:31.5), who landed in sixth place.

Addison Trail sophomore Zianya Hernandez supplied her team’s best finish in the race with her ninth-place time of 24:34.8.

Willowbrook junior Legend Alka glided to a first-place finish in the 3-mile boys race, which he completed in 16 minutes, 7 seconds. Senior Thomas Thimo of the Warriors crossed the finish line in a second-place time of 17 minutes, 2.9 seconds. Thimo edged out senior Ryan Quinney (17:03.2), who placed third. Senior Kole Johanson (17:26.9) contributed a fourth-place finish for the Warriors. Senior Jacob Alexander (17:37.9) of Willowbrook finished fifth. Freshman Nico Navarro (19:18.7) earned a sixth-place finish for the Warriors.

Freshman Alexis Vargas led Addison Trail’s boys team with his seventh-place time of 19:24.7.

Four days after running against the Blazers in Lombard, Willowbrook’s girls and boys teams competed in Saturday’s First to the Finish Invitational at Detweiler Park in Peoria. The Warriors’ girls team placed 16^th out of 35 teams in the Girls 3A level. Willowbrook’s boys team earned a 12^th-place finish in the standings of the Boys 3A division, which also included 35 teams. Saturday’s invite took place on the course that hosts the IHSA girls and boys state meets each November.

Alka led the Warriors’ boys lineup in Peoria with his fifth-place finishing time of 14:52.6 in the 3-mile Boys 3A race. Thimo (16:05.2) finished 57^th in the individual standings, while Johanson (16:32.4) landed in 98^th place.

Yurich finished the 3-mile Girls 3A race in a 23^rd-place time of 18:50.1. Rachel Simek (20:32.7) ran to a 95^th-place finish. Little (20:58.9) and Borho (21.10.6) placed 113^th and 122^nd, respectively.