The poise and strength of this collective team is superb. Riding momentum from a conference title the week before, the Knights claimed a narrow victory over a surging Benet Academy team. Daniel Occhipinti claimed his third consecutive individual win by outlasting a tough pack of All State runners. Occhipinti’s 15:42 was a :40 PR on the BC course.
Austin Adams continues to climb up the ranks of 2A competitors, working from a solid sixth place, past two, to a medal position at 4th overall. Adams ran a career best 15:55 time on the spongy course filled with turns. Ethan Walker also ripped his career PR to pieces by surging up into the scoring pack of Knights and Redwings of Benet. Walker ran a :56 course PR, finishing 12th at 16:17.
Aidan Lodwig and Jacob Wielgos extended their senior season another week when they trailed Walker’s lead by just :05. Once again, the seniors ran identical times, ending the day just ahead of BA’s #5, at 16:22. Lodwig’s time was a :23 PR over last year’s Regional effort. Wielgos was better by :31. This is particularly impressive as the weather was much more of a factor in times this year.
Ethan Neal also had a career PR on the BC course, running 18th (16:43), and finishing just behind BA’s #6, but ahead of Burlington’s #3 and 27 other scorers in the field.
Isaiah Dallal entered his first IHSA State Series race with no pressure and an open chance at building on his momentum from conference. Dallal ran a :22 course PR (:01 career PR), and was ahead of BC’s #5, as well as 24 other scoring runners from the field.
The last time a Kaneland team hoisted a Regional plaque, it was 1995. The challenge ahead of us is cleanly running our home course, and surging into position versus a motivated Benet team. Expect their best at the Sectionals.
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