Arthur Graham, Naperville Central; Katrina Schlenker, Batavia; Micah Wilson, St. Charles East; and Lianna Surtz of Rosary in Aurora, forever will have a common thread woven by their high school cross country 2020 season.
They captured first places in their final meets of the season. They are sectional champions. Their final meets did not lead to a State meet. The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) long ago canceled the State meet because of the threats posed by COVID-19.
That august group of runners, of necessity, will savor their sectional championships held at various sites Saturday. The State meet at iconic Detweiler Park in Peoria will not find a running, even though weather forecasts are for good weather.
Team sectional championships: Rosary won the Harvest Christian Class 1A championship for smallest schools in Elgin, five points ahead of IC Catholic Prep, 37 to 42; Harvest Christian won the boys championship; Benet Academy won the girls Class 2A championship at The Latin School in Chicago; St. Charles East boys won the Class 3A Lyons championship, just ahead of York and Lyons; York won the Lyons girls championship, ahead of second place Batavia; Naperville North girls won the 3A championship at the Young Sectional at Lincoln Park in Chicago with an excellent 41 points; Downers Grove North won the Young boys with 77 points, just ahead of Neuqua Valley, 82. The Benet girls scored 32 points and captured places fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, 10th, and 13th. The Kaneland boys were second at Lakes in 2A behind Crystal Lake Central. Marmion Academy took fifth place.
Graham of Naperville Central, Daniel Watcke, Hinsdale Central, and Nicolas Dovalsky, Neuqua Valley finished in the top three at Young.
There still will be memories.
• The Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team will begin November 25, more than two weeks later than recent years, with five straight home games. The first will be against UIC , one of three non-conference games, then 20 Mid-American Conference games.
It is called making the best of the situation.