Knight’s XC Wins At PBL Invitational

Knights Champions Yet Again!!!! Win the Paxton Buckley Loda Cross Country Invitational! The Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond boys cross country team traveled to Paxton early Saturday morning, September 11 for PBL’sannual invitational. The Knights scored 58 points in the meet to beat runner-up Herscher, 77 and third place Kankakee McNamara, 97. There were 12 schools in the team competition. Pictured here with the first place trophy are from left to right: Nathan Cogdill, Caden Binder, Connor Edmonds, Jacob Adcock, Coach Lyle Dorjahn, Jesus Corona, Lyle Adcock, Jace Green, Logan Beckmier and Jacob Duzan. You can read all the details of their performances in Coach Dorjahn’s article elsewhere in this paper. The Knights will compete in the 44th Annual Tuscola Classic cross country next Saturday, September 18. Know the running Knights would appreciate a large crowd on hand in nearby Tuscola, Wimple Park, to come see and cheer on the state ranked #1 Class 1A Cross Country team!!

The ALAH mens and ladies cross country squads made the hour and a half trip up I-57 to Paxton on Saturday, September 11 to participate in the PBL Invitational Cross Country Meet. The running Knight’s men ran very strong against 11 other schools most of whom were from the Kankakee area.

The starting boxes were filled with 92 boys who went off under sunny skies and near 80° temperatures. Three of the state’s elite distance stars got off to a quick opening mile in 4:50. Trailing just back of them were the Knight’s trio of Logan Beckmier, Jace Green, and Jacob Adcock. Missing from that group was Lyle Adcock, still recovering from a non running injury. Jesus Corona and Jacob Duzan followed through as the Knights only started 5 varsity runners.

At 2 miles, Herscher’s multi time state champion, Drew Rodgers, along with Ryder James of PBL had begun to assert their dominance. BHRA’s Eli Mojonnier, himself last spring’s 1A State 800 winner held on in 3rd with Beckmier in 4th with Adcock and Green in tow.

Showing his patented kick, Rogers destroys the course record (15:09) held by Big Ten 1500 meter champion Jon Davis. His time of 14:51 bests the 14:56 of James.

Beckmier holds on for 5th followed closely by Adcock and Green in 6th and 7th. Corona drops another personal best (18:03) to place 19th with Duzan wrapping up the scoring in 27th.

The team championship trophy comes back to Douglas County for the 2nd year in a row with the Knights outscoring Herscher 58-77. Kankakee Bishop McNamara finishes 3rd with Tolono Unity in 4th.

Before the men’s varsity contest our Lady Knights had 4 athletes in starting box #4. Emma Edwards again set the pace for the girls just missing out on a top 20 medal while finishing 24th. Maddie Kingery showed consistency finishing 43rd within 1 second of here PR. She was followed by Lyndsay Rohacs and Kayla Johnson finishing 57 and 59 respectively.

In the days final event, the Open Division, the Knights started 3 runners. Connor Edmonds ran away from the pack in the 3rd mile to gather up the 1st place medal! Caden Binder and Nate Codgill both run personal bests to round up the 4th and 6th place medals in this race.

Next up for the state’s #1 ranked Class 1A squad is a trip to Urbana to run on the U of I course at The Arboretum in the annual Uni High Potluck event on Tuesday the 14th. Saturday September 18th the Knights travel across county for the ultra competitive Tuscola Warrior Classic at 10:00am.

Please consider making the short jaunt east to support the Knight’s Cross Country Program. If you’ve never attended a large cross country meet, you will be pleasantly surprised at the festival like atmosphere and competitive comrade shared by these elite athletes!