On Saturday, September 19th, the Benet Academy Boys’ Cross Country Team traveled to Detweiller Park in Peoria, Illinois, to compete in one of the most competitive cross country meets in the state. Detweiller Park is a legendary course that has hosted countless races and is known for bringing together some of the strongest teams and runners in Illinois. With so much talent on the starting line, this meet provided Benet with an opportunity to test itself against challenging competition and become more prepared for the races to come.
The varsity team got the day started with several strong performances. Ben Marks and Liam Hruby both put together impressive races, with Marks recording a new personal record and Hruby achieving a season-best time. Their performances helped set the tone for the rest of the team and showed the progress Benet’s runners have made throughout the season. A few hours later, the junior varsity team took to the course and continued Benet’s strong showing, with the eight runners averaging approximately a 30-second improvement over their previous times. The team’s top five scorers were Damian Schulz, Gage Ross, Kevin Deboni, Alex Bane, and Anthony Lazzaro.
Schulz led the way with an outstanding time of 16:04, earning 25th place overall and an individual award. Ross followed closely behind with a 16:16, while Deboni ran a 16:33. Bane finished with a 16:47, and Lazzaro rounded out Benet’s top five scorers with a 17:01. Together, the five runners produced a strong team score and helped the JV squad finish 7th out of 56 teams. Benet was also the highest-placing Catholic school in the JV race, giving the team another accomplishment to celebrate from an already successful day.
After the JV race, the open race brought even more excitement. Benet’s runners continued to excel and reach new heights. Logan Guerra had one of the day’s most impressive performances, as he dropped more than four minutes from his previous time. Patrick Kerwin also made a huge jump, with a two-minute improvement.
Coach Veselik continues to lead the team with optimism and determination, stating, “We can celebrate for a few minutes at the start of practice on Monday, but then it will be time to get back to work.” The performances at Detweiller showed that Benet has plenty to be excited about. With the postseason approaching, Benet will have to build on the momentum from Peoria and continue to improve in the weeks ahead.
