2023 Peoria Central Invitational Preview

Great races await on the final Saturday in September at Detweiller Park

(Photo – Dylan Jacobs in 2017 setting the new meet record of 13:57.5. That record could fall on Saturday)

By Michael Newman

The Peoria Invitational is the original of the three big Peoria races now being contested. Saturday’s meet is the 68 edition of the meet that began in the mid 1950’s. The current three-mile race was introduced in 1971 when the IHSA made the decision to move the state meet distance from 2.67 miles up to 3 miles. It was the meet to have on your schedule to get a chance to run on the state meet course. By the time the meet moved into the 1980’s, there was a huge waiting list just to race in a great meet at Detweiller Park.

This meet shaped Detweiller Park as the mecca of Cross-Country racing in the state. Saturday’s four races will give us some more things to talk about before noon about the storied Peoria Central Invitational.

The best race of the day comes at 9:45 AM as Dylon Nalley returns to race on the hallowed grounds of Detweiller Park looking to better the 14:00.2 that he ran two weeks ago. He will look to better that time and perhaps lower the meet record set by Dylan Jacobs in 2017.

Here is a look at the first four races that will take place on Saturday morning.

Girls 1A/2A Race – 9:00 AM

Teams (14: 11/3) – 2A #1 Chatham-Glenwood, 2A #4 Normal University, 2A #6 Waterloo, 2A #7 Dunlap, 2A #8 Crystal Lake South, 2A #9 Mt. Zion, 2A #12 Morton, 2A #20 Mundelein Carmel, 2A #21 Benet Academy, 2A #25 Carterville, 2A #30 Sterling, 1A #2 Anna-Jonesboro, 1A #5 Peoria Notre Dame JV, 1A #28 Stanford Olympia; Bartonville Limestone, Beardstown, Belvidere, Bethalto Civic Memorial, Carbondale, Carlinville, Carterville, Centralia, Champaign Central, Charleston, Decatur MacArthur COOP, East Peoria, Fenwick, Freeburg, Galesburg, Highland, Hope Academy, Marion, Mascoutah, Mattoon, Metamora, Mt. Vernon, Payton Prep, Peoria Central, Peoria Manual, Peoria Richwoods, Pontiac, Princeton, Rockford Christian, Roxana, Sandwich, Tuscola, Urbana.

Runners to Watch – Katie Foltz-Tuscola; Natalie Bierbaum-Normal University; Sundara Weber-Sandwich; Zoe Carter-Normal University; Ali Londrigan-Chatham Glenwood; Ashlyn Chopra-Chatham Glenwood; Cameron Crump-Waterloo; Jadyn Gerardi-Anna Jonesboro; Abby Machesky-Crystal Lake South; Katie Sell-Dunlap; Izzy Bing-Mundelein Carmel; Delilah Helenhouse-Benet Academy; Avery Braker-Morton; Renee Ballard-Mt. Zion; Aleigha Garrison-Champaign Central; Molly Robertson-Carterville.

Race Notes – This individual race got more interesting after Katie Foltz ran 16:10 at St. Joseph-Ogden to finish second on this road course. Foltz ran 16:48.9 to win by 40 seconds at the First to the Finish Invitational. She should have company in the front with her. Natalie Bierbaum and Sundara Weber finished 2-3 in the Class 2A race at First to the Finish with Bierbaum at 17:05 and Weber at 17:29. Weber has been running great of late and should be with Bierbaum in this race. The two will be near Foltz throughout this race. Zoe Carter could also be with this group.

Chatham-Glenwood had a dominating performance three weeks ago and enters this meet as the top 2A team in the state and the race favorite. Anna-Jonesboro put in a great performance led by freshman Jadyn Gerardi three weeks ago as the team finished second behind Tolono Unity. Normal University, Waterloo, and Dunlap have all run good towards the end of the month and could challenge the Titans for the win.

Boys 1A/2A Race – 9:45 AM

Teams (17:12/5)– 2A #2 Benet Academy, 2A #4 Normal University, 2A #6 Marion, 2A #7 Bethalto Civic Memorial, 2A #13 Mt. Zion, 2A #14 Mt. Vernon, 2A #19 Chatham-Glenwood, 2A #20 Champaign Central, 2A #22 Mascoutah, 2A #26 Payton Prep, #28 Sterling, 2A #29 Dunlap, 1A #1 Tuscola, 1A #2 Benton, 1A #3 Peoria Notre Dame,  1A #9 Rockford Christian, 1A #28 Roxana; Anna-Jonesboro, Bartonville Limestone, Beardstown, Belvidere, Brother Rice, Carbondale, Carlinville, Carterville, Charleston, Decatur MacArthur COOP, Dunlap, East Peoria, Fenton, Freeburg, Galesburg, Hope Academy, Highland, Hinsdale South, Mattoon, Metamora, Mundelein Carmel, Noble/Rauner, Peoria Central, Peoria Manual, Peoria Notre Dame, Peoria Richwoods, Pontiac, Princeton, Rantoul, Sandwich, Stanford Olympia, Steeleville, Urbana, Waterloo

Runners to Watch – Dylon Nalley-Marion; Dale Johnson-Sterling; Gavin Genisio-Benton; Finn Richards-Benet Academy; Jackson Barrett-Tuscola; Josiah Hortin-Tuscola; Gabriel McLain-Benton; Julian Baker Mt. Zion; Weston Forward-Rockford Christian; Max Weber-Civic Memorial; Will Foltz-Tuscola; Blake McLeese-Tuscola; Van Schneider-Chatham Glenwood; Leo Cozzi-Mascoutah; Caedmon Cook-Mt. Vernon; Mason Hart-Normal University; Landen Alcorn-Normal University; Caleb Mathias-Champaign Central.

Race Notes – This is the best of the four races in this meet. It could be one of the best races this year in Illinois with so many storylines revolving in this one race. Dylon Nalley decided to run in Peoria on Saturday instead of heading to Terre Haute. He ran 14:03 on this course to win last year, which was not expected. Nalley ran 14:00.2 two weeks ago at the Richard Spring Invitational after a tough training week. The time was hoped to be faster. That is why he is on this course. We should have a big race from him going after Dylan Jacobs 13:57.5 meet record set in 2017. Nalley could lower that record and perhaps other records in this race. We shall see.

Nalley will have runners that will push him in this race. Gavin Genisio ran 14:37 on this course last year and could drop that time lower in this race. Dale Johnson ran 14:28 three weeks ago at First to the Finish Invitational and will push Nalley with Genisio throughout the race. Jackson Barrett and Josiah Hortin ran 14:12-14:13 last week on the road course at St. Joseph-Ogden. We will see how those times translate in this meet if they go after a fast time.

The other big storyline to watch is the top two teams in Class 1A Tuscola and Benton facing off for possibly the only time before the state meet. Tuscola ran a two second split on their top four runners at First to the Finish. All four were at or under 15-minutes. Benton ran their best race of the season last week at Freeburg and is getting closer to Tuscola. It is going to be interesting to see how these two teams compare to each other in this meet. Benet Academy, led by Finn Richards, is the second ranked team in Class 2A and have the split to finish in the top three and perhaps enough to catch both Tuscola and Benton. This is a loaded field with 17 ranked teams in this race, 12 from Class 2A and 5 from Class 1A.

Girls 3A Race – 10:30 AM

Teams (4) – #10 Huntley, #11 Edwardsville, #24 Evanston Township, #30 Warren Township; Alton, Aurora East, Aurora West, Belleville East, Belleville West, Bloomington, Downers Grove South, East Moline United, Fremd, Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South,  Granite City, Homewood-Flossmoor, Hoffman Estates, Jacobs, Joliet Central, Joliet West, Maine East, Maine South, McHenry, Mundelein, Normal Community, Normal West; Pekin, Springfield, Taft, Thornton, Wheeling

Runners to Watch – Danielle Jensen-McHenry; Haley Rahman-Huntley; Maria Polyakov-Glenbrook North; Holly Johnson-Downers Grove South; Stella Davis-Evanston Township; Madison Popelar-Edwardsville; Julie Bach-Normal West; Olivia Coll-Edwardsville; Hannah Diete-Taft; Kaitlyn Burns-Glenbrook South; Ella Thompson-Edwardsville; Kaylee Wilson-Warren Township; Olivia DeLuca-Maine South

Race Notes – It will not be the same Girls race we have seen at Detweiller Park in the previous 2 meets held on this course. Danielle Jensen has run 17:33 this season and could be the runner to watch in the front of this race. Maria Polyakov has been among the front runners in her races this year. She could push Jensen. Holly Johnson has not raced since she finished third at Hinsdale Central at the beginning of the month. She is entered and could be among the top 10 in this meet if she races. Stella Davis, Julie Bach, and Hannah Diete could also be the runners to watch in this race. There are only four ranked teams in this race. Huntley was edged by Minooka by one point last week at Schaumburg and could challenge for the win led by potential top 5 finisher Haley Rahman. Edwardsville will have Madison Popelar, Olivia Coll, and Ella Thompson possibly finish in the top 10. The Tigers are deep and will have the edge to win this division title.

Boys 3A Race – 11:15 AM

Teams (7: 6/1) – #7 New Trier, #11 Fremd, #12 St. Charles East, #17 Aurora West, #20 Jacobs, #22 Sandburg, 2A #9 Morton;  Alton, Aurora East, Belleville East, Belleville West, Bloomington, Bolingbrook, Downers Grove South, East Moline United, Edwardsville, Elk Grove, Evanston Township; Fenwick, Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South, Granite City, Hoffman Estates, Homewood-Flossmoor, Huntley, Joliet West, Maine East, Maine South, Mather, McHenry, Mundelein, Neuqua Valley JV, Normal Community, Normal West, Pekin, Rockton Hononegah, Rolling Meadows, Springfield, Taft, Thornton, Warren Township, Wheeling, York, Zion-Benton

Runners to Watch – Ben Crane-New Trier; Sean Heetland-Aurora West; Tommy Nitz-Huntley; Rory Gaan-Fremd; Mohamed Abdullahi-Mather; Grant Giblin-Sandburg; John Ihrke-Glenbrook North; Oscar Frontjes-St. Charles East; Grayson Ellensohn-St Charles East; Andrew Beyer-Jacobs; Jack Jennings-Fremd; Landon Harris; Granite City; Jed Wilson-St. Charles East; Atticus Miller-New Trier; Habtamu Epley-Homewood Flossmoor; Owynn Garrelts-Maine South; Josh Weeks-Morton; Marcellus Mines-Joliet West

Race Notes – New Trier enters this meet as the favorite after a strong September of racing. Ben Crane leads the team and could win this race having run 14:25 at First to the Finish Invitational. The Trevians could also be working on their top five split in this meet. It was 90 seconds last week at Palatine. Their split from 2-5 was 59 seconds. Fremd is slowly moving up this season and is primed to run a big race on Saturday. Rory Gaan will be among the runners that you could see in the front along with freshman Jack Jennings that could finish in the top 10. St. Charles East has a strong pack in front with Oscar Frontjes, Grayson Ellenson, and Jed Wilson all running under 15-minutws on this course two weeks ago. Their 4-5 pack needs to get closer to the front for the Saints to challenge New Trier. Aurora West could challenge but will not have sophomore Nathan Gehrman racing for the second week in a row. Crane is the individual favorite but will have Gaan, Sean Heetland, Tommy Nitz, Mohammed Abdullahi, Grant Giblin, and John Ihrke chasing after top five finishes. Marcellus Mines has not finished a race this season but is entered in this meet. We will see whether he races or not on Saturday morning.