Members of the Mendota cross country team traveled to Ottawa’s home course at Catlin Park on Aug. 29 to challenge runners from Seneca, Hall, Somonauk and host school Ottawa.

The 3-mile girls’ race featured 44 runners and was won by Seneca’s Evelyn O’Connor (20:06). Seneca runners occupied the top five spots to earn a perfect team score of 15. Ottawa (40) placed second in team scoring, with Somonauk (79) finishing third. Mendota failed to complete a team score.

Mendota’s top finishes belonged to Peri Manning (29th, 32:52) and Anna Valdes (35th, 34:11).

In the boys’ varsity event, Anthony Kelson of Mendota traversed the 3-mile course in 17:57 for top honors. Ottawa’s Lucas Farabaugh took second (19:26), while Mendota’s Dagen Setchell rounded out the top three with a 19:41 finish.

Also competing for the Trojans were Ryder Woods (20th, 25:00), Travis Mumm (21st, 25:54), Spencer Kain (23rd, 26:20) and Hector Gonzalez (24th, 26:25).

Team totals had Ottawa first with 28 followed by Seneca (48) and Mendota (55).

***

Mendota joined 29 Northern Illinois schools in the Oregon Open on Sept. 2.

There were 122 runners in the girls’ varsity race. Ariel Hernandez of Rock Falls won in a time of 20:02, followed by Kaneland’s Danielle Bower (20:24) and East Dubuque’s Avery Engle (20:38).

Mendota was represented by Manning (31:10), Valdes (31:19), Emily Banks (33:51) and Payton Stavropoulos (35:47).

A total of 160 harriers competed in the boys’ varsity event, with the top three spots earned by Weston Forward of Rockford Christian(16:14), Nicolai Martino of Winnebago (16:23) and Lucas Schaab of Sterling Newman (16:46).

MHS’s Kelson medaled at 13th place with a time of 17:47. Setchell was 36th (18:45), while Harlan Gallagher (22:02, 110th), Mumm (25:58, 147th) and Kain (26:02, 149th) rounded out Mendota’s top five.

Carlos Toribio (23:31), Gonzalez (25:08), and Aiden Fisher (27:22) additionally represented Mendota in the JV race.