By Fred Kroner
Mahomet-Seymour’s Auggie Gaudio was the IESA Class 3A sectional boys’ cross-country individual champion and the eighth-grader led the Bulldogs to the team title on Saturday (Oct. 9) at Lake of the Woods.
Gaudio was two seconds away from a course record when he covered the 2-mile course at the Swiss Valley area in 10 minutes and 42 seconds.
He had a two-second margin of victory. Of all of the boys’ 3A sectionals, Gaudio’s winning time was the state’s second best.
“Auggie has worked hard in the off-season and been patient as he learned his racing strategy this season, defeating many of the runners who have edged him out in recent meets,” M-S coach Lisa Martin said.
The entire M-S team – consisting of seven eighth-graders who competed at the sectional – have qualified for the state meet, which will be held at 11:45 a.m. on Saturday at Maxwell Park, by Normal Parkside.
M-S had a team composite of 47 points to outdistance sectional runner-up Morton (81 points) and third-place Normal Kingsley (103 points). The top three teams all advance to state.
Two teammates joined Gaudio as top-10 runners in a sectional field of 103 participants.
Ethan Peterka was fifth with a personal-best 10:55 clocking and Henry McMurry was seventh in 11:14.48.
Rounding out the team’s sectional lineup were: Justus Vrona (11th in 11:40), Emmett Kearns (23rd in 12:07), Camden Wood (30th in 12:26) and Preston Sriver (41st in 12:44.60).
“As with the girls’ lineup, we found some of the state’s top runners as alternates for our team due to the fact that we are so deep in talent,” Martin said. “Thankful for Tate Bode, Parker Wilkins and Jamison Griffen, who would be ready to run if needed.”
