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October 31, 2023

Huntley freshman Haley Rahman competes in the Class 3A Hampshire regional.
Steve Peterson
Huntley freshman Haley Rahman competes in the Class 3A Hampshire regional.

Sports • October 31, 2023

Nitz, girls cross country on to state

By

HUNTLEY — Keeping a good post-season run going strong was the goal for Huntley’s girls squad and lead boys runner Tommy Nitz.

The Red Raiders girls, earned a third place and IHSA State Meet spot at the Class 3A Sectional Meet Oct. 28 at Lake Park’s campus course in Roselle. The girls squad moves on as a team to the IHSA State Cross Country Meet Nov. 4 at Detweiller Park in Peoria. Freshman Haley Rahman led the girls effort with a 21st place time of 18:21.1.

Nitz also qualified and will be running in his third state meet.

Rahman paced Huntley with a 21st place time of 18:21.1. Huntley  placed runners in the next 10 spots. Senior Ava Allison clocked an 18:38.5 for 27th; sophomore Cori Klivinger finished 30th in 18:41.2 and Morgan Sauber, 18:42.4 to finish 32nd. Aspen Maldonado was the fifth counting finish, 59th overall, 19:18.7 while junior Mackenzie Billard had a 19:39.9 time.

HHS head coach Matt Kaplan commented on the girls team’s third place finish.

“Rahman and the others moved up nicely as the race developed,” Kaplan said. “Rahman, Allison, Klivinger and Sauber all did a great job finding each other in the race which allowed our team to have four finish within 20 seconds. Maldonado was our fifth finisher and closed off our team’s scoring and we had all five girls finish in a span of 57 seconds which is outstanding.”

“I think it was at the two-mile mark when I passed seven or eight girls,” Rahman said. “We just all run hard for each other.”

Although making her debut at the IHSA state meet, having competed at Detweiller Park this season will be a plus. “It definitely will help me knowing the course,” Rahman said.

 

Nitz finishes top 10

 

“Nitz gutted out a tough performance on Saturday,” Kaplan said. “At the first turn, unfortunately he got stepped on at the back of his spike and it slipped half way off. Nitz then spent the remainder of the race doing what he could to race while trying to keep the spike on his foot. His eighth place finish was a testament to his drive and determination. At state he has a goal of earning all-state honors (top 25).”

Nitz finished in 15:06.1 at sectional and said the problem with the shoe was the first time something like that has happened. But he is more than ready for the state meet.

“I’ll use my past experience and give it my all at state. I wasn’t happy with eighth at sectional, but I am confident about state and finish all-state,” Nitz said.

Nitz finished 55th in last year’s state meet. He knows many of the top competitors at state, from O’Fallon to DeKalb and conference rival Jacobs.

Contributing to the boys’ 10th place team effort at sectional were: senior Zach Zuzzio, 35th, 15:38.1; senior Luke Grubbs, 57th, 16:00.7 and Andrew Raistrick was 92nd, 16:28.5. Also, Logan Barreto, 16:42.7 and Brandon Thompson, 16:54.1.