Flowers dominates Granite City Invitational field, Alton, East Alton runners also post solid performances

GRANITE CITY – Jersey’s Ben Flowers had the thrill of capturing first place in the Granite City Invitational boys division, but he also was able to meet area distance great Craig Virgin before the race.

Virgin, an Olympic medalist from Lebanon, IL, has a habit of showing up at big cross country meets and he took the time Saturday to greet Flowers and the other Jersey team members before the race.

“Meeting Craig Virgin before the race motivated me to run even faster,” Flowers said after the race. “He is one of my heroes. I couldn’t believe he came up to me and the team before the race and wished me a good race.”

Flowers blazed the trail in the race, winning with a time of 15:00.51, almost eclipsing the 15-minute flat mark for the 3-mile course.

“You always wonder about what the first big race will be like and Ben basically showed up and showed he is ready to go to bigger and better things this year,” head Jersey cross country coach Harold Landon said. “Ben ran a great race.”

Edwardsville’s Franky Romano placed fifth in the race (15:30.11).

Andrew O'Keefe of Granite City made the top 10 (15:40.97); Alton’s Evan Rathgeb was 24^th (15:57.05); and East Alton-Wood River’s Brandon Springman was 57^th (16:42.23).

INDIVIDUAL TOP TEN

Ben Flowers, Jersey (15:00.51); Chris Durr, Chatham Glenwood (15:24.30); Zach Young, Marion (15:25.15); Charlie Parrish, Freeburg (15:27.62); Franky Romano, Edwardsville (15:30.11); John Bruce, Marion (15:38.16); Christopher Conrad, O'Fallon (15:40.72); Andrew O'Keefe, Granite City (15:40.97); Austin Knight, Carterville (15:44.77); Kyle Dismukes, O'Fallon (15:45.91)

OTHER AREA FINISHERS

EDWARDSVILLE: Roland Prenzler, 17^th (15:52.08); Max Hartmann, 42^nd (16:29.59); Jacob Schoenthal, 46^th (16:34.00); Jack Pifer, 58^th (16:45.57); Sam McCormick, 59^th (16:46.08); Zach Walters, 86^th (17:19.96)

ALTON: Evan Rathgeb, 24^th (15:57.05); Kelvin Cummings, 39^th (16:25.52); Arie Macias, 72^nd (17:03.82)

GRANITE CITY: Leo Nikonowicz, 67^th (17:00.76); Kariem Ali, 105 (17:40.50)

JERSEY: Andrew Bryden, 116^th (17:59.43)

CIVIC MEMORIAL: Cohl Callies, 85^th (17:19.49); Nick Duley, 179^th (19:21.67)

ROXANA: James Henseler, 103^rd (17:37.34); Brandon Isom, 106^th (17:41.32)

EAST ALTON-WOOD RIVER: Brandon Springman, 57^th (16:42.23); Chase Wallendorf, 165^th (19:01.25)

FRESHMAN/SOHPOMORE BOYS

Springfield – 62

O'Fallon – 136

Edwardsville – 138

Triad – 139

Waterloo – 140

St. Louis University High – 183

DeSmet – 186

Chatham Glenwood – 247

Carbondale – 264

Jacksonville – 267

Fort Zumwalt West – 269

Mascoutah – 329

Alton – 357

Mount Vernon – 434

Piasa Southwestern – 445

Collinsville – 462

Freeburg – 484

Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin – 503

Columbia – 524

East St. Louis – 532

Civic Memorial – 536

Herculaneum, Mo. - 542

Roxana – 560

Belleville West – 579

Farmington, Mo. - 609

Belleville East – 614

Granite City, Jersey, East Alton-Wood River – No Score

INDIVIDUAL TOP TEN

Will Formea, Springfield (16:28.52); Eli Ward, Waterloo (16:39.98); Ethan Cherry, Carbondale (16:41.93); Issac Becker, Springfield (16:44.39); Dan Powell, Edwardsville (16:45.65); Kyle Boughter, Springfield, 16:47.29); Jackson McAlister, Waterloo (16:56.63); Casmir Cozzi, Mascoutah (16.57.70); Christian Cazier, Jersey (17:05.65); Brendan Fahey, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (17:10.41)

OTHER AREA RUNNERS

EDWARDSVILLE: Todd Baxter, 14^th (17:15.38); Jacob Davis, 33^rd (17:51.81); Jonah Durbin, 42^nd (18:12.91); Joseph Brooks, 53^rd (18:27.42); Henry Gruben, 64^th (18:41.20); Josh Perry, 76^th (19:01.81)

ALTON: Cassius Havis, 30^th (17:47.39); Zak Wilson, 68^th (18:48.86); Issac Evans, 93^rd (19:52.08)

PIASA SOUTHWESTERN: Carden Bohn, 17^th (17:22.63); Grant Seniker, 65^th (18:42.74)

CIVIC MEMORIAL: Drake Stevenson, 66^th (18:42.74); Will Davis, 96^th (19:56.53)

ROXANA: Joel Woodruff, 112^nd (20:15.94); William Cotter, 114^th (20:19.78); Jarrett Warmack, 115^th (20:20.35)

GRANITE CITY: Jeremiah Perry, 91^st (19:41.97); Jr. Harold, 123^rd (20:36.43)

JERSEY: Grant Morgan, 82^nd (19:13.56)

EAST ALTON-WOOD RIVER: Andrew Noack, 84^th (19:17.65)

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