It was a mix of elation and disappointment for the Beecher boys cross country team Saturday at the Class 1A state meet at Peoria's Detweiller Park.
The Bobcats finished sixth overall (199 points) and freshman Grant Nykaza finished second overall (15:13.3). But the Bobcats came up short of a state championship as Beecher's third runner, Jordan Joaquin, was disqualified.
Joaquin said he was trying to pass a pack of runners and it was ruled he was taking advantage of another runner.
"There was a block of three or four runners, and I tried to go around. I guess when I pulled his shoulder, they ruled that," Joaquin said. "(the runner) tried to trip me and we both got disqualified."
"We're pretty bummed we didn't win it because that was our goal," said junior Griffin Nykaza, who finished 10th in 15:28. "It really does (stink) that Jordan got disqualified.
"I didn't run my best time at all, but we still came together and got sixth."
Sterling Newman Central Catholic won the team title with 122 points, edging Canton by one point. Rockford Christian Life's Justin Reinfeldt was the overall winner (15:06), beating Grant Nykaza by six seconds.
It was Beecher's second runner-up finish as the 1977 team took second in Class A under a two-class system. The Bobcats' Tom Stluka finished second that year.
Beecher has had two individual Class A champions in Ron Speletich (1983) and Tony Fernatt (1986).
"As a team, we all wanted to do better," Grant Nykaza said. "We had a good finish, but we wanted to win state."
In 2A, Illiana Christian's boys were 18th (461) as Belvidere North won the team title (77). The Vikings' Matt Hall was 96th overall (16:37), and Crete-Monee's Josh Martin was 145h (17:29).
The Illiana girls were 20th (454).The Vikings' top runner was Chloe Porter, who was 85th overall (19:58). Springfield won the team title (124).
In 3A boys meet, Homewood-Flossmoor's T.J. Norris was 116th (15:53). In the girls meet, Bloom Twp.'s Janalis Roche was 121st (19:06).
PREP CROSS COUNTRY | IHSA STATE MEET
