West Central Reporter

The Western Illinois Cross Country teams competed in the Bradley Pink Classic in Peoria last Friday. The event marked its 19th edition, with rain affecting the course conditions, resulting in a soft and muddy track for participants.

In the women's "White" 6K race, Western Illinois secured second place as a team. Freshmen Meg Simmons and Lydia Bennett led the team, followed by Aylana Cezar. Denise Dominguez and Hannah Steinmeyer completed the top five scoring positions for the Leathernecks.

"I was pleased with how our women's team competed today. With the exception of just a few individuals, everyone ran a personal best time," said coach Trey Brokaw. "We had three freshmen in the top-5 for the team, which was great to see. Those freshmen have put in a lot more volume since high school and it's paying big dividends."

The men's team finished 23rd overall in the "Red" 8K race. Logan Lommel was the leading runner for Western Illinois, finishing 40th overall. Robert Perry and Logan Beckmeier followed him closely, while Isaiah Mooreman and Sean Hudspath rounded out their top five scorers.

"On the men's side, we really lost focus and didn't do as well as we were capable of," coach Brokaw commented. "The men are fit and have put in some great work, but they need to execute significantly better in two weeks if we will have a chance to place top-3 as a team."

Looking ahead, both teams will prepare for the Ohio Valley Conference Championships scheduled on October 28th, 2023, in Morehead, Kentucky.