Oak Park and River Forest High School girls cross country runner Abby Denneen is enjoying a great freshman season with help from senior Emily Jones.
“For me personally, it’s gone so much better than I expected,” Denneen said. “We try to run together and we’re training buddies. I’ve gotten to know her so well, so being able to push each other in races like this is such a special thing.”
The pair once again led the Huskies Saturday as they finished second (57 points) at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Regional at Katherine Legge Memorial Park. The OPRF boys (4th, 100 points) and Fenwick girls (5th, 119) and boys (6th, 155) also advanced as teams to the Lyons Township Sectional, Oct. 31, with top-six finishes. The top seven teams at sectionals advance to the Nov. 8 state meet along with the top 10 individuals not among the advancing teams.
Both OPRF teams and the Fenwick girls are projected to be in the hunt.
“I feel very confident in our guys’ ability to run together and accomplish their goals,” OPRF coach Chris Baldwin said.
Fenwick senior Juliana Gamboa was an all-regional fourth in the girls race (18:09.2 for 3.0 miles). Fenwick junior Bridget Brunick (6th, 18:24.5) was edged for the last individual medal by 1.3 seconds. Denneen (8th, 18:36.3) and Jones (10th, 18:45.4) also were top 10.
Gamboa was second at the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Meet, Oct. 17, to DePaul’s Emily Stecky (18:01.0 to 18:09.3). Brunick (7th, 18:26.3) also was all-conference for the Friars, who were eighth overall.
“We’re ready to bring our A game (to sectionals),” said Gamboa, a two-time 2A all-stater.
“I think we have a shot (at state),” Brunick said. “Everybody’s been working really hard so as long as we’re trusting our training during the race and (realizing) that this is a team sport, we have to do it for each other.”
The OPRF girls had more top-20 finishers with junior Eileen Easton (12th, 19:04.3), sophomore Loie Burwell (13th, 19:11.5) and freshmen Nora Gundrum (14th, 19:13.9) and Michaela O’Connor (18th, 19:21.2) plus sophomore Rose Super (24th, 19:43.6).
Fenwick’s other finishers were seniors Maya Trouillhet (35th, 20:45.5), Lily Kotynek (37th, 20:50.0), Allison Austin (40th, 21:00.0) Isabelle Lefko (41st, 21:00.8) and Teresa Urso (42nd, 21:12.9).
The West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet, Oct. 17, also was at KLM. The OPRF girls were fifth.
“Almost everybody from last week went down in time,” first-year OPRF coach Sierra Downey said. “I feel like there is a chance (to qualify for state) if we run on our tapered legs.”
At the Silver Meet, Jones (12th) and Denneen (14th) both were all-conference medalists with top-16 finishes. Jones improved from 25th in 2025.
“It was such an incredible thing. I honestly can’t believe I did that,” Jones said. “I’m running well. I haven’t hit the (personal record) I set last season. I think I should be able to at sectionals.”
At the boys Silver Meet, Wangerow (8th, 15:30.7) was an impressive top-10 and senior Nick Houghton (15th, 15:41.2) and junior Gus Singer (16th, 15:41.3) also were all-conference for the fourth-place Huskies. Singer pulled out the last medal by hundredths of a second. Wangerow battled injuries in 2025 but now is healthy with a strong track season behind him.
“Last year I wasn’t in this position. I’ve definitely improved a lot,” he said. “I was so worried about injuries last year and now I don’t because I’ve done the right stuff at home and some injury prevention, exercise to get me to the durable self I am today.”
With a strong pack performance Saturday, freshman Julien Calliez (15:58.1 for 3.0 miles) led the Huskies’ 24-second top-five split, followed by sophomore Santos Martinez (19th, 16:10.8), Wangerow (21st, 16:14.9), Singer (22nd, 16:15.6), senior Connor Harmon (24th, 16:22.2), Houghton (25th, 16:22.2) and junior Finn Herhammer (30th, 16:46.3).
Fenwick achieved its goal of advancing with an extremely young lineup. Senior Burke Burns (16th, 16:05.4) was followed by four freshmen – Luke McConnell (26th, 16:33.2), Franco Leal (34th, 17:04.9), Jack Brunick (39th, 17:21.4) and Jordyn Vargas (40th, 17:25.2) – sophomore Dominic Federico (48th, 18:06.3) and junior Wolfie Bergetz (51st, 18:26.2).
Burns was an all-conference 12th at the Chicago Catholic League Meet, Oct. 17, for the 12th-place Friars.
“I haven’t been able to do it in the past three years and I felt great about it,” Burns said. “It’s a good end of my career.”