Clinton Maroons XC

09/30/2026

THE BOYS ARE EPG INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!! 3RD PLACE FOR THE GIRLS!!!

A record 40 teams competed at the EPG XC Invitational this year and the boys team came home champions (after finishing 3rd last year) for the 5th consecutive meet! During the awards ceremony, Coach Melick pointed out the boys 6th place finisher finished ahead of every other team’s 5th finisher and the boys 7th finisher also finished ahead of everyone one but one team’s 5 → amazing depth! Yet again, the girls with an impressive 3rd place finish by a point over Ottawa! We also had 5 total athletes in the top 20, winning the coveted numbered tshirts - congrats to Kena, AP, Bostic, Droke & Brock! We had new course records set on both the boys & girls side - with Cayden lowering his own course record and BOTH Kenna & AP finishing under the previous record! This is the first time since we’ve been coaching that we have had two female athletes under a course record at the same time! Clinton XC History, Course and Class

Girls Varsity:
Kenna: in a new ALL-TIME course record for Clinton, finishing in 20:19 and 5th overall!
AP: also under the previous course record, course record for a junior athlete, finishing in 20:27 and 6th overall!
Kacy: 41st in 24:19
Jozlin: 53rd in 24:44
Ava: 62nd in 25:01 - a 1:41 course PR!
Summers: 67th in 25:34 - her first time racing the course “that wasn’t as a bad as I thought it would be”
Averie: 68th in 25:34, bringing home her teammate!
Emma: 79th in 26:13, first racing this course over three miles!
Maesie: 27:14, 37 second course PR!
Lainey: 106th in 28:25, a 1:30 course PR!
Toohill: 112th in 28:47, within three seconds of her course record!
Diana: 121nd in 29:49

Boys varsity:
In another all-time Clinton course record → Bostic: 3rd in 16:21 - another new course record!
In a new senior Clinton athlete course record → Droke: 10th in 17:00 - last year he raced the course in 18:22, 1:22 course PR!
Brockton: 13th in 17:21, course PR!
Dalton: 21st in 17:40, 1:21 course PR!
Joe: 23rd in 17:51, course PR!
GK: 36th in 18:28 - course PR!
Shawn: 42nd in 18:45
OT: 43rd in 18:48, 3rd fastest freshman time for a Clinton athlete!
Oliver: 50th in 19:17 - tying his course PR
Preston T: 57th in 19:32 – an astonishing 3:15 course PR!
Elijah: 70th in 20:00 - 10th fastest time for a freshman Clinton athlete
Noah: 84th in 20:32 - an astonishing 3:05 course PR! (23:37 last year!)

Open race results:
Bryson: our top finisher in the open - first time racing the 3 mile course in a blazing 19:01 – 4th fastest time by a Clinton freshman in history!
Israel: in a full on spiderman suit - Israel ran a new course PR of 21:02!
Russell: you won’t see his finish time in the official results since the ironman mask led to his disqualification – however thanks to Jarvis increasing speed by 30%, Russell flew on this course - finishing in 21:06 in his first racing the 3 mile course!
Lamar: in a huge course PR, last year he finished in 24:52 - this year 3:33 faster → 21:19!
Preston Howell: in a course PR, running faster than he did over the 2 mile course as an 8th grader - completing the 3 mile course in 21:25!
McCoy: even with a belly flop in the creek, finishing in 21:25 (narrowly edged in an epic battle with Preston Howell at the finish)
Gabe: first time racing the 3 mile course, 21:42!
Max: first time racing the 3 mile course, 22:17!
Braden: first time racing the 3 mile course, 22:20 - in full costume!
Brucker: three year course progression 24:12 → 23:33 → 22:22! Course PR!
Jake: an AWESOME FOUR YEAR COURSE PROGRESSION 27:23 → 24:59 → 23:36 → 22:45 COURSE PR!
Julian: first time racing the 3 mile course, 23:02
Our Gourd award winner – Keegan Ries - for being a great teammate and encouraging Julian all the way through the finish! 23:02
Mateo: 23:55, course PR!
Dylan: 24:24
Kahle: first time racing the 3 mile course, 24:51
Evan: with the goal of being to the creek crossing first, in full costume, somehow STILL a course PR → 25:31!
Kolton: first time racing the 3 mile course, 26:25!
Maesie: 27:14, 37 second course PR!
Judah: first time racing the 3 mile course, 27:41!
Ozzie: first time racing the 3 mile course, 30:17!
Harper: first time racing the 3 mile course, 31:01!
Cami: first time racing the 3 mile course, 31:05!
Gabby: first time racing the 3 mile course, 33:34!

PEER ELECTED AOM OF EPG: BRYSON ASH!

09/27/2026

SPARTAN CLASSIC CHAMPIONS FOR THE BOYS!!!
3RD PLACE FOR THE GIRLS!!!

The boys came away with their fourth consecutive win of the season – winning the Spartan Classic for the first time in school history! On paper, the girls team should have been 7th – but these girls SHOWED UP and stole THIRD OVERALL (also the highest finish in school history!)

We are so thankful to compete in the Spartan Classic, a unique mid-season road race. The starting line is crazy packed - single file for each team to be able to fit all 28 teams on the line. The competition is tough - with 7 state ranked teams on both the boys & girls side. The meet is also unique with start times – with the boys starting at 9am and the girls immediately to follow at 9:05! Of note since this course is a true road course, we do not “count” it towards official lifetime bests (athletic.net will though)

Last year the boys were second, with only 3 boys breaking 16 – this year, we had FIVE under 16 minutes. Yet again this year, we had the fastest #6 runner and fastest #7 runners – of note, all 7 finished ahead of the 4 runner of the second place team. The depth of the boys team is truly remarkable – and is a reflection of how hard they have worked TOGETHER over the summer.

Boys:
Bostic: 2nd in 14:37 - 22 seconds faster than last year!
Brockton: 7th in 15:00 - 55 seconds faster than last year!
Droke: 19th in 15:48 - 41 seconds faster than last year!
Shawn: 24th in 15:58 - first time racing this course! Breaking 16!
Gavin: 27th in 16:03 - first time racing this course!
Oliver: 29th in 16:06 - first time racing this course!
OT: 36th in 16:16 - first time racing this course! *of note, his previous fastest time was 17:10!

The girls SHOWED UP today – Clinton has never had two runners under 18:50 in the same race in history – today we had two under 18:12!

Girls:
Kenna: 8th in 18:10 - first time racing this course! FASTEST FRESHMAN IN THE ENTIRE FIELD!
Peterson: 10th in 18:11 - a 29 second course PR all while encouraging her teammate on!
Averie: 28th in 19:38 - a 21 second course PR!
Ava: 41st in 20:36 - a mind blowing 2:07 faster than last year! Course PR!
Jozlin: 68th in 21:01 - a full minute season best!
Kacy: 72nd in 21:23 - a 17 second season best!
Emma- 104th in 23:55- - first time racing this course!

09/25/2026

Varsity race in SJO!

09/19/2026

TUSCOLA RESULTS:

Today’s meet featured both the 1A State – on the girls side, Shelbyville, and on the boys side, YOUR CLINTON MAROONS!

🔸Last year our girls team was 8th overall with 3 runners medaling/trophying in the top 75 – this year despite an incredibly loaded field ( #1 Shelbyville, #13 Unity, #15 St. Anthony, #16 Clinton, #18 University High) –YOUR CLINTON MAROONS CAME AWAY WITH SECOND and it came down to a tie which was broken by the 6th runner – congrats to Kacy Koritz for sealing second place for our girls!!! Additionally, this year WE HAD NINE GIRLS IN THE TOP 75!!!!!!

🔸Girls top 7:
Kenna: 2nd overall 18:59 - fastest freshman!
AP: 5th overall 19:50 - season best while tempo’ing the course - it was so fun to watch her chip away at the field moving up from 15thish to 5th at the finish! Fastest junior!
Averie: 20th overall in 21:31 - also tempo’ing the course and executing the race plan perfectly!
Jozlin: 32nd overall in 22:27
Ava: 35th overall in 22:35 - 26 second course record!
Kacy: 42nd overall in 23:21
Emma: 54th in 24:07 - a 24 second lifetime best!

🔸Full girls team:
Summers: 24:54 - finishing in 66th and earning a medal!
Holland: 25:36 - a 56 second season best & finishing in 73rd earning a medal!
Diana: 25:54
Toohill: 26:34
Lainey: 27:15 - a 1:35 course PR!
Harper: 27:38
Cami: 27:45
Gabby: 34:18

🔹Last year, our boys team came away 2nd overall in a tightly contested battle with Tolono Unity with 10 runners medaling/trophying in the top 75 and with 14 course PRs and 2 lifetime bests. The field today contained four total state ranked teams ( #1 Clinton, #6 Toledo, #16 Paris, #23 Tri Valley) and your Clinton Maroons came away with the win - with 11 runners in the top 75 (8 in the top 25), 2 lifetime bests & 15 course PRs.

🔹Boys top 7:
Bostic: 1st overall, 1st junior NEW CLINTON COURSE RECORD 15:33
Brockton: 10th overall, 22 second course PR!
Gavin: 16th overall, 1:36 course PR (progression 21:26 → 18:14 → DNF → 16:38)
Droke: 17th overall 16:39, 16 second course PR!
Joe: 18th overall 16:44
Dalton: 24th overall 16:53, 14 second course PR!
Reed: 25th overall 16:54, 23 second course PR!

🔹Full Boys Team:
Shawn: 16:59, finishing 26th overall earning a medal with a 49 second course PR!
OT: 17:10 - finishing in 31st earning a medal AND a new lifetime best by 10 seconds
Elijah: 18:08 - finishing 60th overall and earning a medal!
Bryson: 18:24 - finishing in 69th and earning a medal!
Preston T: 18:34, finishing in 74th and earning a medal with a 2 second course PR!
Evan: HUGE course PR of SIX MINUTES AND FIFTY FOUR SECONDS AND A NEW LIFETIME BEST OF 21 SECONDS - finishing in 18:43 (first time under 19!)
Noah: 18:40 - 1:33 course PR!
Preston H: 19:01, a 43 second course PR!
Israel: 19:48
Lamar: 19:53, a 2:04 course PR! (three year progression 23:02 → 21:57 → 19:53!)
Braden: 20:10
Mateo: 20:12 - a 50 second course PR!
McCoy: 20:13
Brucker: 20:17 - 1:17 course PR! (three year progression 23:36 → 21:34 → 20:17!)
Russ: 20:23
Gabe: 20:29
Max: 21:01
Keegan: 21:09
Jake: 21:12 - new course PR by 11 seconds! (four year progression 25:09 → 22:12 → 21:23 → 21:12!)
Kahle: 21:19
Dylan: 22:31
Julian: 22:31
Kolton: 23:47
Judah: 23:57

🔹We are just so thankful the kids got the opportunity to race AND that Tuscola was willing to give us all our awards to hand out today after the awards ceremony had to be cancelled...
thank you to everyone who helped with our team potluck afterwards- even though it was a little wet!🩷

09/19/2026

09/12/2026

FULL DETWEILER RESULTS:
While no one is truly a fan of bus times starting at 5 – we are SO THANKFUL to have been in the early morning race today - what a GIFT!

Detweiller is not necessarily a slow course, it is hard to see a third PR here based on our first two races. Additionally, since it is the home of the state course, course records can be hard to earn too. Despite that, the team had 2 lifetime bests and 13 course personal bests and 4 season bests!

On the girls side, the field boasted 53 teams (TEN MORE TEAMS THAN LAST YEAR), with most of the top 25 ranked teams. The girls finished 19th overall as a team with 513 total athletes competing in the race. Last year, the team finished 22nd overall!

Girls top 7:
McKenna: 30th overall in 19:22
AP: 20:27 season best running the course at tempo pace
Jozlin: 22:12
Kacy: 22:27
Ava: 22:56 (course PR by 50 seconds!)
Summers: 24:14 within 2 seconds of her lifetime best and a 2:56 course PR - largest on the girls side!
Maesie: 24:20 (course PR by 44 seconds!)

Full girls team:
Emma: 24:52
Lainey: 25:48 (a 2:37 COURSE PR)
Ozzie: 26:23 (a 9:20 SEASON BEST)
Harper: 26:27 - A NEW LIFETIME BEST BY 15 SECONDS!
Toohill: 27:13
Cami: 27:35
Gabby: 31:55

On the boys side, the competition was stacked - with SIXTY SEVEN boys teams and 771 runners in the field. Last year, Clinton Boys finished the highest in our school history, 5th overall….this year, they came home CHAMPIONS!!! In a race that is often referred to as the state preview, your boys topped the field – 5 points ahead of East Dubuque (192 to 197).

Boys top 7:
Bostic: 8th in 15:24
Brockton: 23rd in 15:46 – 45 seconds faster than last year and 3 seconds faster than state (a course PR!)
Droke:39th in 16:13
Dalton: 16:38 – right at his season best time
Joe: 16:39
Oliver: 16:47 - a 25 second course PR (his progression over 3 years 19:44 → 17:12 → 16:47)
Gavin: 16:52 - a 32 second course PR (his progression over 4 years 18:53 → 17:49 → 17:24 → 16:52)

Full Boys Team:
Preston T: 17:03 (a 1:51 second course PR - three year course progression 20:51 → 18:54 → 17:03!)
OT: 17:21 (right at his lifetime best of 17:20!)
Shawn: 17:38 (27 second course PR! Three year course progression 18:55 → 18:05 → 17:38)
Elijah: 18:52
Noah: 18:53 (course PR by 2:07!)
Evan: 19:04 – right at his lifetime best AND a – get ready for it – FIVE MINUTE FIFTY SECOND COURSE PR!
Preston H: 19:05 (A 48 SECOND COURSE PR! Three year progression 23:11 → 19:53 → 19:05!)
Israel: 19:07
Bryson: 19:10
Brucker: 20:23 (COURSE PR BY 1:20 – three year progression 23:30 → 21:43 → 20:23)
Russ: 20:33
Braden: 20:42
Gabe: 20:52
Mateo: 20:52 (COURSE PR BY 0:18!)
McCoy: 20:55
Keegan: 21:24
Kahle: 21:47
Lamar: 22:01
Max: 22:27
Dylan: 22:34
Julian: 22:36
Jake: 22:40
Kolton: 24:22
Judah: 24:25

Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious meal at Busy Corner (with pie of course!) sponsored by the Clinton Presbyterian church and the team (phone free!!!!). We received many glowing reviews of our kids from the serving staff – we are so proud of them for representing Clinton so well both on and off the course.

09/12/2026

CLINTON BOYS ARE CHAMPIONS OF FIRST TO THE FINISH MEET!!!
GIRLS FINISH 19th!!!

Medalists:
MCKENNA BECK- 30th
CAYDEN BOSTIC- 8th
BROCKTON SUMNER- 23rd
JUSTIN DROKE- 39th

Often referred to as the state preview, this meet hosts the majority of the top 25 teams in the state.
Complete results to come.

GO MAROONS!

09/12/2026

See you bright and early! ⚡️

09/07/2026

CLINTON COMMUNITY:
Our team is in need of a couple of bicycles and yoga mats. If you have these items collecting dust in your garage, please consider donating to Maroons XC! (We would much rather reuse than buy new!)
Thank you for supporting us!

09/06/2026

ROCHESTER RESULTS:
We love this meet because we get to watch our awesome junior high program race on the same day and watch our high school kids encouraging them! We are truly better together! ALL FOUR PROGRAMS (junior high boys/girls, high school boys/girls) finished in the top 4 for team standings!

👏🏻Girls: your Clinton Maroons came home in fourth DESPITE course misdirection that led to ALL GIRLS RUNNING NEARLY 3.3 MILES (thats more than 480 meters extra!!) We are so proud of their attitudes.
👏🏻Today our Girls top 7: McKenna Beck (2nd overall), Jozlin Velez-Noble, Kacy Koritz, Ava Cothern, Addison Summers, Emma Gordon & Diana Naxi

👏🏻The boys have finished second to Taylorville two years in a row - but not this year! The boys came home with a win despite some pretty miserably hot conditions (no sugar coating it!).
👏🏻Today our Boys top 7 (all finishing in the top 20): Bostic (2nd), Brockton (4th), Droke (5th), Joe (6th), Owen (14th), Oliver (17th), Gavin (20th)

👏🏻The boys DID still have ONE LIFETIME BEST and FOUR course records! Congrats:
LIFETIME BEST: Owen Troyer by 57 seconds
COURSE PR: Noah Cothern by 48 seconds
COURSE PR: Evan Sutton by 1:22 seconds
COURSE PR: Preston Howell by 5 seconds
COURSE PR: Mateo Anaya by 25 seconds