Gonzalez, Garces Stay Undefeated at Foot Locker MW Regional

Saturday's winners at the 2024 Foot Locker Midwest Regional in Kenosha, Wisconsin both added yet another tally in the win column for what has been a dominant cross country season. Fremont (NE)'s Juan Gonzalez picked up his tenth victory in as many tries and Midland Dow (MI)'s Victoria Garces is now eight-for-eight. 

The Girls Championship race went off just after the Freshman/Sophomore Boys division, a race won by Pickney (MI)'s Cole McCraw in 16:22.00. Norah Hushagen, a senior from Forest Lake Area (MN), took the lead through the first mile, coming down the tree-lined hill in 5:41. She was 4 seconds ahead of the chase pack already, which was led by Garces and the senior from Shelby, MI, Jessica Jazwinski. The top 10 girls crossed at 5:50 or better. 

Photo Credit: Griffin Forberg

Those top three girls formed up again at the two mile mark with Hushagen still leading Jazwinski and Garces. Hushagen, a two-time MHSL State Champion with a 17:04.10 season and personal best to her name, was on the hunt for another regional title to add to her trophy case after winning the NXR Heartland Championship in 2023. Eighth this year in Sioux Falls, this would be the senior's final shot at a national meet berth after running in Portland the last two Decembers. Jazwinski, the 2022 and 2023 Lower Peninsula D3 champion who ran unattached this season and, thus, was unable to defend her MHSAA crowns, was seeking a third straight trip to Balboa Park. Meanwhile, Garces, the MHSAA Lower Peninsula D1 champion, was looking to pick up her eighth straight victory and ensure a trip to both Nike Cross Nationals and Foot Locker Nationals. 

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Schreiber

While all three girls would cross the two mile mark within two seconds of each other, simply looking at the finishing time would not have painted that picture for the casual observer. Garces blew the race open in the final mile, crossing the finish line in 17:14.60. The No. 5 athlete in the COROS MileSplit50 national rankings will be heading to Foot Locker Nationals as one of the heavy favorites to pull in the victory. Jazwinski would cross the line 11 seconds later in 17:25.10 with Hushagen crossing next in 17:27.00. 

The top 10 girls across the line qualified for the Foot Locker National meet in San Diego, CA on December 14th: 

Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, Indiana, North Dakota, Illinois, and Ohio will all be represented at the national meet. The top finishers from each non-represented state were: 

Wisconsin: Faith Wehrman - New Berlin Eisenhower, 23rd, 18:29.30

Missouri: Mary McKenzie - Cor Jesu Academy, 25th, 18:38.00

Kansas: Charlotte Hardy - Shawnee Mission East, 36th, 19:08.40

Nebraska: Charlotte Gregor - Omaha South Magnet, 75th, 20:39.00 

Iowa: Cora DenHartog - Ankeny HS, 97th, 22:02.10

South Dakota: N/A

Photos | Post-Race Press Conference | Full Results

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The Boys Championship race took off just after the dust had settled on the girls race and was just as star-studded. The elite field produced a result that the Foot Locker Midwest Regional has never seen before.

Photo Credit: Griffin Forberg; A large group of boys led by Indiana's Noah Bontrager (9), Liam Bauschke (4), and Sam Quagliaroli (502) storm down the hill past the 3/4 mile mark.

A massive group of boys formed up the lead group through the first mile, led by two Illinoisans and a Wisconsinite in 4:59. The top 30 boys came through the first checkpoint under 5:05, but it was Downers Grove North (IL)'s Philip Cupial, Onalaska (WI)'s Manny Putz, and Winnetka New Trier (IL)'s Ben Crane all crossing under 5:00 out in front. Unlike the girls race, this trio would not include the first three boys across the finish line. 

The second mile made the first look like a cakewalk as the new leaders through the two mile mark had turned up the heat on the frigid November day. Mishawaka (IN)'s Liam Bauschke took the lead with a blazing 4:51 split, but he was not along by any stretch of the imagination. Putz led a contingent of Minnetonka (MN)'s Sean Fries, Crane, and nine other boys under 9:55. The chase pack beyond that was beginning to stretch out as even though the top thirteen boys were under 9:55, there were only eight others under 10:05. The race was on for the coveted ten spots to San Diego. 

Photo Credit: Griffin Forberg

In the end, it was Juan Gonzalez, the young man with Bib No. 1, who would take the tape in 14:58.80, his second straight Regional championship and fourth mark under 15:00 this fall. The undefeated Class A state champion from Fremont, Nebraska has enjoyed an incredible and historic season, holding off a cavalcade of Midwestern stars three weeks after blazing the Yankton Park course in South Dakota en route to the NXR Heartland victory. The 2023 Foot Locker All-American will head back to San Diego hungry for a win in 2024. Fries would follow in 15:00.00 with Crane coming across in 15:03.30, leading a hoard of boys fighting for the final seven spots. 

For the first time in Foot Locker Regionals history, a sub-15:10 did not earn a berth to the National meet as the top 10 boys represent the fastest class of qualifiers in the race's 45-year history. Here are the final ten qualifiers:

Wisconsin's top runner would be Manny Putz in 11th in 15:07.40, making the senior the fastest non-qualifier in race history. Putz will be heading to Nike Cross Nationals this weekend, though, after finishing 2nd at the Heartland Regional Championships. 

Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, and Indiana will all be represented in San Diego on December 14th. The top finisher from the non-represented states were: 

Missouri: Luke Sievers - Rock Bridge, 13th, 15:23.50

Kansas: Caleb Tofteland - Wichita-Trinity Academy, 19th, 15:38.10

Michigan: Kyle O'Rourke - Highland Milford, 23rd, 15:42.10

South Dakota: Mikah Peters - Brandon Valley, 27th, 15:48.30

North Dakota: Wil Ihmels - Century, 35th, 15:54.10

Ohio: Samuel Darmanie - Springboro, 46th, 16:05.30

Iowa: Preston Johnson - Marshalltown, 63rd, 16:15.20

Photos | Post-Race Press Conference | Full Results