Palos South Middle School Boys Cross Country Tops SWIC Conference

Palos South Middle School’s Boys’ Cross Country team finished in 1st place in the Southwest Interscholastic Conference (SWIC) 2-mile conference race in September.

Out of a field of 80 runners, eighth grader Colin O'Leary took 1st place overall, finishing with a time of 11:02 in the 2-mile race. Running under 12 minutes, medal winners Majus Kemeza finished in 3rd place and Alex Reuter finished in 4th place in the 2-mile. Dorian Daukszewicz, Finn Carroll, Liam Daukszewicz, and Hunter Bowater were also top finishers.

The Cardinals also took 1st place in the 2-mile open race. Sixth grader Matthew Budzak placed 1st with a time of 12:31 against a field of 190 runners. Medal winners finishing in the top 10 included Cardinal runners Matthew Budzak, Rodney Vincent, Marty Mercer, Noah Roderick, Max Zwijacz, and Nolan Hobart.

Coach Scott Adams said that the team’s determination and hard work lead to the successful finale of the season.

"I am very pleased with what this team has accomplished and appreciate all of the miles they ran, and their effort and determination throughout the season,” he said, adding, “This is one of the fastest teams I have ever coached.”

The girls’ team also had a strong SWIC showing, finishing third in the conference, and placing first in the open race.