Area runners finished in the top spots at the Mountain Goat race

OAKWOOD - One hundred and thirty-nine runners took part in this year's KRR Mountain Goat trail race last Saturday. The 37th installment of the race featured three separate events. Runners could choose to run a 15K (3 loops), 10K (2 loops), or 5K (1 loop) race.

Daniel Chen runs down Washington Ave in Urbana during the 2023 Illinois Half Marathon. Chen finished in 39th place overall at the Mountain Goat 15K race on Saturday, completing the course at 1:40:48.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Justin Jones of St. Joseph won the 15K run, finishing his three laps in 54 minutes and 21 seconds. The win comes on the heels of a third-place overall finish at Siberian Express held in January Kennukuk State Park.

The Mountain Goat is one of 24 races in the East Central Illinois annual race circuit. The next race in the series is the Clinton Trails Ultra on March 30. Organizers will host two events this year for long-distance runners, a 30-miler, which starts at 7 am, and a 10-miler starts at 8 am.

Our list of area finishers is below.

Men 5K ~

1. Rowan Denmark-Collins (Homer) 0:17:54; 2. Isaias Diaz (Hoopeston) 0:19:19; 4. Jace Jones (Saint Joseph) 0:25:41; 6. Greg Denman (Danville) 0:27:41; 7. Walter Smith (Gifford) 0:29:08; 9. Marshall Quick (Rantoul) 0:29:42; 13. Jason Colwell (Champaign) 0:31:47; 16. Zachary Ruhter (Sidney) 0:33:17; 19. Nick Farmer (Champaign) 0:35:35; 23. Jeremy Ruhter (Sidney) 0:37:11; 26. Stephen Johnson (Sadorus) 0:39:25; 27. Richard Roth (Champaign) 0:39:43; 28. Brian Barto (Philo) 0:39:48; 29. Thiago Lopes (Champaign) 0:40:19; 32. Sean O’Callaghan (Oakwood) 0:42:47; 36. Steven Wayne (Champaign) 0:48:09; and 39. Jason Asaad (Catlin) 0:50:30.

Women 5K ~

8. Samantha Smith (Gifford) 0:29:17; 10. Stacy Wells (Tilton) 0:29:50; 15. Deanna Hines (Danville) 0:32:56; 17. Amy Carley (Danville) 0:33:23; 18. Lorri Howes (Bement) 0:34:54; 22. Abilene Ruhter (Sidney) 0:36:54; 24. Amber Plotner (Fairmount) 0:37:47; 25. Sarah Colwell (Champaign) 0:38:11; 30. Kathy Wicks (Homer) 0:41:02; 38. Sue Wantland (Catlin) 0:50:26; and 40. Ramona Rollins (Danville) 1:00:14.

Mens 10K ~

2. Aaron Miller (Champaign) 0:49:28; 4. Tim Shelton (Danville) 0:53:30; 5. Cody Marsh (Catlin) 0:55:22; 10. Robert Ogden (Sidney) 0:58:59; 12. Jay Hoeflinger (Urbana) 1:01:43; 14. Nathan Parsons (Savoy) 1:04:56; 26. Teresa Cronk (Danville) 1:27:51; and 27. Shane Rowe (Danville) 1:27:52.

Womens 10K ~

6. Paula Tankersley (St. Joseph) 0:56:54; 11. Mara Thacker (Urbana) 1:00:26; 15. Jennifer Russell (Mahomet) 1:05:41; 17. Liz Paunicka (Champaign) 1:07:00; 18. Karen Roth (Danville) 1:07:53; 19. MinJee Lee (Savoy) 1:08:19; 21. Kate Fair (Champaign) 1:12:06; and 24. Nancy Boose (Georgetown) 1:19:14.

Mens 15K ~

1. Justin Jones (St. Joseph) 0:54:21; 2. Charles Fogelman (Champaign) 1:02:23; 3. Luke Morrison (Urbana) 1:03:13; 4. Michael Burk (Champaign) 1:06:17; 5. Justin Seno (Champaign) 1:07:53; 7. Ryan Anderson (St. Joseph) 1:11:39; 8. Timothy Merrell (Bismarck) 1:12:24; 9. Michael Tankersley (St. Joseph) 1:12:36; 10. Paul O’Neil (Urbana) 1:16:23; 12. Richard Mann (Urbana) 1:18:26; 15. Scott Olthoff (Savoy) 1:19:34; 16. Mark Dixon (Urbana) 1:20:05; 20. Patrick Carley (Danville) 1:23:04; 25. Brad Giffel (Urbana) 1:29:51; 28. Jim Fair III (Champaign) 1:31:29; 29. Thomas Corda (Anderson) 1:31:58; 31. Nikita Borisov (Urbana) 1:33:14; 33. Joe Grosso (Fisher) 1:34:39; 35. Brock Gale (Danville) 1:38:09; 36. Devin Rittenhouse (Champaign) 1:39:03; 38. Christopher Korose (Urbana) 1:40:05; 39. Daniel Chen (Champaign) 1:40:48; 46. Steve Darling (Oakwood) 1:43:30; 49. Joe Barnes (Mahomet) 1:46:13; and 51. Jarrod Scheunemann (Champaign) 1:46:28.

Womens 15K ~

17. Jennifer White (Danville) 1:20:22; 19. Nicole Olson (St. Joseph) 1:22:33; 22. Brooke DiBello (Sidney) 1:28:37; 23. Brittany Cain (Danville) 1:28:50; 26. Nicole Lake Olmo (Savoy) 1:30:40; 27. Whitney Patel (Savoy) 1:30:40; 30. Megan Parsons (Savoy) 1:32:46; 34. Sarah Lipps (Champaign) 1:37:41; 37. Brenda Straka (Urbana) 1:39:35; 40. Alison Ball (Champaign) 1:41:24; 44. Lynne Hoveln (Sidney) 1:43:21; 45. Tina Holley (Danville) 1:43:30; 48. Amy Bailey (St. Joseph) 1:46:05; 50. Jessie Scheunemann (Champaign) 1:46:27; 52. Giang Lam (Champaign) 1:49:57; 53. Laura Owen (Sadorus) 1:55:06; 54. Leslie Hammersmith (Sadorus) 1:55:07; 55. Rebecca Reck (Urbana) 1:57:39; 56. Adrianne Thompson (Danville) 1:57:49; 57. Debra Studniarz (Champaign) 1:58:05; 58. Haley Speciale (Champaign) 1:58:55; 59. Alyssa Guzman (Champaign) 1:59:01; 60. Nancy McCarty (Champaign) 1:59:35; 61. Ellen Vore (Urbana) 2:00:02; 64. Caroline Tonozzi (Savoy) 2:01:24; and 65. Nikki Campbell (St. Joseph) 2:06:36.

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Urbana Park District hosting high school basketball tournament

URBANA - The Urbana Park District is sponsoring a seven-week basketball tournament for high school age students starting March 26. There is no registration fee and trophies will be awarded at the end of the 14-game open gym schedule.

Games will be played at Brookens Gym from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Teams can play in one or on all 14 dates.

For more information, email Joe Manning at jamanning@urbanaparks.org or call (217) 368-1544.

High School Kids! Sign up for a #FREE Open Gym Basketball Tournament starting March 26! Call (217) 255-8601 for more information or read more at: https://t.co/OMjTH5WNtz#OpenGym #Basketball #HighSchool #YouBelongHere pic.twitter.com/4XvWqMq2hE

— Urbana Park District (@urbanaparks) March 18, 2024

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Unity's fifth inning rally crushes Mahomet-Seymour in softball opener

MAHOMET - Up 7-5 on the scoreboard at the top of the fifth inning, the Unity softball team loaded their side of the scoreboard with 11 runs before host Mahomet-Seymour could finally put a stop to the carnage from last season's Class A Sweet Sixteen team. Three Bulldog fly balls later, the Rockets celebrated their first win of the season with an 18-5 victory.

Lindy Bates and Ruby Tarr tallied three hits each. Bates smacked a two-run homer to center field in the fourth inning and pounded a two-run double in the fifth inning. She finished the game with five RBIs in the road opener. Tarr did one better, collecting six RBIs on three hits and crossing the plate just once for the Rockets.

Bates pitched a complete game to earn the win. She gave up five runs on eight hits and struck out three.

Unity's bats were smoking, racking up 16 hits and 16 RBI. Jenna Adkins, Sophia Beckett, Taylor Drennan, and McKayla Schendel had two hits each, combining for three RBIs.

Ava Henderson led the Bulldogs with two hits and three RBIs. Madeleine Cortez was credited with two RBIs and scored one run for her team.

Unity plays the first home game on Thursday at 4:30 pm at the school's sports complex against Normal Community.

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