Prep Cross Country: Rangers win 1A Sectional, Genisio takes top spot for Benton

Gavin Genisio was tops for all southern Illinois runners Saturday, taking a time of 15:13.24 for the Rangers, who won the IHSA Class A Sectional at Trenton Wesclin High School.
Benton also got a ninth place finish from Chase Owens, as the senior turned in a time of 16:43.07, while Gabe McLain was 11th with a time of 16:54.20.
Benton freshman Cole Buchanan was 26th overall with a time of 17:23.06 and Ranger sophomore Mason Tieffel finished 30th with a time of 17:25.28.
Owen Sanders was 48th overall for Benton, bringing home a time of 18:13.47, while Parker Johnson finished 52nd with a time of 18:17.69.
Benton beat out Pinckneyville for first place, scoring 68 points, while the Panthers were runner up with 81 points.
Steeleville (129), Freeburg (168), Litchfield (194), Breese Mater Dei (210), Belleville Althoff Catholic (214), Nashville (225), Trenton Wesclin (262) and Du Quoin (285) rounded out the top 10 teams.
On the girls side, Benton was 16th out of 19 teams as the Rangerettes top finisher was Jacey Eubanks, who was 21st with a time of 20:41.58.
Other places and times for Benton included: Emma Matthews (74th, 22:46.42), Peyton Tieffel (94th, 23.48.17), Addi Krueger (98th, 23:50.75) and Brooklyn Frailey (115th, 25:20.30).