Koech wins Region 4 XC title as Sandburg women’s team, 2 men qualify for nationals
LOCKPORT — Linda Jepkogei Koech won the women's title at the Region 4 Cross Country Championships on Saturday as the Chargers qualified one team and two individuals for nationals.
Koech, who won the Arrowhead Conference title while helping the Chargers to the conference's team championship two weeks earlier, ran a personal-best 19:57.8 to win the women's 5-kilometer run on the campus of Lockport Township High School. She finished nearly 7 seconds ahead of runner-up Meghan Johnson from Waubonsee and joined teammate Sharon Yego (2023) and Nancy Jebet (2018) as the only Sandburg women to win the individual region championship.
The Chargers were edged by Moraine Valley by one point for the women's team title, but Sandburg's second-place finish still allowed it to qualify for the NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships on Nov. 9 at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va.
Other Sandburg women joining Koech on the all-region team were Joan Jepngetich (fifth place, 20;33.8), Damaris Kimaiyo (ninth, 21:00.9) and defending champion Yego (10th, 21:05.9).
In the men's 8K, Sandburg finished fourth with 85 points but had two runners earn all-region honors and qualify for the national meet. Titus Kimutai placed 10th with a personal-best 29:19.8. He'll be joined at nationals by Mathias Kiprotich, who crossed in 12th place in 29:27.0.
Mathew Kotut (21st, 30:46.9), Meshack Kimutai (25th, 31:10.5) and Chandler Talley (38th, 35:38.5) each ran a personal- or season-best for the Chargers on Saturday.
Waubonsee's David Valkanov was the men's region champion with a time of 25:48.6. Sauk Valley won the men's title with 35 points, finishing ahead of runner-up Moraine Valley's 46.
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NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, Nov. 9 at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va.
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