Light it up Invite

Written By Ashtin Elder

CLINTON – Light It Up Invitational Recap: randy sharer

Cross country fans hoping the sixth annual Light It Up Invitational would shed some light on which teams and individuals will shine this season in Central Illinois and beyond got a few clues on Saturday night (Aug. 30) at Clinton High School.

The 42-school, mostly Class 1A meet saw Mahomet-Seymour, ranked No. 8 in Class 2A by Runnerspace.com, score 51 points after sundown to best 30 full squads, while Class 1A’s No. 20 Shelbyville girls tallied 104 points to top a 25-team field.

Meet Background

The meet was founded in 2020 by Clinton athletic director Matt Koeppel when football was moved to the spring by the pandemic. To provide an alternate nighttime event in the fall, he created this meet, which has more than doubled in size since 2024 with 735 runners.

Boys Highlights

Reigning Class 1A state champion Chaz Oberkfell of Gillespie, fourth here a year ago, covered 3 miles in a course record 14:41.24, besting the 14:42.76 run by sophomore Quaid Berger of Olney Richland County. “I tried to push it on the third mile and stay in front the whole time,” Oberkfell said.

Berger admitted he surprised himself. “I didn’t know how I was staying with the 1A state champion. It’s a real confidence booster.”

The previous course record of 15:20.92 was set last year by Will Fuson of Cerro Gordo-Bement.

Other top finishers included Delavan junior Corie Green (6th, 15:15.92), the reigning Class 1A state 800-meter champion.

Rounding out the top five boys teams:

  • Clinton (106)

  • Olney Richland County (195)

  • Monticello (208)

  • Moline (215)

Girls Highlights

Maroa-Forsyth senior Klaire Eighner won in 17:07.74, narrowly missing the course record of 17:05 set in 2022 by Normal U High’s Natalie Bierbaum. “I felt really good through the first mile, so I decided to surge and pull away a little bit — and it worked,” Eighner said.

Defending champion Tessa Bowers of Shelbyville was second in 17:35.51, followed by teammate Leah Shoaff in third (17:48.58). “There is still plenty of season left. I’m determined to go after it later,” Bowers said.

Other notable finishers:

  • Annabelle LaFary (Delavan, 6th – 18:07.35)

  • Adelin Bruce (Tri-Valley, 7th – 18:16.77)

The top six girls teams were Shelbyville, Mahomet-Seymour, Rochester, U High, Pleasant Plains, and Delavan.

Ashtin Elder
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