Cathedral Catholic’s boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams delivered dominant performances at the Western League Finals on Friday, November 6th, at Morley Field, capturing both varsity league championships and capping undefeated league seasons. The girls made history with a perfect team score, while the boys secured their title by a commanding 24-point margin over the runner-up.

Girls Make History with Perfect Score

The varsity girls delivered a remarkable performance, accomplishing something longtime Western League coaches had never seen before: a perfect score of 15 points. The Dons swept the top five individual finishes, placing all five scoring runners ahead of the competition to secure another Western League championship.

Leading the historic effort was Western League Runner of the Year Grace Keefe, who captured the individual championship with a personal-best time of 17:54.7. Cathedral Catholic completed the unprecedented sweep, with Callie Schulteis finishing second in 18:40.5, Kristine Bickler third in 18:52.4, Eva Smith fourth in 18:59.6, and Phoebe Brink rounding out the top five in 19:08.5.

All five runners earned First Team All-Western League honors. The Dons’ depth continued beyond the top five, as sophomores Sienna Struyck (10th), Bridget Kruszewski (12th), and Samantha Chaconas (14th) earned Second Team All-Western League recognition.

The historic performance capped an undefeated league season and secured another Western League title for the Dons.

Boys Cap Undefeated Season with Dominant Championship

The varsity boys also closed out an undefeated season with a convincing victory in the league finals. The Dons pulled away from the competition, finishing 24 points ahead of the second-place team.

Western League Runner of the Year Lukas Derheimer led the way, capturing the individual championship in 15:50.7. Derheimer’s winning performance set the tone for a strong team effort, as Cathedral Catholic placed five runners in the top 14.

Caleb Reid finished sixth in 16:13.6, followed closely by Zachary Albers in seventh at 16:25.7. Both earned First Team All-Western League honors alongside Derheimer. Quinn McGivern placed ninth in 16:35.9, while Makana Gibbons finished 14th in 16:52.0 and earned Second Team All-Western League honors.

The championship performance completed an undefeated Western League campaign and added another league title to the program’s impressive tradition.

Strong Performances at the JV Level

The success extended beyond the varsity teams, as both the boys and girls JV squads turned in outstanding performances, each finishing second at the league finals. Their results further demonstrated the depth and strength of Cathedral Catholic’s cross country program.

With both varsity teams finishing undefeated in the league, earning individual league honors, and the girls posting a historic perfect score, the Western League Finals provided a memorable finish to an exceptional season. Congratulations to our Dons, coaches, and the entire cross country program on another outstanding year! Roll Dons!