Nike XC Town Twilight Lights Up the Night
Under the lights at one of the most iconic cross country venues in the country, the Nike XC Town Twilight Invitational in Terre Haute, Indiana, delivered electrifying performances and jaw-dropping times on Saturday night. As teams from across the nation converged on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course, athletes raced through the cool evening air in what has become one of the biggest and most anticipated midseason meets of the year.
The seniors dominated the boys' race at the Nike XC Town Twilight Invitational, filling all of the top ten spots. Leading the way was Jack Bowen from McCallie School, who clocked an impressive 14:41.68 to secure his first win of the season after runner-up finishes in his last two races. In doing so, Bowen dealt Freeland's TJ Hansen his first defeat of the season, with Hansen finishing just two seconds behind at 14:43.40. Will Sheets from Covington rounded out the top three with a time of 14:44.57. The race showcased a string of strong performances, with Ben Crane of Winnetka (New Trier) and Alex Bruns of St. Xavier completing the top five.
| PLACE | VIDEO | ATHLETE | TEAM | MARK | POINTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jack Bowen | 12 | McCallie School | 14:41.68 | 1 | |
| 2 |  TJ HANSEN | 12 | Freeland | 14:43.40 | ||
| 3 |  Will Sheets | 12 | Covington | 14:44.57 | ||
| 4 |  Ben Crane | 12 | Winnetka (New Trier) | 14:49.62 | 2 | |
| 5 |  Alex Bruns | 12 | St. Xavier | 14:52.03 | 3 | |
| 6 |  Dylan Maloney | 12 | Plainfield (South) | 14:53.80 | 4 | |
| 7 |  Sam Quagliaroli | 12 | Fishers High School | 14:54.97 | 5 | |
| 8 |  Charlie Vause | 12 | Rio Rancho High School | 14:59.44 | ||
| 9 |  Jackson Nolan | 12 | Evansville F.J. Reitz High School | 15:03.03 | 6 | |
| 10 |  Evan Noonan | 12 | Dana Hills (SS) | 15:06.06 | 7 |
In the team competition, Bloomington North High School emerged victorious with 169 points and a 15:40 team average. Their pack running was key to their success, as their top five finished between 14th and 60th, maintaining a tight 35-second split. Columbus North High School secured second place with 219 points and a 15:50 average, while Brownsburg High School took third with 233 points and a 15:51 average, demonstrating balanced efforts across the board.
In the girls' race, senior Jane Hedengren from Timpview set the pace with an outstanding victory, crossing the line in 16:50.63. With this remarkable performance, Hedengren became the ninth female runner to break the 17-minute barrier for the 5K on the Lavern Gibson XC Championships course and shattered the previous meet record of 16:52.10 set by Ciara O'Shea in 2022. Hedengren's win marked another strong performance in her season, as she pulled away from a competitive field to take the title. Libby Dowty of Indian Creek High School finished second in 17:00.79, while Abby Faith Cheeseman from The Webb School secured third with a time of 17:13.22. Rounding out the top five were Isabella Keller from Effingham (St. Anthony) and Julia Score from Bishop Chatard High School, both battling hard to finish with a time of 17:15.
| PLACE | VIDEO | ATHLETE | TEAM | MARK | POINTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jane Hedengren | 12 | Timpview | 16:50.63 | ||
| 2 |  Libby Dowty | 11 | Indian Creek High School | 17:00.79 | ||
| 3 |  Abby Faith Cheeseman | 12 | The Webb School Of Bell Buckle | 17:13.22 | 1 | |
| 4 |  Isabella Keller | 11 | Effingham (St. Anthony) | 17:15.33 | ||
| 5 |  Julia Score | 11 | Bishop Chatard High School | 17:15.94 | 2 | |
| 6 |  Annika Swan | 11 | Chicago (St. Ignatius College Prep) | 17:16.66 | ||
| 7 | Lily Alder | 11 | Timpview | 17:20.58 |
On the team side, Carmel High School emerged as the top squad, securing the victory with 172 points and a 1-5 average of 18:47. Their strong pack running, with their top five placing between 11th and 83rd, helped them to edge out second-place Mt. Prospect (Prospect), which finished with 197 points and a slightly faster average of 18:44. Despite having two top-10 finishers, Mt. Prospect's deeper split allowed Carmel to capitalize and take the win.
Hedengren's dominant performance headlined the race, with Dowty and Cheeseman leading a highly competitive field that showcased some of the best talent not only in the region but some of the top talent in the nation.