NILES, Illinois — The Northridge Prep Cross Country team capped off another historic season with a 6th-place finish at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals last Saturday in Peoria, proving once again that the Knights belong among Illinois' best.

One year removed from winning the first state championship in school history in Class 1A, Northridge entered 2024 facing a new challenge: competing in Class 2A, where larger schools and deeper programs await. The Knights didn't back down, instead rising to the occasion, finishing 6th out of 28 qualifying teams in their debut season at the higher classification.

Leading the charge for Northridge was Blake Quinley, who placed 43rd overall with a time of 15:18.06, followed closely by Peter Kipp in 45th (15:18.21). Josh Allen came through in 52nd (15:24.98), while Mike Reiff and John Masaka rounded out the scoring pack in 66th (15:30.98) and 100th (15:48.19), respectively.

It was a complete team effort from a program that has quickly become a force in Illinois cross country by running with poise, toughness, and unity on the state's biggest stage. With back-to-back top finishes at State, the Knights have cemented their place among the elite and set the tone for even greater success ahead.