Two Fenwick High School runners are headed to the IHSA 3A cross country state meet in Peoria.
Senior Juliana Gamboa finished eighth (18:12.6) and junior Bridget Brunick placed 14th (18:32.9) at the Class 3A Lyons Township Sectional on Saturday, Oct. 31, according to a Fenwick athletics post on X. Both qualified individually for the state championships at Detweiller Park on Saturday, Nov. 7.
In Class 3A, the top seven teams at sectionals advance along with the top 10 individuals not on an advancing team, the Peoria Journal Star reported. Fenwick's girls team did not advance as a squad, but Gamboa and Brunick each ran fast enough to earn individual berths.
The state berths cap a strong postseason for both runners. At the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Regional on Oct. 24, Gamboa placed fourth (18:09.2) and Brunick sixth (18:24.5), according to oakpark.com. The Fenwick girls finished fifth as a team at regionals, advancing to sectionals.
Gamboa, a Riverside resident, is no stranger to the state course. The Riverside-Brookfield Landmark reported in September that she earned top-25 all-state honors in Class 2A as both a freshman (14th, 17:47.4) and sophomore (21st, 17:41.2). Fenwick moved to the larger 3A classification in 2025, and Gamboa finished 42nd at last year's 3A state meet in a personal-best 17:32.0.
This is her final high school season.
Brunick also qualified for state as an individual last year, the Landmark reported. This will be her second trip to Detweiller Park.
In coverage published in October, Gamboa told oakpark.com she was ready for the postseason push. "We're ready to bring our A game (to sectionals)," she said, described as a two-time 2A all-stater.
Brunick told oakpark.com in that same coverage that she believed the team had a real chance at state. "I think we have a shot (at state) …" she said, adding that the runners had been working hard and needed to trust their training and run for each other.
