Two runners are headed to nationals after a strong team showing at the NJCAA Region 4 Championship at Northwestern Medicine Cross Country Course in Batavia.

Overall, the men's team finished in fourth place, just about where Head Coach Dimitri Dimizas expected his team to be. Coming into this race ranked fifth, Jack Kajmowicz put himself in a good position early and missed second place by one second. He ran the 8K course in 28:30.4. "Jack ran so well, and just barely missed catching the second place runner after a strong final 200 meters. I'm proud he gets to end his Moraine Valley career at nationals again," Dimizas commented.

Andrew Sima was in a battle the whole race between two Waubonsee Community College runners. He crossed the line in seventh place in 29:13.3. "Andrew and the Waubonsee runners were going back and forth. I think he enjoyed that," Dimizas said. "He did great competing and pushing to the end. He definitely earned his national qualifying spot."

Demario Angarita and Joel Vargas-Cortes were battling for a top 15 spot to earn a berth to nationals but came up just short. Angarita finished in 18th in 31:50.2 while Vargas-Cortes crossed in 19th in 32:28.3. "They both really wanted a top spot, and they had great races, but it wasn't in the cards this time," Dimizas said. "I'm proud of their efforts though, especially considering neither of them was 100% healthy. I hope they use this as motivation going into next season."

Robert Slezak was the final runner to finish, and he came in 30th in 35:42.5. "He had another good race and has improved so much from the start of the season," Dimizas noted. "He ran over two minutes faster this time than he did on the same course in his first 8K."

Kajmowicz and Sima will compete with two runners from the Cyclones women's team at the NJCAA Division II Championship on Saturday, Nov. 11, in Huntsville, Alabama.