Last year marked the first time ever that both squads failed to advance a team or individual beyond regional competition. This year could mark a return to State Sectional Competition, at least based upon the performances in the I-8 Independents meet held at Community Park on Saturday. The Lady Lions finished 3rd overall with 93 points. Somonauk took second with 71. Westmont dominated the meet with 36. Christine Young finished 6th overall in 21:47. This time is 1:06 off her all time 5K best. “I wish we had run Christine in the 5K in the Mane Event to give her a comparison, but we can do that by looking at her vVDOT numbers over the two distances. Sarah Spiel finished 8th overall in 21:59. This is off her career best by 14 seconds. “The key is that Sarah improved her performance quite dramatically over last year, when she placed 21st in 22:57. She ran 22:03 in the Mane Event, and that’s still excellent.” Jennifer Potter placed 27th for the Lions in 24:17. Jen ran the Mane Event in 23:35. The time is 1:46 off her best 5K so far this season. Lexi Britton finished 30th in 24:23. Lexi ran 24:39 in the Mane Event. This effort is 36 seconds off her best 5K. Renee DeSitter finished 32nd in 24:51. Renee ran 24:06 in the Mane Event. This is 1:41 off her all time best 5K. Last year Renee ran 25:03 and finished 53rd. Sara Ruthberg finished 37th in 25:12. Her best 5K is 57 seconds faster. Sara clocked a 24:35 and finished 47th last year. Rebecca Ruthberg finished 38th in 25:20. Rebecca ran 25:27 in the Mane Event. This is 55 seconds off her 5K best. Last year Rebecca finished 60th in 25:47. Danielle Grego ran 25:48 and placed 31st. Danni ran 24:19 and placed 44th last year. This year’s time is 1:32 off Danni’s best. She ran 26:45 in the Mane Event. Gracie Coletta finished 45th in 26:22. Gracie ran 26:58 in the Mane Event. This is 1:08 off her best 5K time. But this is her top time on the Lisle course this year. Audrey Danner ran 26:30 and placed 46th. Last year Audrey was 64th in 26:17. Shelly Chatman finished 61st in 30:15. Shelly ran 30:32 in the Mane Event. This is her all time best by 17 seconds! What a great way to end her career at Community Park! Kaitlin Smiley finished 64th in 30:39.

Kaitlin ran 30:30 in the Mane Event. She finished nine seconds off her career best. She was 92nd in 30:36 last year. Robin Krc ran 31:35. Robin ran 31:33 in this year’s Mane Event. In the Boys Varsity race, the Lions placed 6th overall in the Independents meet and 4th in the I-8 Conference. The story of the meet was Alex Begley, who was our number one runner for the first time all season. Alex surged by Greg in the final fifteen meters to finish14th overall in 18:16. Greg Danner was 15th in 18:17. The good news is that both runners earned meet awards and All-Conference honors in the Interstate Eight. Last year in this meet Greg was 31st in 19:07. Last year Alex took 32nd in 19:09. Will DeCraene finished 23rd in 19:07. Last year was 61st in 20:34. Will is 42 seconds off his best 5K time. As a freshman he ran 18:40 in the I-8 meet. He was 19:11 in this year’s Mane Event. Austin Goetz was our fourth scorer. Austin finished 57th in 21:48. This is 57 seconds off Austin’s best 5K this season. Jon Early was our fifth scorer. Jon took 61st in 22:26. Jon ran 22:33 in this year’s Mane Event. This is Jon’s all time best 5K by seven seconds. Last year he was 99th in 22:52. Evan Swiatek was our 6th runner. Evan placed 62nd in 22:31. Evan ran 23:05 in the Mane Event. This is Evan’s best time by 34 seconds. It was an overall great day for Evan. Not only did he improve his time this much, but he was also an excellent Scarecrow during the Scramble. Sam Rowe finished 84th in 22:46. This is ten seconds off Sam’s career best 5K. Sam took 108th in 26:40 last year. He clocked at 22:26 in this year’s Mane Event. Robert Kulevich was our 7th placer. Robert was 71st in 23:14. This is 1:22 off Robert’s best 5k Last year Robert ran 22:34 and finished 87th. Geordan Pflug took 79th in 23:46. This is 1:14 off his career best. He ran 24:06 in this year’s Mane Event. Last year he finished 86th in 22:32 Patrick Swindle clocked a 24:03 and finished 82nd. This is 17 seconds off his career best. Last year, though, he ran 25:13 and finished 104th. Matthew Holland took 91st in 27:49. Last year Matt was 105th in 25:18.

Overall Comments: I am very pleased with having four athletes earn awards at this meet, and delighted that the same four also earned All-Conference in the Interstate Eight. The I-8 Independents meet concludes the competitive season for all but the top seven in this race. Those athletes will represent us at the IHSA Regional meet held at Labagh Woods in Chicago next Saturday. Our season sadly ended last year at the Regional. I certainly would like to continue our season for at least another week.

The time comparisons can be misleading, since there is no real ’proof’ that 5K times on any course other than Community Park are true 5K times.

Thank you to those who have run their last career race at Community Park, and their last race ever as a member of our team. You have only one event remaining—your Senior Last Run.

For those of you moving on and representing us in the State Regional, you’ve earned your spot, and for that you should be proud.

My advice to all returners next fall—if this sport is indeed something you want to continue doing in your future years. The upperclassmen will probably once again schedule ‘summer training sessions.’ I recommend you do this with that group. It’s a great way to keep in contact with each other, and to feel good about yourselves as you prepare for the season. It’s not so much a matter of not just needing to get in shape, but for some it’s avoiding a summer where you so out of shape that even a season’s worth of training doesn’t help return you to previous levels.

Thanks to all who worked the Scramble. It was great fun. It’s nice to know I have such smart runners! As Gracie said during preparations for the 5k: “Coach, relax, we’re all over it.”

What a great line!