Mines run 6th fastest time ever at Channahon in SPC win

Soderlind pulls away in Girls win; Oswego Boys, Minooka Girls capture conference titles

By Michael Newman

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Channahon, Ill – Joliet West’s Marcellus Mines left this course at Channahon Park a year ago with the divisional conference championship. It was different on Friday afternoon as he pulled away just after the mile to easily win the Southwest Prairie Conference Boys Varsity title.

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Mines crossed the finish line in 14:53.7 to move up to sixth all-time on this legendary course. High School All-Americans Zach Dale (14:46) and Chris Derrick (14:48) hold the fastest two times at this park. This is quite a group that Mines has joined. And he was only a sophomore when he accomplished it.

Mines found himself at the front of the pack of the race right from the start with Oliver Burns of Plainfield North and Parker Nold of Oswego nearby as the three passed the first mile in 4:51. He broke away after that point pushing himself to that time. Nold surpassed Burns at the start of the third mile to grab second place (15:03). Burns ran 15:06 to capture third.

Oswego came into the meet as the Boys Varsity favorite. They did not disappoint as their pack drove it home as the conference champions with only 41 points. The Panthers formula is simple. Stay together as a pack in the first mile. Move up during the race keeping that pack. Cross the line and win a title.

Oswego had a 28 second split while placing 5 runners in the first 11 places. Ethan Forsell moved from 8 to end up finishing 4th to lead the team. Benjamin Huey finished 10 seconds later in 7th as the team’s second runner. From 9 to 11 came in Balin Doud, Benjamin Forsell, and Brandon Cardamone who were within four seconds of each other.

Minooka finished second (79 points) behind top 10 finishes from Zachary Balzer (6th) and Daniel Schalk (8th). Plainfield South finished third (89 points) led by Camryn Viger finishing 5th. Plainfield North (89 points) and Plainfield Central (135 points) finished fourth and fifth.

Audra Soderlind of Oswego waited and waited to make her move in the Girls Varsity race. When she did, Soderlind made the race hers. The junior pulled away in the last mile of the race to cross the line in a 17:54 winning time.

Just like Mines in the Boys race, Soderlind took the lead as soon as the race started daring anyone to take the lead from her. Minooka’s Audrey Boles, Gabriella McCollom, and Gabriella Kics along with Morgan Dick of Oswego East and Anna Hunter of Yorkville passed the first mile in 5:48. The pace slowly picked up with Soderlind still had company with her. She made her move around two miles and gently pulled away for the win.

McCollom (18:01) and Boles (18:02 came in next for Minooka placing second and third. Dick ran her best race of the year as far as she ran 18:09 to finish fourth. Hunter was the first Yorkville in as she finished fifth (18:13).

Minooka’s racing keeps getting better and better as they have a state trophy in their sites in three weeks. The Indians placed 4 runners in the top 8 with their fifth and sixth runners in the top 20 to win the team title with only 38 points. Kics was the team’s third runner as she finished 6th behind McCollom and Boles. Jocelyn Host was the team’s fourth runner as she placed 8th. Cassie Fuhrman (19th) and Kathryn Cichon (20th) both ran 19:05 as the team’s fifth and sixth runners. Minooka’s top four split was 36 seconds. Their top five split was 64 seconds.

Oswego East edged Yorkville 62-63 to capture second. Angeles Mendoza joined Morgan Dick in the top 10 in this race finishing 7th. Yorkville had Anna Hunter in the top 5 followed Margaret Hunter (9th) and Makenna Edwards (10th) in the top 10. Oswego (94 points) and Plainfield North (97 points) finished fourth and fifth.