After Methner’s record run, there was an iconic Class 3A Boys team race

By Michael Newman

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Peoria – Josh Methner of Hersey had just crossed the line in 13:49.86 to break the Detweiller Park course record. The crowd around the finish line was going crazy applauding the achievement. Their attention changed immediately as the rest of the runners started to get close to the finish line.

RESULTS | METHNER ARTICLE| 3A RACE VIDEO

What would happen is one of the closest team finishes in State Meet History. York defeating Lake Zurich by two points in 2010 was the recent of the close finishes. Naperville North edged York by one point in 2008. Lockport edges York by one point in 1997.

This team race was close. It was the way that the race evolved.

What happens when the pace goes out extremely fast? Some runners are able to maintain the pace like Methner did in this race. There are some runners that fall prey to the fast pace and fade at the end. There are some runners that are patient and strike at the right time.

St. Charles East was the top ranked team heading into this race followed by Wheaton-Warrenville South, York, and Sandburg.

The first turn of this course can be brutal if you don’t manage it properly. Getting to the outside is what you want to do. York got caught in the turn after starting in Box #7. Some of their runners were slowed down to a walk and taken out of their strategy right away. They would play catchup the rest of the race.

The other three teams got out nicely but were caught up in the pace that Methner was setting. Bob Liking of St. Charles East led the chase pack, but he went through in 4:31. The normal pace in recent state meets starts out between 4:38 to 4:40. This pace was almost 10 seconds faster than normal.

Wheaton-Warrenville South had a nice pack with their five runners between 11th and 22nd with approximately 87 to 90 points. St. Charles East was between 5 and 44 with approximately 104 to 108 points. Sandburg and Oswego East were food position and were third and fourth. York, who’s first runner was around 65th place, was about 20 seconds behind the front pack chaise. They weren’t out of the chaise for a trophy, but it seemed like it.

The second mile on this course is the difference maker. You go into the triangle back portion of the course where hardly anyone is back there. Some ease off the pace hoping for a rest before you head back out in front of the 10k crowd that circles the course.

St. Charles East made the move in the back gaining some valuable ground as they passed the second mile. Liking had moved up to 3rd, Micah Wilson to 5th, and Aidan King to 12th. The Saints had around 76 points. Wheaton-Warrenville South maintained their positions in the race not moving forward or losing ground. They were around 95 points.

Sandburg had moved up in the middle mile as they had 173–175 points in third. Oswego East had a solid pack in between 28th and 47th for their first four runners, but their fifth runner was too far back in between 100 and 105. The Wolves had near 255 points.

Meanwhile York had started to move up led by Daniel Klysh moving into the top 20. The Dukes were at 260 points still trying to move up.

In the end, St. Charles East had five runners in the top 39 with 92 raw points (Bob Liking 6, Micah Wilson 7, Aidan King 14, Luke Schildmeyer 25, and Zac Loomis 39). Wheaton-Warrenville South closed the gap in the final mile and had 101 raw points (Billy Hauenstein 8, David Zeller 13, Ethan Seng 22, Jacob Kluckhohn 28, and Jared Peaslee 30).

The battle for the final trophy spot would come down to York and Sandburg. York had the edge in raw scoring by one point: York 209 points (Daniel Klysh 10, Michael Moriarty 45, Brian Pratt 46, Colin Hill 51, Ethan Kern 53). Sandburg 210 points (Will Giblin 9, Ben Giblin 11, Sam Rodriguez 40, Ismail Tineh 58, TJ Cosler 92).

Oswego East had a great finish with four runners separated by only two seconds. It was their fifth runner that was too far back, and they had to settle for fifth with 263 points (Nick Bozarth 37, Herbie Alvarez 38 Brad Wiggins 41, Luke Wentz 42, Maverick Lange 105). It was the school’s best finish ever in a state meet.

Taking the individuals out of the scoring made the margin between the top two teams even closer. St. Charles East scored 64 points to capture their first team state championship. Their team time of 1:13.23 was the third fastest time ever at an Illinois High School State Cross Country Meet.

“I am sure we were all hurting real bad,” their third runner at the meet Aidan King said. “There were six other guys relying on us to get up that hill at the finish. It was easy when you think about it that way.”

ST. CHARLES EAST TEAM INTERVIEW

St. Charles East had a team split of 25 seconds in this race, their best of the year. All five of their scorers were under 15-minutes.

Wheaton-Warrenville South scored 68 points after the individual scores were taken out. The Tigers also had all five runners under 15-minutes with a team split of an incredible 16 seconds. Their team time of 1:13.38 is the eighth fastest team time in state history.

In any other state meet, the 68 point total would have won the Tigers a state championship. It is the second lowest point total not to win in state meet history. York scored 65 points in 1979 but finished second to Maine East who scored 63 points and won by team time of only one second.

York finished third (153 points) just three points ahead of Sandburg. It was their first team trophy since they won the state championship in 2012.