Return of Magis Miles highlighted by Werner win

By Michael Newman

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Chicago – The annual meeting of milers at Magis Miles did not take place in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic quarantine conditions. Meet Director Ed Ernst literally had to go through hell and high water to get this meet going for 2021. Thunderstorms on meet day threatened in some eyes that the meet could be postponed.

“That was not going to happen,” Ernst said afterwards. “This was not going to postpone it. That was not an option.”

Flooding in the area creating traffic havoc did not slow this meet down. A lightning strike on the antennas of the nearby Willis Tower forced close to an hour delay to the meet after the second race of the night. The storm passed but the thunder overhead transferred to the track with some great race at St. Ignatius Prep’s new Rice Park track.

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The Boys High School Mile was the most exciting of the meet with Spencer Werner of Loyola Academy running down Luke Wiley of Warren Township and Wilson Georges of Limestone in the last 150-meters for the win nipping Wiley at the line. Werner ran a personal best 4:12.28 for the win just four hundredth of a second ahead of Wiley (4:12.32). Georges, who did the brunt of the leading in the race, finished third (4:13.88).

“I knew I had that good finish at the end,” Werner said after the race. “I knew the pace was going to be honest. I just had to stay close.”

“I was ready for this race. I also knew that this pace would be honest,” added Wiley. “I made the dive at the end, but Spencer got me.”

The pace was fast with the pacer bringing the pack through the first 700 meters of the race before giving way. Georges got behind the pacer going through the first 400 in 61 seconds with Cole Raymond of LaPorte IN right on Georges’ shoulder. The pack was another two seconds back.

Georges continued to pound the pace the second and third lap passing 800 in 2:04 and 1200 in 3:07. He had opened a four second lead on the rest of the race. Moves started happening with 500 meters left as Wiley too command of second and had his eyes on the lead. Werner was countering the moves and put himself into third. He said after the race he wanted to wait until 250 meters left in the race to go.

Wiley saw that Georges was looking around feeling the pace of the last two laps. He caught Georges with 150 left in the race. Meanwhile, Werner was unleashing his kick.

Werner’s lean at the line was the difference as Wiley tasted the new St. Ignatius track with his body slamming to it. Georges made this race. He also experienced a pace that he will be familiar with in future races to come.

Jack Anstey of Illinois State University pulled away in the final 600 meters to win the Men’s Elite 1 Mile Run. This meet has wanted a sub-four race in its resume. Anstey came close running 4:02.57 for the victory. David Timlin (4:03.76) and Jacob Dumford (4:05.33). Nate Mueller of Adel-DeSoto-Minburn IA was the only high school runner in this race. He ran 4:07.09 (US #5) to finish fourth.

Ashley Tutt of Northern Illinois University, formerly of Minooka HS, has been making her name known in the distance races qualifying for the D1 Indoor and Outdoor Nationals along with the D1 XC Nationals in the past six months. Tutt stepped way down in distance to run the Women’s Elite Mile in this meet.

Former Magis champion and meet record holder Katelynne Hart had the pacing honors in this race. She pulled Tutt through a 2:23 opening 800 with Kaylie Politza of Valparaiso IN right on Tutt’s shoulder. The NIU runner used her strength puling away from the rest of the field timed at 4:49.50 in the end for the win.

Politza ran 4:53.85 to finish second. Brooke Johnston of Lake Zurich ran a great race running 4:55.95 to finish third. Catie McCabe of Hinsdale Central ran 5:00.51 to place fourth.

Other Meet Highlights

Nicky Edwards-Levin of Chicago University moved away from the field with 400 meters left in Section 1 of the High School Boys 1 Mile Run. He held on to win the race (4:24.06) just ahead of Lyons Township’s Jocqael Thorpe (4:24.57).

Nicholas Strayer of Lyons Township pulled away in the final lap to run 4:38.60 to win the Freshman Boys Mile with Ryan Moats of Warren Township finishing second (4:43.23).

Sarah Fischer of Hinsdale Central was in control of the race just after 2 laps in the Girls High School Mile. Fischer went on to run 5:25.04 for the win. Maggie Owens of York finished second (5:34.19).

Charlotte-Trinity McKenzie of Cedarburg WI ran a quick 5:07.55 to win the Girls Middle School Mile. Ignacio Escamilla of Bolingbrook ran 4:43.45 to win the Boys Middle School Mile. Evan Nosek of Elburn IL was also under five minutes running 4:49.30 to finish second.

Michael Sommese of Jones Prep had the fastest time of the six sections of the Open Mile that opened the meet. His time was 4:31.25 just ahead of Rylie Traub of St. Charles North (4:31.54).