A look back at the 2022 Illinois Top Times Championships - Distances

 

 

By Michael Newman [email protected]

 

 

Here is a look at the distance events that took place last Friday and Saturday at Illinois Top Times held at the Shirk Center on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University.

 

 

Class 3A Boys – New faces step up in this meet

 

It has been usual that some of the top distance runners in Class 3A have chosen to run in this meet. It gives some new faces to experience success in a big meet atmosphere.

 

For Ryan Watts of Edwardsville, it was a chance to get more race experience on the track after missing all of last spring due to injury. Watts on Saturday took advantage of that opportunity in two races. He went out in 26 seconds on the third leg of the 4x800m Relay for his team. Watts opened up with a 1:58.3 leg helping Edwardsville finish fifth overall in the event (8:11.53).

 

Watts stayed in the back of the pack in the 1600 Meter Run passing the halfway point in ninth at 2:13. He was only two seconds behind race leaders Tim Neumann of Downers Grove South and Riley Newport of DeKalb. Watts slowly moved up to the lead in the third 400 getting on Neumann’s shoulder as they passed 1200-meters in 3:17. It was like was shot out of  cannon as he passed between Neumann and Mukal Verma of Palatine.

 

That was the end of the race for everyone else, just the beginning for Watts. The senior closed with a final 61 second 400 and a final 2000 of 30 seconds to cross the line with a smile and a 4:19.02 win (IL #10). Aidan Simon of Loyola Academy moved up from seventh in the final two laps to finish second (4:21.07) with Neumann (4:21.42), Zach Daniel of Barrington (4:22.57) and Newport (4:22.93) taking the next three spots.

 

Caden Simone of Lincoln-Way Central has been dominant in his two 3200m Races he has run in this winter with margin of victories in the double digits. There were more runners that were with him in the first mile of this 3200 Meter Run race. Simone had company as he passed comfortably through the first mile in 4:41 with Oliver Burns of Plainfield North on his side with a pack of 12 runners within three seconds of the lead.

 

Simone said after the race that his strategy was to run this race faster in the second half than he did for the opening eight laps. The 69 second fifth 400 started to break the pack up. The pace slowed down to 7:02 at 2400-meters. Burns was the only runner left near Simone. He threw another 69 second 400 that gave him 3 second lead on Burns. That is all that Simone needed as he closed in 66 seconds on the way to a win (9:17.73) for the third time under 9:20 this winter. Burns ran a personal best of 9:23.24 to finish second. The surprises in this race were the Morton duo of Alex Bacci and Daniel Chavez. The two runners hung in the back of the pack most of the race but moved up when others were dropping off the pace. Bacci improved his personal best by 18 seconds in finishing third (9:25.48). Ethan Forsell of Oswego finished fourth (9:25.81) just ahead of Chavez (9:25.82).

 

Brett Wasick of Bolingbrook made his presence known two weeks ago when he won the 800 Meter Run at Batavia Distance Madness running 1:56.21. The senior again was ready to make his presence known in this race late Saturday afternoon. The pace was not crazy as Wasick stepped into the lead on the second lap passing the first 400 in a comfortable 59.8. The entire field was within two seconds of him at that point.

 

That changed in the next 200-meters as Wasick threw in a 27.8 lap. Only Samson Dessalines of Chatham-Glenwood dared to stay with him and was within a half a second of Wasick. The final lap equaled to a continued surge by the Bolingbrook senior. Wasick had this race in hand running the exact same time that he did in Batavia (1:56.21). This time Wasick won the race by close to three seconds ahead of Michael Polizzi of Taft (1:59.01), Patrick Jamieson of New Trier (1:59.42), and Dessalines (1:59.55).

 

The top seven 4x800m Relay squads chose not to run in this meet gearing up for the outdoor season. It left the door open for a number of teams to step up in this meet. Oswego had showed success during last fall’s cross country season. The Panthers did so in this race. A 1:56.3 anchor from Brady Nelson brought his team from third at the final exchange to take the lead with 400 meters left. Oswego ran 8:03.28 (IL #7) to claim the win with a charging Deerfield (8:04.35, IL #8) edging Downers Grove South (8:04.39, IL #9) for second. Plainfield North ran 8:05.45 to finish fourth overall.

 

3A Girls – First time under five for Schoen

 

It was a rough ending to the cross-country season for Caroline Schoen of Homewood-Flossmoor. She ran 17:01 at Naperville to finish third, but only finished 35th at the IHSA 3A State Meet.

 

Schoen made changes to her workouts and to her diet to get herself ready for a championship season. Her changes showed in the 1600 Meter Run in this meet winning the race and running under five-minutes for the first time of her life.

 

Schoen was comfortable to stay in third but close to the lead for the first half letting Brooke Johnston of Lake Zurich and Mia Pasha of Warren push the pace. Schoen was comfortable to stay with the pack as they passed 800-meters in 2:32 and 1200-meters in 3:49. The HF junior was ready for the right time to make the break for the lead. That came with less than 175 meters left in the race coming off the curve. Johnston responded staying close to Schoen but could not get ahead of her. A smile lit up Schoen’s face as she crossed the line in 4:59.61 with the win and first time under five minutes.

 

Johnston came across the line just behind Schoen in 5:00.06. Aly Negovetich of Grant Community ran a strong double with this race in 5:02.80 for third. Pasha (5:05.16) and Isabella Marasco of Lake Forest (5:05.73) finished in the top five.

 

The 3200 Meter Run played out as some saw it with this race coming down to a dual between Aly Negovetich and Glenbard North’s Grace Schager. The North junior has been running hot this indoor season achieving personal bests. This would a final time to improve before heading outdoors.

 

Negovetich took control of the pace after the first lap of the race. She led the first  1600 in 5:27 with the rest of the pack within four seconds of her. Schager had moved from the middle of the pack at the start to Negovetich’s shoulder at the mile. The pack of 12 became a pack of five as the Grant senior pushed the pace the next 400. By the time Negovetich passed 2400-meters in 8:06, Holly Johnson of Downers Grove South was the only runner within three seconds of Negovetich and Schager. It was time for Schager to take the lead and she did with 500-meters left in the race. Schager bettered her season best as she ran 10:33.93 (IL #3) for the win. Negovetich ran a good race running 10:39.71 to finish second. Johnston had a personal best of 10:52.15 to place third ahead of Audra Soderlind of Oswego (10:57.66), Sarah Fischer of Hinsdale Central (10:58.66), and Liv Phillips of Naperville Central (10:59.42) all of whom ran under 11-minutes.

 

There was a sense of mystery heading into the 800 Meter Run if whether if Catie McCabe of Hinsdale Central could put enough distance between herself and Bella Domier of Grayslake Central. Both runners have great speed at the end of the race. Domier takes that speed to another level. Anna Scheuring of Quincy took the pace out in 32.8 with McCabe and Domier right on her shoulder. McCabe started pushing the pace for the next two laps running 33.5 and 34.5 laps. It did not break Domier as she was close under a second behind. The final lap was exciting as Domier made her move with 100-meters left in the race. McCabe made one more move taking the lead again on the curve, The Grayslake Central sophomore made the final move on the final straightaway. Domier’s winning time 2:16.21 was less than half a second of McCabe (2:16.47). Isabella Marasco of Lake Forest was in third throughout. She finished in that position (2:17.53) with Erin Milligan of Hinsdale Central finishing fourth (2:19.63).

 

There was no mystery in the 4x800m Relay. This race showed the depth of Prospect as they did not run Audrey Ginsberg in this quartet instead running Bridget Derengowski in her place.

 

Hailey Erickson gave the Lady Knights the lead with a 2:19.8 opening leg. Cameron Kalaway and Derengowski followed with Lily Ginsberg running a 2:16.02 anchor leg. Prospect did not miss a step or was really threatened in this race and was within their season’s best of 9:21 recording a 9:22.37 for a convincing win.

 

Southwest Prairie Conference rivals Minooka (9:32.19) and Yorkville (9:32.79) finished within a second in second and third places. Edwardsville was the next closest team running a season’s best of 9:34.69 to finish fourth.

 

2A Boys – Georges sets meet record in the 1600m Run

 

It was supposed to be a three man race in the 1600 Meter Run with Wilson Georges of Limestone leading the field with Gavin Genisio of Benton and Michael Schumacher of St. Viator also entered. Schumacher did not run in the 1600 and 3200.

 

Georges wanted a fast pace in this race. He made the pace running 29.6 and 61.2 for the first two laps. “Maybe that was a little to fast at the beginning,” Georges said afterwards. “I did want a fast pace.”

 

Genisio had run 4:13 as a freshman and had run 4:17 for the 1 Mile Run last week in Virginia. He was holding onto the pace as he passed 800 meters in 2:08.5 but four seconds behind Georges who went past in a lightning fast 2:04.9.

 

This race was Georges as he continued to punish the pace. He slowed it down the third quarter passing 1200-meters in 3:09.9. Genisio was now seven seconds back securing his second-place position.

 

Georges kept is pace on those final two laps. His goal was breaking Michael Clevenger’s six year old meet record of 4:16. He did that with room to spare running 4:13.10 for a convincing win. Genisio still had a good race running 4:21.28 to finish second. There was another six second gap before Grayden Rill of Fenwick finished third (4:27.75) ahead of Lance Miller of Mascoutah (4:29.01).

 

Schumacher had the fastest seed time by 12 seconds ahead of the rest of the pack in the 3200 Meter Run. Schumacher’s absence meant a door wide open for anyone else in the field had the opportunity to win this race.

 

It was apparent that the race would come don to three runners as they broke away from the rest of the field. Joe Schwartz of Waterloo is comfortable of pushing the pace as he did from the outset of the race. Yusuf Baig of Burlington Central was the runner that had the most finishing speed at the end of the race. Dylon Nalley of Marion missed last spring season due to an injury. The sophomore could play a factor in this race.

 

Schwartz passed through the first 1600 in 4:41 with Baig not willing to break. Nalley was with the front two for the first 1200 of the race. He started to falloff the pace now four seconds behind.

 

It was not a matter of if for Baig but when he was going to pass Schwartz who was starting to feel the burden of leading this race. The if came with four laps to go when Baig took the lead making a definitive move to make sure that Schwartz would not come back on him. The Burlington senior was gliding that final 800 knowing that he had this race in hand.

 

Baig crossed the line in with a personal best of 9:29.06 with a seven second margin of victory ahead of Schwartz (9:36.83). Nalley ran a personal best of 9:39.46 to finish third. Brendan Heitzig of Lincoln (9:42.70) edged Jackson Collman of Civic Memorial (9:42.74) for fourth.

 

There was no real favorite in the 4x800m Relay with Burlington Central having the top seed ahead of Marion and Sandwich. Marion’s track team has that state meet trophy feeling this spring. That feeling showed in this race. Marion was in the lead from the beginning fighting off a challenge from Civic Memorial to run 8:21.59 to win this race. Civic Memorial ran 8:24.30 for a comfortable second. Kaneland finished third (8:33.01) ahead of Burlington Central (8:35.13), Sycamore (8:35.61), and Sandwich (8:35.91).

 

Lee O’Bryan of Fenwick had run 1:57 the week before at his league championship and wanted to make it two big wins in a row. O’Bryan and Patrick Hilby of Aurora Central Catholic traded off the lead the first two laps going past 400-meters in a comfortable 60.4.

 

It was the calm before the storm in that third lap as the pace stayed the same with no one pushing the pace but no one making any moves.

 

Then came the move by Hilby just before the bell lap bursting ahead for the lead in a full sprint. Garrett Slack of Lincoln who stayed in the middle of the pack early in the race had pulled up towards the front and was ready to counter the move as well as O’Bryan. Hilby came off the curve with the lead. O’Bryan was on his sight. Out of Lane 3 came Slack taking the lead before crossing the line. Slack surprised some with his 1:59.12 season’s best for the win. Hilby ran a great race in finishing second (1:59.37). Hilby came back to win his section and finishing seventh overall in the 400 Meter Dash. O’Bryan settled for third (2:00.20). Elias Wilkin of Payton Prep led the next pack running 2:01.23 to finish fourth.

 

2A Girls – Heitzig wins the 3200 in the final lap

 

It was one of the top distance races of the weekend in this classification’s 3200 Meter Run. Delaney Fitzgerald of Normal University had been playing soccer for the first three years of school. Her love of distance running grew during the fall when she earned Cross Country all-state honors. Maybe this running around in circles was something for her?

 

Becca Heitzig of Lincoln seems to be always doing something. The sophomore was all-state last June in the 800 Meter Run. She ran cross-country and played soccer last fall. Heitzig played on her school team that made the sectional basketball finals. Now it was time to get ready for her spring around the track. This meet it was the 3200 Meter Run and the 400 Meter Dash.

 

It became a Fitzgerald/Heitzig challenging for the lead from the start breaking away from the pack. The two passed 1600-meters in 5:22 with Erica Woodard of Tolono Unity six seconds back. You could see that Fitzgerald wanted this race with the intensity that she was pushing the pace.

 

Near four laps to go, Heitzig started falling behind Fitzgerald’s pace now two seconds ahead. When the final lap bell rung, Fitzgerald had more than a three second lead. “I looked ahead and saw Delaney,” Heitzig said after the race. “I knew somehow I could get her.”

 

Heitzig was weaving around lapped runners looking to get closer. With 100-meters left, she was within two seconds. Even with 20-meters left, it even looked like the Normal University senior had this race. Heitzig’s sprint muscle memory kicked it and caught the win in the final step. Heitzig: 10:45.78. Fitzgerald: 10:45.85.

 

What a race! Both runners ran personal bests of over 30 seconds.

 

Colleen Zeibert of Rochester did not finish her cross country season the way she wanted to be failing to make it to Detweiller Park for the state meet. She was in focus when she stepped to the line for the start of the 800 Meter Run. Lianna Surtz of Rosary had won the Batavia Distance Madness 800 two weeks before. She entered this race with confidence as she ran the first two laps in 32 and 34. Zeibert, who was all-state in this race last June, was right on Surtz’s shoulder before taking the lead with 250-meters left in the race. Zeibert rolled to a 34 second final lap in winning the title at 2:16.58. Surtz (2:18.99) and Isabella Orosco of Aurora Central Catholic (2:23.36) finished second and third. Orosco came back 30 minutes later to win the 400 Meter Dash.

 

Surtz had an hour to rest before stepping to the line in the 1600 Meter Run. Surtz was the favorite in this race with the top seed time by more than 10 seconds. She  again made her presence known as Fitzgerald hung with her through a 77 second opening 400-meters. It was Surtz after that as she opened up a three second lead at 800-meters and six seconds ahead of Fitzgerald at 1200-meters. The Rosary senior made it look easy as she ran 5:07.55 to win the title nine seconds ahead of Fitzgerald (5:16.51) who finished the day with a great double. Mabry Bruhn of Monticello ran 5:1843 to finish third.

 

Mt. Zion was just as dominant as Surtz was in the 1600 Meter Run race. The Braves had a four second lead after the first two legs and went on to run 9:52.75 (2A #2) to win the 4x800m Relay. Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (10:02.47) and Monticello (10:05.03) finished second and third.

 

1A Boys – The Ryder James double

 

One of the most anticipated races of the Friday 1A meet was the 3200 Meter Run. Ryder James of Paxton-Buckley-Loda, the 1A State XC champion, would face Miles Sheppard of Hamilton-West Hancock who finished third in that same state race. Sheppard was on fire this indoor season having run under 9:23 twice. Sheppard wanted a fast pace from the start trying to take the kick out of James’ legs.

 

That did not happen. The pace was fast the first 1600 with Sheppard passing in 4:37 and James another second back. Daniel Winkelman of Harvest Christian Academy went past in 4:41 with the pace having an effect on him. The strain started showing at 2400-meters for Sheppard as he passed in 7:02. James looked comfortable right on the HWH runner waiting to go. James smoothly went by Sheppard with two laps to go with a one second to go. The pace started to hit Sheppard as he started to fall behind James. The PBL senior looked easy crossing the line with the win in 9:18.31. Sheppard put up another time under 9:23 finishing second (9:22.68). Winkelman (9:47.23), Tommy Murray of Riverdale (9:51.56) and Mason Stoeger of Fieldcrest (9:52.40) were the only other runners under 10-minutes in this race.

 

James task to come back for the double win in the 1600 Meter Run seemed to look easy before the gun off. In fact, it was a good race. Issac Teal of Pinckneyville was coming off a great cross-country season finishing in the top five last fall. Teel was the one that made this race having the lead for the first kilometer. James took a one second lead but could not shake Teel or Murray off the pace. James experience took over on those final two laps 61 seconds for the final 400, 29 seconds in the final lap crossed the line flashing a two above his head running 4:27.41 for the win. Teel kept it close with a 29 second final lap to finish second (4:28.36) with Murray doubling back to run 4:30.09 to finish third.

 

The coach of Eli Mojonnier from Bismarck-Henning was not happy after learning that his state champion had broken his wrist two days before this race attempting to dunk a basketball. He carried a little more weight in this race and it was not the pressure of the race at hand. His right hand carried a cast.

 

The pace was fast as Tyler Bickerman of Rushville-Industry led the way in 57.9 for the first 400-meters. Mojonnier took over the pace after that point, but she could not shake the field from his lead. Mojonnier came off the final curve with the lead but with four lanes filled with runners. Mojonnier held on for the win (2:00.37) with Thomas Harmon of Elmwood a close second (2:00.48). The first five runners were within a second of each other as Issac Sanford of Flora (2:00.71), Bickerman (2:00.74), and Landis Musser of Riverdale (2:01.04) finished third through fifth.

 

Rockford Christian entered this meet as the race favorite in the 4x800m Relay. The Royal Lions took the lead on the second leg and never looked back. Rockford Christian ran a season’s best of 8:26.11 for the win. St. Joseph-Ogden (8:35.28) and Williamsville (8:35.45) were a close second and third.

 

1A Girls – Rybak comes back to win 1600

 

It was clear that Elena Rybak of Father McGivney was back where she belonged to be on the final leg of the 4x800m Relay. The freshman ran a 2:18.46 final leg to bring her team from tenth up to fourth. She had a little time to recover before stepping to the line for the 1600 Meter Run.

 

Rybak had a great cross-country season but did not finish last fall the way she wanted to. She had time over the winter to figure out how and what to do with a good support group around her.

 

This 1600 Meter Run race was some type of redemption for her. She came into this race. She did not disappoint. Rybak took the lead at the start passing 400-meters in 69 seconds. Kennady Anderson of Kewanee-Wethersfield led the pack that was three seconds back at that point. The lead grew to six seconds as Rybak passed 800-meters in 2:26. The race was hers at that point it felt like. The question was how fast the winning time would be.

 

The pace slowed down the third 400 but Rybak’s was still on personal best pace with a seven second lead. Jubilation followed at the finish as Rybak crossed the line with hands in the air with a 5:08.00 time. Four runners in this race were under 5:16. Anderson kept her position throughout the race running 5:14.95 to finish second. Kate Ahmari of Urbana University (5:15.12) and Kaylee Woolery (5:15.74) finished third and fourth.

 

Carly Manchester of IC Catholic Prep set the pace in the 3200 Meter Run leading the first 2 kilometers of the race. Brooklyn Bender of Marshall took her turn in the lead trying to break Manchester off the lead. That did not happen. Manchester took the lead on the final lap closing with a fast 33 seconds to win the title (11:37.63 by five seconds ahead of Bender (11:42.49). Arianna Neisen of Liberty ran 11:52.98 to finish third.

 

The question was asked if anyone could catch distance power Winnebago in the 4x800m Relay in this meet. No one raised their hand. It just did not happen.

 

Bago opened a four second lead on the opening leg of the race. Their lead stayed at our seconds after the second leg. A third 2:23.44 leg from Grace Erb opened the lead to an incredible 18 seconds with Kaylee Woolery anchoring in 2:27.70.

 

Winnebago crushed the field in winning with a 9:50.30 time. DuQuoin at 10:05.56 edged St. Joseph-Ogden (10:05.70) for second-place.

 

Trixie Johnson of Paxton-Buckley-Loda gained confidence from the race that she ran on this track last Monday running 2:22 to win the 800 Meter Run in that meet. Johnson held off Wethersfield’s Anderson in the final two laps to run a season’s best of 2:20.59 for the win. Anderson was next (2:21.00) with Kate Ahmari running 2:25.69 to finish third.