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ILXCTF Illinois Distance Digest - January 26, 2023

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ILXCTF - Mike Newman   Jan 26th 2023, 2:26pm
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5 – The direction that Genisio takes for state in 2023

 

By Michael Newman

 

Benton’s Gavin Genisio put his finger in front of his mouth silencing the cynical and critical people on social media that were doubting him as he crossed the line with the win in the 1600 Meter Run at Distance Night in Palatine against some of the top runners in the state.

 

Genisio knew what he was doing. He just did not let on to everyone else what it was.

 

Now the Benton junior will step into the spotlight as one of the top runners not only in Class 2A but also the state. The door is wide open in Class 2A with state champions Drew Rogers, Wilson Georges, and Garrett Slack all having graduated and moved on to the next level.

 

Genisio enters the 2023 season with the top returning times in Class 2A in all three state meet distances. He entered high school as a touted middle school runner having run near 4:30 during the COVID-19 period before entering high school. In the first two years of high school, he has put up some great times and performances.

 

He ran 4:13.93 his freshman year in the 1600 Meter Run a month before the state meet where he finished third in the 2A 1600 Meter Run. His sophomore season in cross country may have opened up his eyes a little bit more after finishing sixth in the 1A State Meet.

 

If you have talked to this young man, you realize how humble he is. You will also feel how focused he is from getting from Point A to Point B.

 

That showed during the last track season first indoors when he finished fifth earning All-American honors at the adidas Indoor Nationals. His win at Distance Night in Palatine set his road to state. He ran 1:56 at the beginning of May that may have opened his eyes to doubling at state.

 

His state finals race in the 800 Meter Run was a one to watch as he ran a personal best of 1:53.15 to finish second. He doubled back on short rest to run 4:20.59 to finish fifth.

 

He finally got a chance a week later to run a 1600/mile fresh to see what he could do. What Genisio did is something that he has built from in running 4:07.71 for 1600-meters on his way to winning at Magis Miles with a 4:09.23 time.

 

His concentration is there always looking for a challenge. There were no national races after his Magis Miles win rather concentrating on his junior season. His cross-country season culminated with his first state championship in the rain and the mud of Detweiller Park. It was a finish that he could not believe that it happened right afterwards.

 

That result last November could open doors for him in the final three seasons of running he has on the high school level. Winning that state title eases the burden of what he wants to accomplish next. It may be just the 1600 at state like Wilson Georges did last year. It could be he feels strong enough to complete that double that he fell short on in 2022. He is stronger now.

 

The fact that he went through that process gives him an idea what he will face. A challenge that he might accept. It will be fun to see him complete that journey. Genisio had a good start to his 2023 season last Saturday at Gately Park in Chicago when he finished second in the HOKA Mile with a 4:16.19 time.

 

Two runners that will step into the 2A Spotlight

Shockwaves traveled the entire state last October when Dylon Nalley of Marion ran 14:03 at Detweiller Park to win the Peoria Invitational. Genisio ran 14:37 in the same race. The fact that Nalley had run one of the fastest junior times ever on that storied course meant something.

 

Nalley’s sophomore season in 2021-2022 is what you could describe as non-descript yet successful. He missed all of the regular cross country season only to start racing in the two regional qualifying meets in November. He did finish third in the 3200 Meter Run at Illinois Top Times indoors at the end of March. He was all-state outdoors in the 2A State Meet  finishing fourth running 9:28.42, a personal best.

 

He trained with Hunter Jones from Michigan during last summer. His confidence grew first at Detweiller at Dark at the end of July when he ran 14:48 to finish second behind Pinckneyville’s Isaac Teel. Then came the Peoria race. There were hopes that he might attack the state meet record after running 14:06 in his sectional race win. The rain and muddy conditions cancelled that out, but he still had the fastest time out of all three races on that day.

 

What makes me excited with Nalley over the next three seasons that he will run high school in is the way that he attacked the NXR Midwest Regional pace running the first mile in an absurd 4:29. Ones won the race setting a course record of 14:22. Nalley still ran 15:09 to finish 16th overall.

 

Let’s see how fast he travels in all three distances this track season.

 

Patrick Hilby of Aurora Central Catholic had a choice to make at the end of last track season. He could either go back to playing football in the fall or run cross-country. Running was not a novelty. After finishing football at the end of his sophomore season, Hilby would run for the cross country team. He had run with the team during the COVID-19 season of 2020 since football did not take place. Hilby ran in twice his sophomore season in their regional and sectional.

 

He chose cross country last fall. That could benefit him in this track season.

 

Hilby was one of the top 1A runners through most of last season finishing second at the Amboy Columbus Day, second in his regional and sixth in his sectional before finishing 20th in the 1A State Meet.

 

The success that Hilby had last track season could have been a contributing factor on why he decided to run this fall. That added endurance and strength will help this track season. Hilby will be one of the top runners in the state in the 800 Meter Run and could emerge on the national scene.  Hilby was all-state in the 800 Meter Run finishing behind Slack and Genisio in the 2A state finals with a sizzling 1:53.85 time. He came right back to run 50.16 to finish sixth in the same meet in the 400 Meter Dash.

 

Class 2A Notes / Thoughts

The middle classification in the IHSA system is not as stripped as what we have seen in Class 1A and Class 3A. Yes, all three Class 2A distance champions have graduated guaranteeing new faces standing at the top of the podium in Charleston.

 

Genisio is one of three athletes that are returning in the 1600 Meter Run that have run under 4:20. There are seven runners back that made last year’s finals. Genisio has over a 10 second best over Brennan Heitzig of Lincoln who finished third in last year’s finals. Heitzig ran 4:18.26 at Magis Miles last June. Joe Schwartz of Waterloo ran 4:19.07 in May at Collinsville. We could see him in both long distance races in Charleston at the end of May.

 

Grayden Rill of Fenwick and Dale Johnson of Sterling both were all-state during last year’s meet. Johnson also anchored Sterling’s all state fifth place finish in the 4x800 Meter Relay.

 

Julian Baker of Mt. Zion made some huge strides this past fall in cross-country in finishing third in the 2A state meet after finishing 28th as a sophomore. Baker finished eighth in the 3200 Meter Run in Charleston. That time along with his 1600 times should drop considerably this spring.

 

The emergence of Nalley last fall steps up what could be a good 3200 in 2A this spring. There are six runners back from last year’s final that finished in the top 12. Nalley finished five seconds behind Mac Kittrell of DePaul Prep who finished third at state and is the top runner returning at the distance. Kittrell earned his second all-state medal in cross country finishing seventh in last November’s 1A race. Genisio enters the season with a 9:18.44 best. We will see if he decides to go after a fast time sometime this spring at that distance.

 

There are only six runners back that had 2022 bests of 9:40 or faster including Genisio, Kittrell, Nalley, and Heitzig. Joe Schwartz finished fifth and has an all-state finish he would like to improve on. Jackson Collman of Civic Memorial also ran well this fall and will be a factor in this event. Baker was mentioned in both events as someone who could be an influencer up front. Johnson ran in the relay for Sterling. He ran 9:37 last spring.

 

Ethan Hogan of Columbia was all-state finishing ninth. He improved last fall finishing sixth at Detweiller Park in the 1A race. His track season can be a jumping point towards his senior season.

 

The one event that could provide the most interest in the 2A distances is the 800 Meter Run led by top returning runners Genisio and Hilby. There are two other runners back that have run faster than 1:55.

 

Sam Atkinson of Mt. Zion ran under 1:55 twice at the end of year first finishing fourth at state in 1:54.62 and then 2 months later running 1:54.59 at the USATF Junior Olympics. Payton Whitehead of Lakes finished three tenths behind Atkinson at state finishing fifth (1:54.95). Both runners should drop down their times this spring possibly pushing Genisio and Hilby.

 

Caden Emmert of Sycamore was on their 4x8 relay but also ran a personal best of 1:56.94 to finish eighth in the state race. Trey Mygatt of Mt. Vernon made the finals and also ran a personal best just running under 1:58.

 

Kody Danko of Streator, Dion Ranson of South Shore International (Chicago), and Cale Smith of Decatur Eisenhower should also be runners to watch out for in this classification.

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