Work ethic key for Jacobs
Jacobs junior boys cross country runner William Hennessy has noticed a change in the team this season.
“We have a much better work ethic,” he says. “We're going into every practice and we're doing a lot more work. Coach (Kevin) Christian is giving us harder workouts and we're putting in a lot more mileage. Everybody comes to practice with a good attitude and wants to work hard and do better.”
And the Golden Eagles have done better this year. Jacobs finished third at the Class 3A regional level last week and earned a spot in today's St. Charles East sectional at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve.
At the sectional level, the top 5 teams and the first 7 runners not on qualifying teams advance to next weekend's state finals in Peoria at Detweiller Park. Additionally, if the eighth-, ninth- or 10th-place overall individuals finisher(s) in the sectional are not on a qualifying team, they will advance to state as well.
Jacobs turned in a sectional-qualifying performance last week without top runner Nick Ellingson, who is recovering from an upper respiratory infection.
“I started not feeling well the Thursday before the regional,” Ellingson recalls.
Ellingson, as of earlier the week, says he will give it a go today in St. Charles.
“I'm for sure running,” Ellingson said earlier in the week after his first day back practicing. “I'm going to give it a go.”
Ellingson was impressed with what his teammates did at the regional.
“All of the kids on our team are the hardest workers I've ever seen,” he says. “Our biggest strength is our motivation.”
Jacobs had 5 runners in the top 20 at the regional level with a 50-second split between runners 1 and 5.
“We just have to run our best times,” says Hennessy, who finished fifth at the regional. “We've been tapering to this point. I definitely think (advancing) is doable.”
The St. Charles East field also features Crystal Lake South (senior Ryan Masey was 11th at the regional) and South Elgin (Francisco Rodriguez was 13th at the regional).
The individual field at St. Charles includes Huntley sophomore Sam Maruccelli, Streamwood junior Jhoan Lind, Larkin junior Dan Runzel and Elgin sophomores Chris Porras and Tanner Bednar.
Dundee-Crown and senior star Anthony Manfrin will be part of the Class 3A Schaumburg sectional at Busse Woods (Groves 17, 18, 19 & 20). Cary-Grove sophomore Dustin Throw will also run at Schaumburg.
In Class 2A, Burlington Central, paced by junior Clay Kliem, will run in the Belvidere sectional. St. Edward freshman Josh Danner will compete in the Class 1A Aurora Christian sectional today.