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Glenbard West takes title on new Kaneland course

Glenbard West won the title Saturday at Kaneland's 45th annual Larry Eddington Invitational, a championship that might not have happened without a couple friendly Kaneland officials.

Kaneland moved the meet from its traditional home at Elburn Woods to the Knights' high school campus. The Knights are hosting a Class 2A sectional this fall and wanted to test out their course.

Glenbard West pulled up Saturday as it has in years past to Elburn Woods — only to get a sinking feeling when there wasn't another soul around.

“We ended up going to Elburn Woods and there wasn't one person there,” Glenbard West coach Kyle Nugent said. “I thought we had the wrong date.

“Some parents I think that are helping run this meet saw the bus turn in. They followed us in and told us it was here. Thank God for that.”

Despite missing two of its top five runners, Glenbard West won fairly easily with 71 points. The Hilltoppers were followed by Crystal Lake Central (116), East Aurora (117), Benet (123) and Grayslake Central (132).

Seniors Chris Buechner and Paul Christian paced the Hilltoppers in third and fourth, respectively.

“Overall it was OK,” Nugent said. “We're running banged up. It wasn't bad. Our guys probably ran tired. Chris has had a really good season so far.”

Nugent credited senior Jake Jaskowiak (14th, 16:12) and freshman Kalen Yeager (22nd, 16:17) with turning in the key performances that helped the Hilltoppers win short-handed.

“Kalen and Jake ran great,” Nugent said. “I would say Kalen and Jake saved us today.”

West Aurora junior Connor McCue surged in the final half mile to win in 15:27, six seconds ahead of runner-up Eryk Yunk from Belvidere North.

“There's a lot of good competition here today so I guess for a lack of a better word I was worried,” McCue said. “But I know I have the finishing speed if I just stay with them (the front-runners).”

McCue spent most of the race in third place. He made up 75 meters on the leader and 50 meters on the runner-up over the last half mile while gaining a benefit from his position.

“I didn't feel the wind. I let those kids break the wind for me,” said McCue, who was glad to see the race moved from Elburn Woods.

“Honestly anything is better than the last course,” McCue said. “The hill is a killer. I was really excited to race here. It gave me a lot of confidence.”

Geneva senior Mitchael Deamantopulos took fifth in 15:43.6, Burlington Central's Clay Musial was seventh in 15:52, Grayslake Central's Jack Aho eighth in 15:53 and Benet's Bray McLaughlin ninth in 16:01.

“He (Deamantopulos) was a little disappointed time-wise but he went out and challenged,” Geneva coach Bob Thomson said. “That is the first meet he has been able to kind of fight for a top 10 spot. That was good to see. We have a pack behind him and we have to work on getting that pack to close that gap between him and the rest of them. We have a blend there, some sophomores and some others we might move up.”

Other local teams included Jacobs in sixth (186), St. Charles North seventh (189), Geneva eighth (189) and West Aurora 10th (223) out of the 20-team field.

Sophomore Garrett Bienizer led Jacobs in 15th in 16:13 followed by junior Kyle Ross (27th, 16:26), junior Cole Schwarz (37th, 16:39) and senior Joseph Sipiorski (41st, 16:43).

It has been an up-and-down year for the Golden Eagles.

“My No. 1 guy finished as No. 7,” Jacobs coach Kevin Christian said. “My sophomore stepped up and finished in the top 15. He's progressing nicely. Our usual 4-5 guys ran great.

“We could be a good team if we could find one day that all seven guys ran good. Right now they are just so inconsistent I don't know if that's going to happen. It's really frustrating right now because we have a lot of good runners and just can't put it together on the same day.”

Senior Max Markowicz led St. Charles North with a time of 16:15 for 17th place.

Host Kaneland finished 14th with a top five of Brandon Park (49th, 16:52), Mitch Reger (61st, 17:04), Sean Spaetzel (63rd, 17:05), Will Kuipers (85th, 17:47) and James Walker (86th, 17:47).

“I was very pleased,” Kaneland coach Chad Clarey said. “Our boys have been on this course before and it's never been faster than it is this year in large part because all the entities of the high school have worked together. What made this course look so great is how hard our maintenance staff worked. It's a lot faster.

“Great run out of Sean. He did not feel good and was not sure if he was going to run and wound up being our second runner. We've been preaching to all our boys we have to run through sickness sometimes, we've got to run through injury sometimes. He really stepped up.”

  Jacobs' Kyle Ross (1064), Joseph Sipiorski (1069) and Garrett Brenizer (1036) take off from the starting line in the boys varsity run in the 45th annual Larry Eddington Invitational at Kaneland High School in Maple Park on Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Benet Academy's Brady McLaughlin takes ninth place in the boys varsity run in the 45th annual Larry Eddington Invitational at Kaneland High School in Maple Park on Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Burlington Central's Clay Musial takes seventh place in the boys varsity run in the 45th annual Larry Eddington Invitational at Kaneland High School in Maple Park on Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Glenbard West's Jake Jaskowiak, left, and Jacobs' Garrett Brenizer battle to the finish line to take 14th and 15th place, respectively, in the boys varsity run in the 45th annual Larry Eddington Invitational at Kaneland High School in Maple Park on Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  West Aurora's Connor McCue won the 45th annual Larry Eddington Invitational at Kaneland High School in Maple Park on Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Geneva's Mitchael Deamantopulos takes fifth place in the boys varsity run in the 45th annual Larry Eddington Invitational at Kaneland High School in Maple Park on Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Max Markowicz (1195) nears the finish in the boys varsity run in the 45th annual Larry Eddington Invitational at Kaneland High School in Maple Park on Saturday. (Johnsburg's Noah Miller on left.) Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
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