Cross country: Kaneland's Richtmans sweep Eddington titles

The Richtman family reigned supreme Saturday morning at Kaneland's 48th annual Larry Eddington Invitational.

Matt Richtman, a Kaneland senior, and his sister Rachel, a sophomore, made it a clean sweep for their family and their school, winning their respective varsity boys and varsity girls races.

The siblings did it in similar fashion. Both led most of the race but each had one competitor close, and each held off their challenger with a strong kick. They did it on unseasonably warm conditions that forced race officials to cancel the boys and girls open races after a number of runners from the varsity and sophomore races were taken away in ambulances.

"It was really fun running on my home course," Rachel Richtman said. "I was really looking forward to it. This is one of my favorite meets of the year."

Matt Richtman also won the boys race last year, becoming the first Kaneland runner to win at Eddington title. He repeated Saturday after a strong challenge from Jacobs junior Zach Albrecht.

"It's very exciting to come here and win on our home soil where we practice most of the days of the week," Ricthman said. "It's exciting to have a good team finish and individual finish. And it's exciting we (myself and Rachel) were both able to get a good race in today."

Rachel went first in a 22-team girls field that included eight teams ranked in the state's top 25. She opened up a sizable lead but was pushed in the final half mile with a charge by DeKalb's Katerine Olsen. Richtman won at 17:58.1 to Olsen's 17:58.3.

Rockford Boylan senior Grace McLaughlin, third in the state last year, missed the race with an injury.

"It was really nice having someone up there," Richtman said. "I wasn't sure how this race would go or who would be up against me. I was really looking forward to running against her (McLaughlin) but hopefully by the end of the season she's better.

"I heard a few people cheering for her (Olsen) and telling me she was behind me but I didn't really notice her until coming into the straight. I was just going to see how fast my legs could take me because I was pretty much dead by the end of the race. It's hot out."

Saturday's win continued a strong start to the season for Richtman, who won in Wauconda last week and also won the Morris Early Bird Invitational.

Benet won the team title led by freshman Kelly Andrews who finished third. Mae Tully was fifth and Joy Jackson seventh.

"I liked the course, it was good, it was flat," Andrews said. "I think I can go a little faster."

Benet scored 38 points to easily beat runner-up Kaneland at 87, DeKalb (123), Crystal Lake Central (125) and Burlington Central (172).

Hampshire senior Sophia Oury took fourth and Kaneland's Andrea Wells was sixth.

Boys race: Albrecht made Matt Richtman work for his title, running literally right with Richtman for the first two miles. There was no more than a foot or two between them.

"It's definitely a completely different race than running in front or behind someone," Richtman said. "It definitely makes it a lot more competitive because you know exactly where they are. It's hard to surge away or take some parts faster because they want to stay with you. It's harder to get gaps. If they are 10 feet ahead or behind you don't really notice that difference they are making or you are making."

Richtman ended up winning in 15:14.2 to Albrecht's 15:15.8.

"I try to do that because mentally I didn't want him to get too far away," Albrecht said of staying so close.

Richtman broke away with about 500 meters to go. Like his sister, Richtman is off to a blazing start this season that includes a victory last weekend in Peoria as he aims to do even better than last year's fourth-place state finish.

"It was another close race just like this one," Richtman said of his Peoria win.

"To be able to win on his home course for the second year, that was a nice achievement for him," Kaneland coach Chad Clarey said. "Having his family here to see that, it's very special for all of them. He's racing hard."

Albrecht also is off to a fast start finishing 11th at Peoria and fourth at Leroy Oakes at the Leavey invite. He took third last year at the Eddington.

"I really like it," Albrecht said of Kaneland's course. "The grass is awesome, and it wasn't too hard.

"I think the team ran really well. I'm proud of the guys."

Glenbard West won the team title with a tight pack including junior Stephen Moody. He finished fith in 15:41, just behind teammate Rory Cavan in 15:40.

William O'Brien was sixth for the Hilltoppers, Cam Benes 12th and Ian Repking 13th.

"That was our goal, get the pack closer together, trying to move as a pack," Moody said. "Most races we are spread out a little more. We were trying to condense it.

"I'd say it worked out pretty well. We were trying to pack up for the first two miles and seeing what we could do the last mile and catch some guys. There were a lot of good guys here. I was pretty sure I would be mixing it up in the top seven and I'm pretty happy where I came in. Last year was pretty windy and it died down a little this year so it was a lot better."

The Hilltoppers scored 40 points, well ahead of runner-up DeKalb's 109. Jacobs at 119, Sycamore at 173 and Kaneland at 178 rounded out the top five of the 20-team field.

Glenbard West also won the Fenton invite earlier this year and took 10th at Peoria missing its third runner.

Kaneland will also host the conference and sectional meets on its course.

"Hosting an invitational like this it takes a lot and sometimes there's distractions and it's not necessarily the kids, it's a distraction on me," Clarey said.

"Daniel (Occhipinti) was a solid No. 2. What we liked was Daniel and Peyton Heiser had a real nice race in pushing his pack forward. At least for the first two miles that group hung tight and stayed close together which has kind of a been a trademark for them this season. It fell apart a little in the last mile. We want that group closer to Matt. I didn't have them completely ready yet, but it's great to host."