Bartlett's Schneider wins Stampede
Smiles, hugs, high-fives Bartlett senior Alyssa Schneider didn't get to enjoy too many of those in the moments after she won her second straight West Aurora Stampede Saturday morning at Waubonsee Community College.
Schneider was too busy catching her breath, gaining her balance, basically recovering after a tremendous effort battling both unusually hot conditions and a talented field to win the race in 17:47.
She certainly wasn't alone in being gassed at the finish line the scene brought back memories of the Stampede two years ago when the varsity boys race had to be canceled and a dozen ambulances came to the course after so many runners fell ill to the unseasonably warm temperatures.
“The temperature and a little bit of me pushing myself really hard, Schneider explained about why she was so winded. “I wanted top five and then I was feeling it and all of a sudden I was in the lead and I tried to keep it.
She did, holding off Oswego East's Ariel Michalek by 9 seconds. Hoffman Estates' Haley Goers took third in 17:57 and Geneva's Tess Ehrhardt was fourth in 18:04.
Schneider took her lead about a mile and a half into the race and then listened to find out how she stood the rest of the way.
“I went off the cheers behind me, the footsteps in the woods, Schneider said. “I could hear them.
The win was Schneider's fourth invitational title this year. She's also won the Bartlett Flying Hawk, the St. Charles East Leavey Invite and the Elgin City Classic. She said her goal now is to help her team which placed ninth Saturday to qualify for state and to place in the top five individually.
Downers Grove North easily won the meet with 69 points. Geneva's 98 edged Fremd's 99 for second. Other area finishers included Downers Grove South in fifth, Hoffman Estates sixth, Neuqua Valley seventh, Wheaton Warrenville South 10th, Naperville Central 12th and Batavia 13th.
Ehrhardt, coming off individual titles in recent weeks at Kaneland and St. Charles North, got a look at some of the best individuals around.
“Tess ran really well, Geneva coach Bob Thomson said. “She hasn't had a lot of competition the last couple meets. She had some good competition today.
Geneva seniors Rachel Hammond (11th), Liza Tauscher (14th) and Megan Brady (17th) followed Ehrhardt.
“We had a really good training week, Thomson said. “It's hard to get your best efforts every single week. We ran a really good meet last week (at St. Charles North). Today I think the heat got to a few kids. As long as they finish a race and say I ran 100 percent and can't give anymore I'm never going to be upset. I'm not worried where we finish right now.
Sophomore Kelly Breen led Fremd in fifth, just .3 behind Ehrhardt for fourth place. As it turned out the two teams finished 1 point apart for second place.
Emi Sudo followed Breen by taking 13th in her fourth year running the course. She improved from a 25th-place finish as a junior.
“I know this course pretty well, Sudo said. “This was my best (here). Since I have three years of experience I know where all the hills are, all the turns.
“The heat was kind of killing me but everyone is affected by it. I fought through it like everyone else did.
As happy as Sudo was with her finish, she was just as glad to take team photos with several of her teammates also wearing a medal. Victoria Moroney (19th), Morgan Brauer (28th), Bridget Dincher (34th) rounded out Fremd's top five.
“We did great, all of us, Sudo said. “We are a really deep team this year. We collect a lot of hardware and we are doing really well as a team.
Rachael Spalding finished 12th to lead Batavia. She held her position through the first mile and a half and then tried to fight through the heat to kick over the final half.
“I tried to get out the same as I usually do, said Spalding, who mentioned the track season to compare running in this kind of heat. “I think if I changed anything I tried to relax more in the middle and kind of regroup.
Bari Robinson followed Spalding in 44th.
“I think everybody did well considering the weather, Spalding said. “Everyone was hurting.