Boys cross country: Another big finish for Grayslake Central; 2A record for Jack Aho
With the starting gun sounding at high noon, the Grayslake Central boys cross country team knew it was in a great position to bring home another top-three trophy after the Rams rolled to the Class 2A state championship last fall.
And with a top-three performance that was one for the ages, Grayslake Central did just that at the 71st annual state meet with senior Jack Aho rolling to the individual crown in a Class 2A state-record 14:12 on the fabled, 3-mile Detweiller Park course.
No. 1-ranked Mahomet-Seymour proved it was definitely the best team in the state with a winning score of 58 points. But the third-ranked Rams really beat the odds by toppling second-ranked Normal University High 134-188 to bring home the second-place trophy.
Following Jack Aho's fantastic finish, senior Matt Aho placed second for Grayslake Central in 14:27. Junior Eli Minsky made it three all-state runners for the Rams for the second straight year as he had a great 12th-place finish to earn a place on the all-state team (top 25).
Michigan-bound Jack Aho led the race from wire to wire in winning back-to-back individual state titles, joining a short list of runners to accomplish that task in the long history of Illinois high school cross country running. It was Aho's best time ever by three seconds.
"Matt had a good race and Eli had a really good race, but I didn't think we could take second place by that much," said Jack Aho. "To get two trophies back-to-back and for the girls to take fifth was a really great day."
The Rams' top-five scorers were rounded out by Luke Reblin in 84th place and Mario Giannini in 95th place. Ben Steinbeck placed 111th for Grayslake Central followed by teammate Ethan Boelens (184th).
"Jack and Matt going 1-2 was the goal, but for them to execute it was awesome," said Grayslake Central coach Jimmy Centella, following his eighth season. "Eli didn't run his best race last week (at sectionals), but he just ran out of his mind and he set a p.r. by 15 seconds."
"Mahomet may have run the best 2A race ever today, and it was really our top three runners that powered us through," added Centella.
There were some great performances by individual at-large qualifiers Saturday, too, as Hampshire senior Jacob Oury really excelled with a ninth-place finish.
Lakes senior Jeremy Wallace also earned a place on the all-state team with a 22nd-place run while less-than full strength Vernon Hills senior Shane Williamson still managed to place 31st in his fourth and final state meet appearance.
"He (Williamson) has been working his way back from a knee injury since late September, but he was not 100 percent," said Vernon Hills coach Mark Whitney. "But he made it to state four years, he was a freshman on our team that got third in the state, and he has the school record with a 14:36 when he got third in the state as a sophomore."
Williamson also placed eighth in the state last year as a junior.
Grayslake North senior Liam O'Connell closed out his career with a solid 40th-place finish while Hampshire's Will Matushek placed 46th and St. Viator senior Sam Brey placed 54th.