Perez leads Lake Zurich to historic feat
It was a day of firsts.
The powerful 20-team field at the Class 3A Schaumburg boys cross country sectional Saturday featured Palatine outdistancing Prospect 88-110 for the championship at Busse Woods.
But it was Lake Zurich that made its own history in the meet.
Led by individual champion Gerardo Perez with a winning time of 15:01.51, the Bears will be headed downstate as a team for the first time in school history after placing third with 123 points.
Conant placed fourth with 128 points, while Lake Forest (152 points) earned the fifth and final team berth to the state meet Saturday at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
After battling it out with the front-runners for the better part of the 3-mile race at Busse Woods, Perez pulled away from Schaumburg junior Pat Lesiewicz (15:04.66) down the stretch to take home the first-place medal.
"I'm more than happy with what has been going on this season and I guess I kind of surprised myself," said Perez, one of only two Lake Zurich seniors. "I just wanted to go out there and push myself to get ready for next week."
After facing disappointment last fall as a junior, Carmel's Cameron Rieger came through big time as he placed fourth in 15:09 to earn the second of seven at-large individual state berths.
"I was just very relaxed for two miles and it was just a surge the last mile to see where people would end up," Rieger said. "My game plan was just to go out fast with the top group and settle in with the leaders."
Rieger was not the only area runner to rise to the occasion. Warren senior Karsen Green placed seventh to become the first runner in school history to qualify for state.
After missing the regional meet at Libertyville with a foot injury last weekend, Green ran like a champion at Busse Woods Saturday.
"He ran the best race he's ever run and it was a perfect time to do it," said Warren coach Bill Dawson. "He's very capable, and ever since he was a freshman I thought he was this good. He's a half-miler and he outkicked a lot of kids today."
After being about 25th at the mile mark, Green gradually worked his way through the pack before really turning it on in the end.
"I don't think it has really sunk in yet, but I am just so excited," Green said. "Towards midseason I wasn't really doing well at all and I was unable to run at regionals. But I was really thinking positive thoughts and that helped a lot."
Junior Andrew Morrison helped lead Lake Zurich's push with an eighth-place finish - with great support from teammates Francisco Soto in 17th, Paul Geimer in 43rd, and Jordan Pavlovich in 70th.
"I'm just happy for these guys because they've worked so hard to get here and they deserve it," said Bears coach J.B. Hanson. "He (Perez) went out there and ran with the leaders and he just had a little more in the end."
Grant was led by sophomore Ryan Mamerow's 27th-place finish. Senior Simon Spencer placed 31st as Warren's second runner.
"He (Mamerow) had his best time of the season and through two miles he did exactly what we wanted," said Grant coach Jeff Durlak. "He didn't have a lot of training this summer, but he definitely has a bright future if he keeps working hard. This is a good experience for him."
Mundelein sophomore Martin Mena was 36th to nip his cousin Juan Carrera of Round Lake in 37th. Libertyville was led by junior Mitch Neubauer in 68th, while senior Tyler Bartlow was Stevenson's top individual in 69th place.