Palatine powers to state championship
PEORIA — Palatine opened the boys cross country season with some high expectations, and the Pirates made it clear from the beginning they were aiming for a state title.
On perfect fall afternoon Saturday at Detweiller Park in Peoria, Palatine reached its goal.
Palatine had four runners in the top 29 in securing the Class 3A title with 114 points.
“Our goal was to run our best race, and I think we ran our best race,” said Palatine coach Chris Quick, whose team secured the program's first state title. “We wanted to run our style of race and win or lose doing that.”
O'Fallon took second with 120 points, followed by Neuqua Valley which took third with 144 points.
New Trier senior Leland Later won the Class 3A individual title in 14:17, followed by O'Fallon junior Alex Riba (14:27), Oak Park-River Forest senior Malachy Schrobilgen (14:28), Edwardsville senior Garrett Sweat (14:29), and Buffalo Grove senior Jereme Atchison.
Senior Peter Tomkiewicz (14:43) and senior Anthony Gregorio (14:55) paced the Pirates again, taking 11th and 18th place.
Senior Tim Johnson (15:05) and senior Marcus Garcia (15:05) took 28th and 29th place, with senior Tim Meincke (15:22) sealing the title with 66th place.
“I can't describe it,” said Tomkiewicz who completed his only season on varsity with all-state honors. “This is everything we've been working for and it all paid off.”
“We worked so hard for this moment,” said Gregorio. “For it to come true is unreal.”
Atchison powered Buffalo Grove to fifth place by earning his second consecutive all-state honor. Senior Taras Didenko (15:02) aided the Bison by taking 26th place.
“It's big,” said Atchison of Buffalo Grove's best state finish. “To get fifth place we never thought we could do that. We ran our best race.”
Junior Michael Leet (14:56) took 20th place in leading Prospect to sixth place with 142 points, and junior Quentin Shaffer (15:15) placed 48th.
“We started off kind of slow in the beginning of the season,” said Leet. “We really got it together, and it clicked.”
Senior Erik Peterson (14:36) and junior Ryan Burgoon (14:57) took eighth and 23rd place in leading Barrington to eighth place with 295 points.
Peterson made all-state for the second consecutive year and Burgoon emerged with his first all-state honor.
“It really sped up that last mile,” said Peterson of the final mile pace. “It's a big deal to get all-state for the second time, and a nice way to finish.”
“That last 800 meters I thought I was going to lose it,” said Burgoon who recovered after a slow start. “But I had enough in me to finish the deal.”
Senior Pat Juras (14:33) picked up his second consecutive all-state honor by taking seventh place and leading Lake Zurich to a 12th-place finish.
“It was very good race,” said Juras, who took 17th last season. “It was a fast pace race and I didn't want to lose sight of the lead pack.”
Belvidere North won its third consecutive Class 2A title with 110 points, followed by Glenbard South (128 points), and Normal (173 points).
Decatur MacArthur senior Michael Clevenger won his second consecutive 2A title in 14:26.
Grayslake Central senior Will Brewster (14:47) took eighth place and made all-state.
Carmel senior K.J. Matusek (15:11) finished strong in taking 23rd place for the Corsairs.
“I gave it everything I had in the last half of the race,” said Matusek of his hard finish. “I saw the finish and I wanted to end strong.”