Palatine keeps showing it ranks with state's best

Palatine's boys cross country team entered the season ranked fourth in the Dyestat.com poll, and the Pirates have shown early on that they belong.

Last Saturday, Palatine took first at the Hinsdale Central Invite by 1 point over defending Class 3A champ and third-ranked Neuqua Valley.

Things didn't get any easier Wednesday when the visiting Pirates outlasted No. 7 Schaumburg 25-32 in a Mid-Suburban West dual meet at Hoover School.

Schaumburg junior Travis Morrison (16:17) and sophomore Evan Prizy (16:22) went 1-2 for the Saxons.

But the Pirates took the next five spots with junior Anthony Gregorio (16:26) taking third place and paving the way for the victory.

"We keep getting tested time after time," said Palatine coach Chris Quick, whose team won its 51st consecutive dual meet. "These early meets are all about if we're in the mix, are we capable of playing at the top level.

"I think we are starting to show ourselves that we are."

Gregorio and the Pirates' pack tried to match the Schaumburg front-runners early, but Morrison and Prizy pulled away in the final mile.

"They came out here ready to run," said Gregorio of the Saxons' duo. "A lot of us didn't feel like we had it today, but we battled through it and made sure we came out on top."

Senior A.J. Laskowske (16:36), junior Marcus Garcia (16:37), senior Reuben Frey (16:44) and junior Tim Jonson (16:51) went fourth through seventh to power the Pirates' attack.

Garcia and Frey solidified the Pirates' pack and Johnson put on the final surge to pass Schaumburg No. 3 runner Tyler Anderson (16:55).

"We had to have a great group effort because we didn't have an individual have a great race," added Quick.

Morrison gradually made separation in the final two miles to ease to his second dual meet victory.

The senior has had his share of injuries, including four stress fractures, but appears healthy this season.

"The doctor says I'm healthy," said Morrison of his early season success. "So I'm starting to put it together."

Prizy also ran solid race in finishing second, with Anderson and Pat Swiech (16:58) contributing to the Saxons' attack where seniors Connor Prizy and Pat O'Connell were a bit banged up.

"It's a pretty good team," said Schaumburg coach Jim Macnider of his team that finished 17th in state last season. "We always seem to improve throughout the season and that's what we're striving for. We'll see how it plays out."