Boys cross country: Talented St. Charles East opens season with convincing victory
Coming off a fifth-place finish in state last year and with its core runners returning, St. Charles East's boys cross country enters the 2019 season with the biggest of goals in mind.
The Saints flashed their potential in their season opening race Saturday at their own Jeff Leavey invitational. Led by a 1-2 finish from Bob Liking and Micah Wilson, St. Charles East placed five of the top eight runners to win the meet going away at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve.
St. Charles East's total of 22 easily outdistanced Downers Grove North (76), Batavia (91), Waubonsie Valley (113), Huntley (148) and the rest of the 12-team field.
"We knew how good we were but this solidified our thoughts," Liking said. "Obviously this meet doesn't matter too much in the long run but it's definitely a good sign and a step in the right direction."
Liking finished in 14:59 to win the race by 14 seconds over Wilson.
The two distanced themselves from the lead runners in the second mile, then Liking pulled away from Wilson with a mile left.
"We've run this course a lot this summer and that's where I pinpoint how I'm feeling and if i'm going to make a move or not," Liking said of the two-mile mark. "Today I was feeling pretty good and I was able to make a move.
"I had a cold Thursday and Friday and wasn't sure how I would do. The first 400 meters I started to feel good and that was a relief. It was comforting having all my teammates around me."
Wilson also was pleased with his race.
"I just wanted to stick to the pack and then Bob started to seperate so I wanted to stick with him," Wilson said. "When Bob picked it up I couldn't keep with him."
Aidan King reached the chute third for the Saints and fifth overall in 15:28. Luke Schildmeyer (sixth, 15:31) and Zack Loomis (eighth, 15:33) completed a 34-second split.
"We know we are a strong team this year and this is a good way to see where we are for 3 miles," Wilson said.
Huntley's Ian Geisler was the first non-Saint to finish, taking third in 15:25.
St. Charles North senior Ryan Arnold was right on Geisler's tail to take fourth just a half-second behind.
"On this course that's fantastic," St. Charles North coach Kevin Harrington said of Arnold's 15:25.59. "He's super talented. He's the guts of this team and he's got his sights on being a top level runner. He was able to run with those kids from East. It's a good group to be running with and he'll just keep getting faster."
Noah Eng was next for the North Stars in 20th, running a 16:09.
"This week we are working on being a team and being aware of each other," Harrington said. "We have a lead runer, we want to tie someone to him. Next four or five we are trying to tie them together and get them to be like a bunch of wolves though the whole race. We're going to get better every week."
Downers Grove North's Evan Cummins (seventh, 15:32) and Batavia's Adam Kennedy (ninth, 15:42.2) and Damian Rodriguez (10th, 15:42.8) also finished in the top 10.