UPDATED Story: DGN at Locktoberfest (all levels)

Downers Grove North senior Zack Smith left Lockport’s Dellwood Park Saturday with another first-place medal, a giant candy apple and plenty of great memories.

In his sixth race at Dellwood and fourth at the annual Locktoberfest Invitational, Smith came away with the title for the second year in a row by covering the 3.1 miles/5,000 meters in 15:42. Smith won by 11 seconds over Hinsdale Central senior Kevin Huang.

”This is, by far, my favorite course, outside of, obviously Detweiller (Park in Peoria) because it’s the state course,” Smith said. “I love it here. I love how hard it is. You just don’t find courses in Illinois with these kinds of hills.”

Junior Ryan Clevenger was sixth (16:05) to also earn medalist honors, followed by Marc Mathy (36th, 16:45), Jack Diamond (68th, 17:14), Bruce Tamlin (101st, 17:41), Zac Christensen (116th, 17:53), Joe Carter (155th, 18:29) and Anthony Iacovetti (161st, 18:36).

The Trojans (205 points) were sixth, just ahead of Glenbard West (217) as seniors Jeremy Craven and Jared Spilky, their usual No. 3-4 runners, remained out of the lineup. 

Lyons Township (115) won with Hinsdale Central (133), which was minus its No. 1 and 3 runners, edging Neuqua Valley (134) for second.
Smith has made quite a climb into the state’s elite, including last year’s eighth-place finish at the 2012 Class 3A state meet after winning last year’s Locktoberfest in 15:37. 

Smith said his most memorable Dellwood Park race was his second as a freshman in 2010. It was the first of Smith’s two trips there for the sectional.

By 42 points, the Trojans earned the fifth and final team berth to the state meet in the final season for Will Kupisch as head coach.

”The moment, and I still remember it, Coach Kup comes up to our tent after the race and tells us we’re going down, and we all just go nuts. There were guys crying tears of job,” Smith said. 

”Guys will ask me, ‘What’s your favorite memory from cross country?’ and it’s not eighth place at state or third in the mile in track (in May). Without a doubt, that’s my best cross country memory – or any running memory for that matter. That was an emotional day for us. That was exciting. That’s the type of thing you live for.” 

The Trojans continue to appear in line for their first state team appearance since then, although they unable to show it Saturday. 

Spilky did compete in Thursday’s West Suburban Conference Silver Division dual meet with Glenbard West at Greene Valley Forest Preserve. The Trojans won 16-47.

”(Saturday’s team performance) was decent. We had a couple of guys not run all that great so it was a little tough. We ran all right, but it can be a lot better,” Downers North coach John Sipple said. 

”(Smith) loves this course. He knows his spots where he really likes to move so he just rolls with that.”

The Dellwood Park course is renowned for its several hills and turns and sometimes tough terrain, “a true cross country course,” as one coach Saturday described it beforehand to his athletes. And there’s even an extra one-tenth of a mile thrown in. 

Although Smith said he is disappointed that this year’s sectional is not at Dellwood, the Hinsdale Central Sectional Nov. 2 is at Katherine Legge Memorial Park, one of the area’s more hilly courses. The 2012 Marist Sectional was at Midlothian Meadows.

”It’s painful running out here, but it’s an awesome course. It really separates the men from the boys. You’ve just got to be able to fight through it,” Smith said. 

”None of the other (previous) races, I’d really had a sense that this is the last time I’m going to run this course. Definitely, yeah, it’s a little emotional here the last time leaving Lockport, but we’ve got bigger things ahead of us now as a team and it’s going to be good.” 

On Saturday, Smith and Clevenger planned to make a move just past one mile. Already with the lead, Smith surged, and Clevenger followed suit to move into second.

”That’s actually where I moved last year. I was able to open up a big gap and hold on,” Smith said. “Just that 400 meters right there was the key to my race.” 

”I made a pretty hard move there, too. And then I hung on as best as I could. I’m happy with sixth today,” Clevenger said. 

Clevenger was just two seconds from the top five and five seconds ahead of seventh and eighth place. Taking third through fifth were Plainfield South senior Dan Lathrop (15:58), Dixon senior Simon Thorpe (16:02) and Oswego’s Peter Johnsrud (16:03).

Lathrop was 28th at state last year and the 2012 Locktoberfest runner-up in 15:54. Thorpe was 21st at last year’s 2A state meet.

”(Clevenger) ran great today,” Smith said. “He will tell you he wasn’t necessarily pleased with finishing sixth, but for a junior at this course with all of these great runners here, that’s a great finish for him. I’m pumped about how he ran.” 

Clevenger especially could take pride after being reminded that he was 90th at last year’s Locktoberfest in 17:30. This year’s finish had a newly-added reward of giant green apples covered in white chocolate for the top-10 finishers.

”It’s interesting. (But) it tastes good,” said Clevenger, while Smith had yet to try his.

”It’s funny because the last couple of races I’ve had here haven’t been great. I’d say I’m a better flat course runner but the past experiences have definitely helped me become a better runner here. Just looking back on (last year) and realizing that I don’t want to do that bad again, it motivated me to do well this time.” 

Mathy also made huge strides. He was 69th in last year’s invite in 17:11. Diamond moved up from 87th in 17:26.

”Marc ran pretty solidly,” Sipple said. “We should have had more guys right behind on him, but we totally didn’t stick to our race plan today.” 

Only 50 of the 250 varsity finishers broke 17:00. In his Dellwood debut at the 2010 Locktoberfest, Smith was 59th in 17:26. By the 2010 sectional, Smith broke 17:00 there for the first time with 16:57.

”Zack Smith owns this course. He literally owns it,” Spilky said. “His freshman year, he had an amazing race. Every single time he runs here, he runs amazing. He’s never had a bad race here – ever.”

Smith’s 16:57 at sectionals earned 41st place as the Trojans’ No. 3 finisher. The 2010 Trojans qualified for state as a team even though Mark Pfeiffer, one of five key seniors in the sectional lineup, broke his leg during the race and ended up 125th in 19:19.

”(Pfeiffer) was a big reason we went down, not just with how great of a runner he was but how great a runner he was for his team,” Smith said.

“We had a great senior class that year and they really taught me everything I know about running and racing. Without a doubt, without the coaches here and without those guys, I wouldn’t be the runner I am now so I owe it all to them really.” 

In his return to action Thursday, Spilky actually won (15:56 for 3.0 miles) a race that turned out to be a tempo workout. The Hilltoppers sat out most of their lineup to focus on Locktoberfest.

”I kind of was just running by myself,” Spilky said. “My hamstring’s not 100 percent, but it’s good enough where I don’t think I’ll make it worse.” 

Mathy (16:24), Smith (16:28) and Clevenger (16:29) were a distant second through fourth. Christensen (16:53), Carter (16:54), Diamond (16:54), Tamlin (16:54) and Iacovetti (16:55) were sixth through 10th.

Spilky was back on the sidelines Saturday but was optimistic he would compete against Hinsdale Central Thursday, Oct. 10.

”I definitely could have run (Saturday), but Sipple didn’t want to risk anything. I’m doing the workouts. I’m basically fully back,” Spilky said.

“It kills me when I see us getting sixth when I know that our team could have won this meet. Again, it’s about conference, regionals, sectionals, state. It makes me even more pumped to race on Thursday, though. The opportunities are dwindling.” 

Frosh-soph race

Downers Grove North freshman Don Knapp finally is breathing easier about his first season of high school cross country.

”I stopped focusing on my breath and more on my stride,” Knapp said. “I kept normally just trying to breath (properly) to conserve my air. Now I just try to focus on my stride and going faster.”

Knapp is swiftly seeing better results. He was the Trojans’ No. 5 finisher in the frosh-soph race at Lockport’s Locktoberfest Invitational Saturday, Oct. 5, at Dellwood Park after playing a key role in the Trojans’ 28-29 freshman dual victory over Glenbard West Thursday, Oct. 3, at Greene Valley Forest Preserve.

”This week especially I’ve been getting better,” Knapp said. “(Thursday) felt pretty good. It was the first (dual) that we won. I feel like it built my confidence.”

On Saturday, freshman Alec Danner took 11th (17:34) on the challenging 3.1-mile/5,000-meter course.

Freshman Tristan Jahn (18:50) was 73rd, followed by Ryan Cantlin (117th, 19:31), Robby Prescott (118th, 19:32), Knapp (158th, 20:23), Collin Leger (163rd, 20:29), Brad Wilcoxen (179th, 20:53), Rocco Manzo (192nd, 21:21), Zach Goliszewski (193rd, 21:22) and Devin Johnson (234th, 23:03). The Trojans were 16th (428 points).

One coach told his athletes beforehand that Dellwood Park is “a true cross country course.”

”Maybe I overdramatized it in my head, but it was still pretty hard, especially on the last few hills,” Danner said. “Those were killers, but I did just manage to keep going.” 

”I’m not going to lie. It was pretty brutal,” Jahn added. “(Downers North coach John Sipple) told us a little bit of strategy of racing, conserving a little bit at the beginning but then getting that energy at the end to go up the hills when other people are slowing down.”

Danner took the advice perhaps a little too much to heart. He went out perhaps too conservatively and only was in the top 40 at 1,000 meters and the top 30 by the mile.

"(Sipple) told me not to go out too fast in the beginning for the sake of the hills and the rest of the course,” Danner said. “The kids sprinting in front of me would die at the end of the race. I didn’t want that to happen to me so I just maintained a good stride throughout the race.

”My legs were just killing me but then I managed to pick it up at the end.”

Hinsdale Central sophomore race champion Chris Brenk (16:58) and the next three finishers all were under 17:20. Danner finished two seconds ahead of 12th and 13th place.  He was four seconds from ninth and 10th place and four seconds from eighth.

“I think he could have finished top five and all of that really takes is being 20th, 25th around the mile mark rather than 35th, 40th,” Sipple said.

“(Danner) wanted to be out conservatively, but it was too conservative. He’s learning that balance between how you’re feeling and where you position is at. We want to make sure we get out in good enough position but at the same time we want to manage our energy. We don’t want to be out too hard and we’ll pay the price later but at the same time we can’t be too far back and then you never catch guys you’re supposed to because the race is only three miles.”

Jahn had two finishers one second in front of him and two one second behind. Jahn overcame an unforeseen obstacle to his race.

“I got hit in the throat by a (flexible corner) flag so that slowed me down a little bit,” Jahn said. “I got whacked, but I think that (time) was OK for a 5k.”

The Trojans’ next four runners had success in pairs, Cantlin and Prescott and Knapp and Leger.

”Collin and I were right next to each other the whole race, just passing each other at certain times. I came in front of him in the last sprint to the finish,” Knapp said.

“I’ve been really happy to see how much he’s coming along,” Sipple said of Knapp.

Sipple said he hopes the freshman and sophomore runners benefitted from running at Dellwood Park and can put their performances in perspective, especially slower than usual times.
 
“(High school cross country is) a learning process and they also just need to understand that this course is a little bit different from our other courses in terms of just the amount of hills on here,” Sipple said. “This course is slower than the other courses we see typically, as well as it’s a 5k. For some of those guys, it’s 50 seconds or maybe a little more on to their normal 3.0-mile time with just that extra .1.”

Teamwork was the key to the victory over Glenbard West. While Danner easily won (11:17 for 3.0 miles), Jahn (12:09), Knapp (12:23) and Leger (12:26) were fourth through sixth and Goliszewski was 13th (13:38).

Jahn was three seconds from third. Leger was 41 seconds ahead of seventh place.

Downers North lost the sophomore race 15-41. Cantlin (18:28), Torres (18:43), Prescott (18:55) and Wilcoxen (19:24) were sixth through ninth, and Manzo (19:51) and Lorenzo Juson (20:26) were 11th and 15th.

Open race

Through the first part of Lockport’s Locktoberfest Invitational Saturday, Oct. 5, Downers Grove North senior Sam Ronan already was on his way to a significantly better finish than in 2012.

Ronan refused to stop pushing.

”I went out really conservative. I was like 5:45 the first mile, and then the next mile was 5:30 and I started passing,” Ronan said. “The last mile I just tried to pass anyone I could see that was in sight.”

By the end of the race, Ronan had passed so many runners that he ended up 11th by covering the 3.1 miles/5,000 meters in 17:46.

At the 2012 Locktoberfest, Ronan competed in the varsity race and finished 143rd in 18:38.

”Almost a minute faster (this year) so that’s encouraging,” Ronan said. “In terms of passing people and just pushing on the hills and everything, it’s probably my best race (ever), I would say.

”For here, it’s definitely the best race I’ve ever had at this course, the happiest that I’ve ever felt after a race, knowing I moved up like 30 places in the last two miles. That was really good.”

A strong pack finished behind Ronan with Jack McGinnis (28th, 18:19), Andrew Adams (30th, 18:22), Jack Michka (34th, 18:27) and Jack Ronan (44th, 18:38). David Lyda (99th, 19:34), Dillon Murphy (100th, 19:35) and Dave DelValle (129th, 20:00) also ran 20:00 or better. No team scores were kept.

“Sam Ronan ran great. Holy cow, that was very, very good,” Downers North coach John Sipple said.

Adams, fifth in the race last year, set the tone for the Trojans by being seventh at the mile and moving into sixth shortly afterward. Sam Ronan was part of a pack of four Trojans that were among the top 45 at mile and soon moved into the top 40, the four of them separated by just six places.

”We generally stay together for most of the time. We always seem to have a very tight pack and always are pretty close to each other,” Michka said.
Sam Ronan was barely edged by Neuqua Valley’s No. 5 finisher, Garrett Ginell, for 10th. Among all Downers North runners who competed in the three races, Ronan had the eighth fastest time.

”Knowing that I ran a time very similar to what it takes to be top seven (is encouraging). My time probably puts me in top seven right now for who ran today so my goal is getting closer,” Sam Ronan said. 

”Like our coach (Sipple) said, Andrew just stuck his nose up there because he wanted to win. That was motivating to see him,” Sam Ronan said. “Once I saw him dying, though, it motivated me to pass him, even though I saw him. It gave me a boost of adrenaline and to have my brother (Jack) and Jack Michka right next to me for the first two miles just gave me energy.”

Other Trojans enjoyed significant improvements from 2012. In last year’s open race, Jack Ronan and Michka were 33rd (18:37) and 48th (18:52).

Michka said that Saturday’s performance is just part of the progress he and other Trojans should enjoy in the final weeks of the season.

”I feel like I’ve trained harder. I feel I will drop time when we do taper,” Michka said. “I’ve been running a lot more so I’m still tired when I run. When we taper, I’m going to drop time like crazy because I’ve been running a lot harder over the summer. I’ve been putting in more miles. I’ve been trying a lot harder this year.” 

-- by Bill Stone