UPDATED Story: West Aurora Stampede (all levels)

About the only thing that has disrupted the success of Downers Grove North junior Bruce Tamlin’s first cross country season had nothing to do with running.

”I had some spoiled Chex mix in my bag (the day of our Sept. 26 meet),” Tamlin said. “That didn’t go too great. Just stomach aches and stuff like that (and I couldn’t run). That was awful, literally an hour before.”

While Tamlin may now be more careful with his diet, he’s become more confident and aggressive with racing experience. On Saturday, Tamlin was the Trojans’ top finisher for a makeshift varsity lineup at the West Aurora Stampede at Marmion Military Academy.

Tamlin was 23rd (16:46.2 for 3.1 miles) and freshman Alec Danner (34th, 17:02.7) and junior Joe Carter (39th, 17:10.0) and senior Anthony Iacovetti (40th, 17:11.0) also were among the top 40. Seniors Jack Michka (17:17.2) and Sam Ronan (17:18.7) and Andrew Adams (17:22.0) were close behind in 47th, 48th and 50th, followed by senior Jack Ronan (57th, 17:35.7) and junior Jack McGinnis (65th, 17:45.2). 

”It’s good experience for them, especially Bruce and Alec and Joe to kind of lead the way there,” Downers North coach John Sipple said. 

“They had a great opportunity and they followed through pretty well. We would have liked to been out a little more aggressively but kind of where our (starting) box was and how our start was, we got a little pinched in the beginning. Guys kept moving up the whole way, kept passing. That’s what we’re always looking for, always be passing.” 

Tamlin was 50th after 1,000 meters but worked his way into the top 36 with Carter by the mile. Tamlin ended up 10th among non-senior finishers and 3.9 seconds from the top 20.

”It’s pretty wild this is his first year. He’s been a super pleasant surprise,” Downers North coach John Sipple said of Tamlin. “He’s just figuring it out still. Even at this point, there’s still way more left in the tank. There’s a lot more untapped potential, I think, that was can get out of him, especially if he follows through with track.”

The Trojans kept its regular varsity top-seven out of the lineup, most notably No. 1-2 runners Zack Smith and Ryan Clevenger, who both did a long workout at the course before the meet. The regulars’ only meet this week was a 25-36 loss to state-ranked Hinsdale Central Thursday, Oct. 10, while beating host Proviso West 15-50. 

Proviso West also is site of the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet Saturday, Oct. 19. The varsity boys race is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Saturday’s varsity lineup still took sixth (175 points) finished sixth out of 13 teams. Wheaton Warrenville South (27) dominated behind having the first three finishers.

”Usually those people who are in our top varsity give you confidence that your team is going to do well,” Tamlin said. “It’s weird having the responsibility on the shoulders of the people who aren’t the top, top varsity. It’s a weird feeling.”

”It kind of made us feel like leaders, sort of like captains but not like captains at the same time,” Carter said. 

Even at full strength, Tamlin has worked his way among the Trojans’ top-10 runners. This is his first running experience since he also have never run track, although he plans to this season.

Tamlin said he decided to join cross country after realizing some of his friends were on the team. 

”It’s going pretty great. I thought I was going to do a lot worse than I did at the beginning of the season, but I’m doing well enough for myself,” Tamlin said. “I’m just praying to God I don’t get injured or something. I just hope the rest of the team can really just go as fantastic as they are.” 

Carter, who missed basically the entire track season because of injury, feels as though he took another step forward with his performance. 

”I put myself out there. In the end, I died a little, but it was a good race,” said Carter, who was 42nd in last year’s invite in 16:57.1. ”My time was all right. I was a little bit slower than last year, but that’s before I had an injury. 

Carter said he built upon two other recent races. Against Lyons Township and York Sept. 26, he gained confidence in his racing strategy and finding a start that was neither too fast nor slow. Carter than felt his knee held up well on the treacherous terrain of Dellwood Park Oct. 5 for Lockport’s Locktoberfest Invitational.

”I would say more (progress at this point) than I expected,” Carter said. “At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t so sure I could run like I did in past years. I feel like I’m contributing a lot more, whether it would be running or not running.” 

The race also was a big step for Danner, being the Trojans’ No. 2 finisher in just his second varsity race. Danner was promoted for Thursday’s race and finished 23rd overall (17:34 for 3.0 miles) and ninth for the team.

“I was pretty nervous in the dual meet, but today I just shook it off,” Danner said. “I was like, ‘Hey, it’s just another race,’ and I just went out there and did my best, just shaking off the nervousness.”

At Locktoberfest, Danner was ninth in the 11th frosh-soph race (17:34 for 3.1 miles), even though he admittedly went out way too slow.

Danner was much more aggressive Saturday, and he was rewarded by dropping his 5K best by more than 30 seconds. He also was pleased to have moved up about 10 places over the final mile.

“Today I just went out with my all and felt like I couldn’t give anything more,” Danner said. “I never like knowing that I could have used more during the race. It’s like the most awful feeling, but today I know I used all of my energy and I did well so I’m glad.

“The beginning was a little shaky. One guy elbowed me as I tried to pass him, but then I managed to get a clearing and start going. I felt like I was just getting the better of the guys (towards the end). I was stressing my fitness, looking back at all of the months I’ve been training, and I just knew I could do it.”

Smith and Clevenger were happy to be spectators and cheer on their teammates during the races. Smith last competed at the Stampede as a sophomore, when the course was different before being changed last year.

”It’s definitely a lot different coming in, being able to go to a cross country meet and just being able to relax the whole time, knowing you don’t have to worry about your race later,” Smith said. “It’s kind of cool to be able to get into it a little more and really cheer on all of your guys. A lot of guys had really good performances for us on all levels.”

Smith and Clevenger once again excelled in the dual against Hinsdale Central, rated No. 2 in Class 3A by DyeStat Illinois and the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association. 

They finished first and second ahead of Hinsdale Central’s fellow all-state candidates, seniors Billy Magnesen and Kevin Huang. This time, Clevenger (15:33 for 3.04 miles) edged Smith (15:35) for the title, followed by Magnesen (15:50) and Huang (15:51). Magnesen, 32nd at state last year, was competing for the first time since Sept. 26 recovering from an iliotibial (IT) band issue.

”Down the straightaway, we were just talking about it. Usually we try and go back and forth and take it here and there and I was just like, ‘Can I have this one?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, sure,’ ” Clevenger said. 

”It was a nice finish. (Clevenger) outkicked me. He crushed me there on the last stretch,” Smith said with a smile. “He got the best of me Thursday so I guess I have to get some type of payback on him this week at practice, right?”

Hinsdale Central won the dual by also taking fourth through ninth. Senior Jared Spilky was 10th (16:32), senior Marc Mathy (16:44) and junior Zac Christensen (17:00) were 12th and 13th and Carter (17:04) and junior Jack Diamond (17:14) were 15th and 16th. Tamlin was 19th (17:23).

The overall Silver title is a 50-50 combination. The Trojans finished 3-3 in duals, also losing to No. 1-ranked York and Lyons Township. 

The Trojans should be near full strength for the Silver Meet. Senior top-five runner Jeremy Craven is expected to compete for the first time since the season opener in the open race.

”Last year at conference, we didn’t run too well as a team (fifth) so we’re definitely looking for redemption this year. We know we’re a lot better this year,” Smith said. 

”We’re getting everybody healthy, which is really the key for us. We know we’ve put in the work the last four months so we’ve all been looking forward to conference for a long time.”
  
The Smith-Clevenger combo went undefeated in Silver duals. Top-ranked York also “conceded” the individual victory while securing the dual, letting the Trojans finish ahead of them by roughly 15 seconds. 

Still, there’s no denying Smith and Clevenger are in the hunt for the individual title. 

”During the dual meets, people can say York wasn’t going hard, people could say Billy and Kevin weren’t going hard, but at conference if you’re not going hard, what are you going to do? It’s a full test so we’ll see where we’re at,” Clevenger said. 

Top-16 finishers earn individual medalists honors, such as Smith did in 2012 at Schiller Woods. Clevenger finished 41st last season as he was battling anemia. By 1.2 seconds, Smith was edged for the title by York graduate Scott Milling.

”I got outkicked so I’m definitely looking forward to personally getting to run in the conference meet again and getting to race,” Smith said. “Our conference is loaded. There’s going to be a lot of great competition." 

Open race

Downers Grove North senior David Lyda had a different feeling midway through the open boys cross country race at the West Aurora Stampede Saturday, Oct. 12, at Marmion Military Academy.

”The second half, I realized I wasn’t feeling hurting as much as I usually would at that point so I was able to pick it up a bit,” Lyda said.

Lyda actually picked it up a lot. He ended up moving all the way up to 21st and being the Trojans’ top finisher over the 3.1 miles in 18:47.5.

”It was great (for me). It’s maybe my best race. If not, it’s up there,” Lyda said. “It’s definitely one of them, if not my greatest accomplishment.”

Juniors Dave DelValle (19:13.7) and Dillon Murphy (19:20.2) were 33rd and 35th, followed by senior Nick Bonanno (52nd, 19:50.6) and junior Max Denk (59th, 20:40).

The Trojans (148 points) finished fifth, one point ahead of Batavia.
This was the first time Lyda ever was the Trojans’ top finisher in a race.

”To be (our team’s) fastest runner in a race felt accomplishing,” Lyda said. “I wouldn’t say (before the race that finishing 21st) would be a ridiculous claim, but I’d say it wouldn’t be the most likely thing to happen.”

Several Trojans enjoyed personal-best times for a 5k, some event beating their best times for 3.0 miles, the normal distance of most cross country races.

It gives several of these runners momentum heading into their final race of the season, the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet Saturday, Oct. 19, at Proviso West. The junior varsity boys race, in which no team scores are kept, is the last of the eight races at 2 p.m.

”We had a number of (personal records) today, and not just for a 5k but for three miles so it was very good,” Downers North coach John Sipple said.

Lyda thinks Saturday being his second-to-last race for the Trojans certainly contributed to a better approach.

”I don’t think (the longer 3.1 course) really made much of a difference. I think I was more mentally prepared and just basically prepared much more than I usually would and just due to those circumstances I thought I ran pretty well.”

Lyda spent the early part of the race in a tight pack with DelValle and Murphy. At the finish, Lyda was part of a close pack in which he was just three seconds from 15th.

”I was just hanging onto the back of (my teammates) to pace myself at the very beginning and realized I could go a little faster so I moved up,” Lyda said. “It was a huge crowd (at the finish). I felt really dead at that point. The hill really hurt a lot at the end. I think I fought through it pretty well and had a decent kick.”

Bonanno enjoyed a huge improvement – in just two days. Bonanno beat his previous personal-best 5k time by roughly 30 seconds Saturday and was roughly 1:40 better than what he ran in Thursday’s triangular with Hinsdale Central at Proviso West.

Senior Anthony Iacovetti lent his racing spikes to Bonanno for Saturday’s race. It was the first time Bonanno competed with racing spikes.

”I would just say spikes are good for your runs to anybody who says otherwise. It was definitely worth it,” Bonanno said.

”Anthony Iacovetti, he’s a really good guy. (The spikes) don’t fit him so well so he thought he’d give them to me. He just said, ‘Hey, do you want to try them out?’ and I’m like, ‘Yes. Yes I do.’ It was worth it.”

Frosh-soph race

Downers Grove North freshman Tristan Jahn will be better prepared when he returns to Proviso West for the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet Saturday, Oct. 19.

He certainly expects to have a better start.

Jahn has been working to get out quicker, and that was one of the strong elements of his race at the West Aurora Stampede Saturday, Oct. 12, where he finished a team-best 30th in the frosh-soph boys race in 18:02.6 for 3.1 miles, a personal-record time.

“I’m happy with that time because I wanted to break 18:00 for my 3.0 mile so I guess that’s technically breaking (that pace),” Jahn said.  

”This race I tried to get out faster, which worked out better for me. I definitely did that this time and the next thing I’ve got to work on is just the finish, the little strip of the finish, just a little better kick and I can get my PR down more.”

Ryan Cantlin was 58th (18:38.2), followed by Nick Torres (66th, 18:48.4), Brad Wilcoxen (102nd, 19:52.7), Rocco Manzo (112th, 20:10.6), Zach Goliszewski (121st, 20:35.6) and Jordan McDaniel (159th, 21:51.6). The Trojans finished 12th (327 points).

”It was a very good race for (Jahn),” Downers North coach John Sipple said. “He even got out more aggressively than he normally does, which we’ve been trying to get him to do all season, and he followed through real well. It was a big PR for him.”

Jahn began the season starting extremely slow but maintaining roughly a consistent 6:00 pace and working his way up extensively.

By the finish Saturday, Jahn was fewer than three seconds from 26th.

”I really liked this course,” Jahn said. “It’s kind of a me-type course because I can build up my speed because it’s so flat without all of the hills. There’s only one hill (to climb twice).”

This was the second straight race in which the frosh-soph lineup competed without their No. 1 runner, freshman Alec Danner. He first was promoted to the varsity Thursday, Oct. 10, for the Trojans’ triangular meet at Hinsdale Central and Proviso West.

In a combined freshman-sophomore race, the Trojans lost to Hinsdale Central 15-48 while beating host Proviso West 15-50.

Jahn was a team-best sixth (18:27 for 3.04 miles). Cantlin (19:07) and Torres (19:10) were ninth and 10th, and Don Knapp (19:29), Collin Leger (19:35) and Wilcoxen (19:37) were 12th through 14th.

"(In earlier races, Danner) was definitely a drive for me to get up there with him. I don’t want to degrade myself too much, but he’s in another level basically just because he’s a really good runner,” Jahn said.

The overall Silver standings are a 50-50 combination of regular-season dual and Silver Meet results. The Trojans were 2-4 on the freshman level, also beating Glenbard West 28-29, and the sophomores were 1-6.

Jahn said he isn’t fond of the Proviso West course, but he’d still like to finish the season with a personal record. He and other Trojans should benefit from the grass being shorter Saturday than it was for the triangular.  

“I didn’t like my time Thursday,” Jahn said. “It was a tough course. I just don’t like that you have to do so many loops. I didn’t really know where I was going, but this time I will know.”

--by Bill Stone