Rory Cavan of Glenbard West has set himself apart from other runners this fall. The Hilltoppers #1 runner is the only top male competitor in the high school running scene that has not suffered a loss so far this season. Cavan enters this meet with plenty of confidence, as he won the Naperville Twilight Invite last Wednesday in a convincing fashion. He beat the field by 13 seconds and controlled the race from the gun.
Cavan's low allotment of points will help the Hilltoppers achieve their goal of winning their first conference title in over 40 years. The Hilltoppers will need another strong performance from Stephen Moody, like the one he had at Naperville Twilight. Moody has had a rough start to the season, as he struggled to compete to his potential in early season races. The Hilltoppers also need a solid performance from Will O'Brien, who raced well last week in Naperville. O'Brien finished 15th, recording a time of 15:49.90 under the lights. Despite some great individual performances, Glenbard West boys were unable to top the field at the Naperville Twilight and look for redemption this coming weekend. They will need to see better performances by Ian Repking, who struggled in Naperville. If the Hilltoppers want to come out on top this weekend, they will need a smaller gap between Repking and O'Brien.
Ethan Kern is another individual to keep an eye on this weekend. This will mark the first time Kern and Cavan will race against each other this season, and the race surely will not disappoint. Past statistics tend to favor the likes of Cavan coming out on top here; however, past statistics do not dictate the results of a future race. Both runners have shown they have what it takes to be the best, and have overall raced stronger and smarter than past season. For Kern, this is the first year that he has been truly healthy. He has overcome hiccups in his training during his freshman and sophomore years. Kern has remained injury free this fall and has proved his fitness in recent races. Most recently, he finished 3rd at the Peoria High Invite with a 14:25. Kern has claimed this year as his own, and it shows in his races. Expect him to challenge Cavan for the win.
Having a solid 1-2 punch is extremely beneficial in team races, and the Dukes have that with Kern and Daniel Klysh. Klysh is the only returning member of the Dukes all-state 4x800m team from last spring. He came into the fall with much confidence after a superb track campaign, but his early season performances have not lived up to his standards. He finally had the break out race he had been waiting for at the Peoria High Invite, where he destroyed the 15 minute barrier with a 14:38 for 9th overall. While the successes of Kern and Klysh were to be expected, the rest of the Dukes' squad has been a question mark. Coach Charlie Kern now has five guys under the 15:30 mark this fall. Sophomore Colin Hill has played a significant role in the Dukes' success. Hill ran a 14:54 to take 19th place in his first varsity race, which is the fastest time posted by a sophomore on the season. The Dukes have a solid pack that was about 30 seconds behind Hill in Peoria. If their pack can close in on Hill, it will be tough to beat the Dukes in this race.
The boys team race also includes the likes of Downers Grove North, who enters the meet missing a key link. Usual front runner Jack Roberts is currently sidelined with a back injury. Roberts is expected to return for the state series to compete for his team. However, without Roberts, the Trojans cannot vie for a conference title, but top five is a possibility for them. Matt Moravec returns to the elite running scene after injuries sidelined him during his junior campaign. Moravec proved he was ready for a strong season this fall, as he opened with a 15:15 at Detweiller at Dark back in July. After taking some time off, including sitting out during the First to the Finish Invite, Moravec took 3rd at last week's Naperville Twilight Invite. He has obviously not lost any momentum from his time off and looks to lead the Trojans this weekend. For DGN to be competitive up front in this race, they will need to rely on a tight 2-5 pack.
Lyons Township should be the favorite going into the weekend. The Lions lost five of their top seven from last fall, making chasing after a conference title look grim early on. However, due to some strategic pack running, Coach Danner and the Lions have become a force to be reckoned with. Jack Ehlert, one of the Lions' only returners, leads the team up front with senior Ryan Bonfiglio. Both athletes were sub-15 minutes at the Peoria High Invite. Lyons' 3-5 runners follow in a tightly knit pack about 20 seconds behind the duo. The Lions' pack strategy runs deep, with #6 and #7 runners following a mere 20 seconds back from the middle pack. Their depth has resulted in some successful races this season and could propel this team to a conference title