Lane's Alex Martel pulls away from Mattoon middle-distance runner Megan Shaffer on the third lap of the 800m (Cailin Considine photo)
Sometimes you can lull your opponent to sleep without them knowing it. On occasion the nickel and dime process is good enough. At the Gene Armer Invitational, the Frankfort (Lincoln-Way East) girls did just that in amassing 73 points to easily distance themselves from Chicago Heights (Bloom Twp.) 58 and Chicago Lane Tech 50.
The boys story by contrast was quite different with four events remaining in a close tilt with the top six teams in contention. It wasn’t until Oswego East slammed the door shut by racking up big points and winning by 14.5 points. The Wolves tallied 63.5 points to dethrone the defending meet champions Chicago N. Lawndale who scored 49. Danville overtook Chicago Lane Tech in the late going for third 48.5-45.
The New Balance Indoor Nationals crew shine-
It was just a week ago that the Illinois running community was reeling from a tough weekend in New York at the New Balance Indoor Nationals. No sprinter that traveled to the east coast made the finals. Meghan Marias (Sr., Lincoln-Way East) has thick skin and a short memory. She knew the competition was on a different level which enabled her to gain valuable experience from it. Marias ran well in the prelims clocking 7.72 in the 60m. She would return in the final winning comfortably in 7.68 over Bloom’s Brittany Thomas. The key in both races was her start and explosiveness coming out of the blocks.
Jasmine Berry (Sr., Belleville West) is a long hurdler by nature and arguably among the top three alongside her summer club mate senior Emma Spagnola of West Aurora. During this winter Berry has been concentrating on improving her strength and speed with a combination of 400s and 55/60 hurdle races. Things are paying off big time for Berry who ran a personal best 56.82. She was able to get out and hold the fast opening pace that took her under 27.0 for the first lap. The margin of victory was nearly three seconds for a well spent Berry who needed assistance off of the track by her coaches and teammates. The old term "leave it on the track" was evident in Berry's case.
The marquee matchup between Briyahna Desrosiers (Sr., North Lawndale Prep) and Alexis Hyshaw (Sr., Lincoln-Way East) wasn't as big as it could have been a month or so ago. Both runners have struggled in gaining the big headlines that sprint fans have been looking for. But sprinters usually get up for pride and bragging rights. Hyshaw got out well against Briyahna burning the backstretch and off the final curve. But Desrosiers would not be outdone though. She powered home as fast as she could in the final meters to nip Hyshaw at the line in 25.30-25.33. One of the North Lawndale coaches ran from the infield making it known that Desrosiers indeed pulled out the emotional victory. For Desrosiers this win was big in more than one way. "I have been feeling pressure since running fast [in the early part of the season]. I feel like I got to run 24.7 everytime out," she said.
Terry McGee can call himself the streak buster now. The North Lawndale Prep senior has had a tremendous indoor campaign that's produced some big victories over more heralded speedsters. After finishing second to Lincoln Way North senior product Julian Hylton in the 60m, McGee returned later to beat out the previously redhot Trent Sherfield (Sr., Danville) in the 200m. He stepped up big when his team needed him most in the trophy chase. McGee stayed composed despite running in the deficit against the strong field, and just like his female counterpart Desrosiers he picked the right time to pull out the victory- the finish line. McGee did not lean but he did win in 22.59. Hylton was second in 22.69 and Sherfield faded to third with a 22.70 clocking.
Leverenz is the can’t stop kid in the distance events-
John Richard Leverenz III is better known as Johnny Leverenz on the Illinois high school distance running scene. The Danville senior has produced one of the most memorable indoor seasons in a few seasons. The state leader in the 800m and 1600m decided to try a double that most good distance runners have on their resume- the 3200/1600 combination. “The two-mile is not my favorite event,” said Leverenz referring to running 16 laps on the University of Illinois Armory surface.
The first race got off quickly for Leverenz and for a lap and a half he had company. But soon he got into a rhythm in which he turned out some pretty quick splits opening with 67.0, and 2:16. At the 1600m when he checked in with a fast 4:36.4, it was apparent the meet record of 9:25.36 would be destroyed- but by how much?
The second half of the race was academic for Johnny who was weaving in and out of traffic between lapped runners and well ahead of Oswego’s Peter Johnsrud who would go on to run a respectable 9:43.35. Leverenz finally stamped home past the finish line in 9:16.77. He was spent but it was met with an approval of his teammates and coaches.
For the 1600m Leverenz drew a forecast on his plans for the race knowing that he would have a challenge from local favorite senior Nick Hess of St. Thomas More. Indeed it was Hess who immediately took over the pace setting chores. Unlike at the Charger Invite two weeks ago when Leverenz went out like the speed of light in 60.8 and 2:05 during the first half of the race. This time things were more manageable with pace being 63.8 and 2:11.5. Among the leaders were Charles Thornton (Sr., Oswego East) and David Schmieg (Sr., Chicago Lane Tech). Certainly Hess knew who Leverenz was but maybe not Schmieg. Schmieg logged 4:26 for the 1600m during the cross country season (Myrtle and Gold time trial). He would follow up matters with a 1:55.3 anchor leg at the DGS Mustang Relays several weeks ago.
As the race moved into the second half, it was all Leverenz and Schmieg. Leverenz held a slight advantage and shook off every surge attempt by Schmieg. The race was too close to call on the bell lap and then with 150m to go. Finally, Leverenz got some separation from Schmieg coming off the final curve and home for the victory. Johnny’s winning time was 4:17.04- his second fastest time of the season. For Schmieg, it was a tremendous personal best negotiated in 4:17.86. He officially ran 4:44 set last year at the Gene Armer Invite. What a difference a year makes.
Last year at this time senior Alex Martel of Lane Tech was relegated to relay duties and spot racing. But after a full year of training with her primary coach Jeff Bryant things have changed in a big way. Martel has always possessed good leg speed but now she has the lungs to run with the best in the state. The 800m got off to a comfortable start in 69.3 behind Mattoon junior Megan Shaffer. Soon after hearing the barking of Bryant, Martel got it going and pushed the pace on the third circuit which seemed to break Shaffer’s will. Martel would go on to finish with a strong negative split (68.2) for 2:17.55. The time ranks as the fifth fastest in the state and it is now Lane’s all-time record.
Sophomore Allison Zobrist of Highland worked out a split decision against one of the Brauer twins sophomore Adrienne Brauer. In the 3200m, Zobrist went out incredibly fast for the first 400m in 1:15.2. She would settle down but still led the first six metric splits including 5:36.2 at the 1600m mark. Brauer took over at 2400m and ran away with the victory in 11:08.04. Lane Tech freshman Maggie Schoelle caught Zobrist late and finished second with a big personal best 11:26.30. Zobrist staggered home third in a disappointing 11:36.09.
Zobrist would return several hours later with a clear conscious against the other twin Maria Brauer. The pace was honest for the first 400 before Brauer took charge in the next 400 in 2:41.4. Brauer was still leading at 1200m (4:00.9) but Zobrist was right there. Brauer surged hard on the bell lap and it appeared momentarily as though she was going to make it a sister sweep. But Zobrist was not having any of it and powered home hard the final 40m to edge Maria 5:15.86-5:16.00.
Giger impressive her foes despite an off day-
Lena Giger (left photo) was impressive even when she wasn’t at her best. The All-American record-setting senior from Highland fouled on half of her throws and only netted a 45-foot effort to show in the books midway during the competition. She even changed her throwing shoes. When she wasn’t throwing she was going over technical work with her father David Giger who kept a close watchful eye. Even her competitors were in awe of her when she did her shadow throw drills. One thrower was overheard saying: “that’s the girl who threw 50-feet.” Giger would eventually move past the admiration and win with a solid 47-7 toss. Giger will try one more time to top 50-feet on Illinois soil at the Top Times meet the coming weekend.
• Jonah Wiley (Sr., Bloom) wins long jump in 22-4.25
• Malik Jenkins (Sr., Bloom Twp.) 46-10 is the easy triple jump champ
• Kelsey Shannon (Sr., Belleville West) 5-6 wins high jump setting herself up to have a good outdoor season.
• The state's top vaulter Lindsey Murray (Sr., Harrisburg) holds off Brooke Catherine (Jr., Normal Comm) and Julia Junkroski (Jr., Lincoln Way East) 12-6 to 11-6. It was a dog fight among three of the state's best vaulters. Murray attempted 12-9 when her competitors bowed out.
-Lincoln Way East girls put the final nail in the coffin in the 4x4r clocking 4:01.98. Sophomore Asia Brown held off the hard charging Martel of Lane who did some running of her own with a 58.7 split to bring the Indians to a season best 4:02.46.