-Often times we get caught up in the action and the teams at the state championship. Milesplit Illinois has decided to recognize the Top 25 Boys of 3A through the lense of a camera. Our hard working and talented photographers Colin Boyle, Ilona Koziel, and Mark Capapas present to you a collage of the action from their perspective.
Jesse Reiser (Sr., McHenry) STATE CHAMPION- 14:10.81 (Fully Automated Timing)
- Completes undefeated state side season with major wins: First To The Finish Invitational, Peoria Central Invitational, Palatine Invitational, Fox Valley Conference Meet, Palatine Regional, Schaumburg Sectional
- US#8 individual harrier at the time he won state; 14:53 5k mark is one of the best in the USA
- 2013 Nike Cross National All-American with 13th place finish
- 2013 Footlocker National Championship qualifier (33rd)
- US#15/IL#1 for 3200m in 2014 running a swift 8:54.31
- Won IL State 3200m crown
- Has 4:09.50 best for 1600m
- Committed to the University of Illinois
- Coached by Beth Czubik
- Zach Dale (Sr., Hoffman Estates Conant) STATE RUNNER UP- 14:20.49
- Wins: Richard Spring Invitational, Sterling Invitational, Mid-Suburban League Championship, Hoffman Estates Regional
- Only losses this season was to state champion Jesse Reiser
- Ranked US#20 Harrier by Saucony Flo 50
- 2x all-state in cross country
- Ran 14:29.95 US#4 5k at the 2014 New Balance Track & Field Nationals
- Clocked 8:56.35 and 4:11.28 for 3200 & 1600 meters
- Coached by John Powers
- Committed to the University of Illinois
- Matt Pereira (So., Lake Zurich) 3rd place- 14:21.55
- Won the Wheeling Invitational, North Suburban Conference Meet
- Improved from 69th last year at state (15:25)
- Ran the third fastest ever MILE for a freshman (4:15.36)
- Blazed 9:12.66 for 3200m as a freshman
- Coached by JB Hanson
- Ryan Clevenger (Sr., Downers Grove North) 4th place- 14:23
- Won The Detweiller at Dark Invite, St. Charles East Leavy Invite, Locktoberfest Invite, West Surburban Silver Conference Meet, Hinsdale Central Regional, Chicago Marist Sectional
- 2x all-state runner
- 9:07.22 & 4:11.20 for 3200 & 1600 meters
- All-state in the 4x800m relay and 1600m in 2014
- Coached by John Sipple
- Committed to the University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Kevin Salvano (Jr., Buffalo Grove) 5th place- 14:26
- Won the Fenton Earlybird Invite, Oak Park Ron Gummerson Invite, Libertyville Regional
- 2x cross country all stater
- Ran 9:24.20 for 3200m
- Coached by Zack Crandall
- Sam Oh (Sr., Lincolnshire Stevenson) 6th place- 14:33
- Lake County Invite champ
- Ran 4:22.10 and 1:56.77 for 1600 and 800 meters
- Coached by Scott Sommers
- Connor Horn (Jr., Naperville Neuqua Valley) 7th place- 14:35
- Won the Upstate 8 Championship
- Missed the 2013 cross country season due to injury
- Ran on the team's state 4x800m relay championship
- Clocked 4:18.90 for 1600m
- Coached by Paul Vandersteen
- Charlie Kern Jr. (Fr., Elmhurst York) 8th place- 14:35
- Undefeated in the frosh ranks and promoted to varsity; won the Lake Park Regional
- Best York freshman since the legendary Donald Sage
- #1 ranked freshman in the country
- Son of York coach Charlie Kern Sr.
- Coached by Joe Newton, Charlie Kern Sr., and Jim Hedman
- Keagan Smith (Jr., Huntley) 9th place- 14:36
- Won the St. Charles East Sectional in a personal best 14:34; also victorious at the Rockford Guilford Regional
- 2x all stater
- Ran 9:25.36 and 4:21.13 for 3200 and 1600 meters
- Coached by Matt Kaplan
- David Rodriguez (Sr., Arlington Heights Hersey) 10th place- 14:38
- 2x all stater
- Clocked 9:19.30i for 3200m; 1:56.67 for 800m
- Coached by Jay Renaud
- Irwin Loud (So., Oak Park-River Forest) 11th place- 14:38
- Ran 9:34.08 as a freshman in the 3200m
- Undefeated in the frosh ranks
- Loves to front run no matter who is in the race
- Coached by Jose Sosa
- Blake Evertsen (So., Hinsdale Central) 12th place- 14:39
- Hinsdale Central runner-up
- Busted on the scene as one of the premier newcomers last year running 14:56 as a freshman
- Ran 9:43.18/4:25.88/2:06.15 for meters as a freshman
- Placed 92nd at the 2013 Nike Cross Nationals
- Coached by Jim Westphal and Noah Lawrence
- Peter Johnsrud (Sr., Oswego) 13th place- 14:41
- Won the Lockport Regional, SW Prairie Conference Meet, Joliet Steelman Invite
- Improved from 40th last year at state
- Has a personal best of 9:24.33 for 3200m
- Plays electric guitar in a band called Volition
- Coached by Daniel Whipple
- Dorrian Gordon (Sr., O'Fallon) 14th place- 14:41
- Won the Quincy Sectional, Southwestern Conference Championship, Granite City Invite
- 2x all-state runner
- Holds personal bests of 15:25 and 4:18.27 for meters; best 3-mile time is 14:37 at the Richard Spring Invite
- Continues O'Fallon's line of great distance runners (Alex Riba, Patrick Perrier)
- Coached by Jon Burnett
- Connor Madell (Jr., LaGrange Lyons Township) 15th- 14:41
- Did not compete in 2013 state championship (alternate)
- Personal best of 4:27.63 for 1600m
- Coached by Mike Danner
- Graham Brown (Sr., Palatine) 16th place- 14:44
- Hinsdale Hornet-Red Devil Invite winner; 2x Nike Northside/Southside champion
- 2x all-state runner
- Personal best of 9:26.13/4:19.17 for meters
- Coached by Chris Quick
- Dustin Macuiba (Jr., Gurnee Warren) 17th place- 14:46
- Won the Wauconda Invite, Pat Harland Invite
- Improved vastly from 141st in 2013
- An unknown coming into this year despite running 9:39 for 3200m on the track. "My goal is to be all-state," said Macuiba after winning the Wauconda Invite in September
- Coached by Bill Dawson
- Michael Widmann (Sr., Naperville Neuqua Valley) 18th- 14:47
- Improved from 93rd place from a year ago
- Ran 9:28.41/4:27.78 for meters
- Coached by Paul Vandersteen
- Chris Buechner (Sr., Glen Ellyn Glenbard West) 19th place- 14:47
- Took 3rd at the Niles West Sectional in 14:58
- Placed 82nd in the 2013 state meet
- Ran 4:27.77 for 1600m
- Competed on his team's 10th place 4x800 relay that ran 7:50
- Coached by Kyle Nugent
- Brady Bobbitt (Sr., Aurora Marmion Academy) 20th place- 14:48
- South Suburban Catholic League champion, West Chicago Regional champion
- Placed 76th last year at state
- Ran 4:27.73 in the 1600m
- Coached by former Willowbrook all-stater Dan Klatt
- Brydon Groves-Scott (Sr., Edwardsville) 21st place- 14:48
- Finished second to O'Fallon's Dorrian Gordan at Southwestern Conference meet and Quincy Sectional; won Edwardsville Invitational
- 2x all-stater
- Personal best is 14:46 at FTTF Invite
- Ran 9:32.89
- Coached by George Patrylak
- Josh Feldman (Sr., Hinsdale Central) 22nd- 14:49
- Key member of the Hinsdale Central development team last year but still ran a solid 15:46
- Has a 9:41.72 personal best in the 3200m
- Coached by Jim Westphal and Noah Lawrence
- Jack Carroll (Sr., Wilmette Loyola Academy) 23rd place- 14:49
- Won the Niles West Sectional, Chicago Catholic League Championship, Niles West Pat Savage Invitational
- Never won a varsity race before this year
- Also goes by John Carroll
- Should improve mightily on 9:46 and 4:34 marks in the 3200 and 1600m this track season
- Coached by Dan Seeberg
- Jon Klaiber (Sr., Naperville North) 24th place- 14:49
- 2x state finalist
- Emerged at the Detweiller at Dark meet running 15:05
- Clocked four times under 15:00 including DuPage Valley championship in 14:50
- Coached by Dave Racey
- Chris Brenk (Jr., Hinsdale Central) 25th place- 14:49
- 2x state finalist
- Ran a personal best 14;48 at FTTF Invite
- Coached by Jim Westphal and Noah Lawrence