Isabelle Sparreo surprises the field at Palatine (Colin Boyle photo)
Isabelle Sparreo (So., Stevenson) may have been a complete surprise to many observers on Saturday, but the fact that she had a solid resume coming into this affair qualified her for big things. She competed in the 3A State meet 800m and 1600m runs last May. That set up may have caused her to utter, "last year I was injured a lot." Staying healthy is the key element in this sport if you want long-term success. Sparreo so far this season has been injury free and racing well. She placed fourth at last weekend's Richard Spring Invitational in Peoria. She should have been picked as a person of interest instead of an emerging runner.
Sparreo headed the first mile in a swift 5:33 with the likes of Kelly O'Brien (Sr., Palatine), Daly Galloway (Jr., Gardner- South Willington), Jocelyn Long (So., Barrington), Brooke Wilson (Jr., Prospect), Vivian Overbeck (Sr., Vernon Hills), Caitlyn Shepard (Sr., Lake Zurich), and several others. While the team race on the strength of Yorkville's presence, it was the individual affair that was in the beginning stages of a good one.
Heading into the lonely prairie area near the 1.75 mile point, Wilson and Sparreo had already began to push the pace. Shepard, Galloway, O'Brien, Long, and Overbeck were holding on for dear life. Wilson and Sparreo sped past two miles in 11:36. It was an obvious drop off from the first mile that spread out a once formable clan.
The last half-mile saw Wilson and Sparreo work side by side as the course reversed back up to the start area to the finish. Sparreo pulled away from Wilson in the final stage of the race to win comfortably in 17:06. Wilson took second with space over Long 17:10-17:14. Galloway finished a place in back of last year, but was 11 seconds faster in exact conditions in running 17:15. Shepard chased down a tiring O'Brien in the final 200m and nipped her at the finish line for fifth clocking 17:31.
Overall, this was one of the most competitive if not deep MOC races in the meet's history. It also may be a forecast for what is to come during the championship month of October.