Neuqua Valley placed 4th last year in the Invite 4x4 running 3:18.21 (Mary Ann Magnant photo)
Saturday Invitational-
The main reason to attend Arcadia is the non stop and intense action packed invitational that takes place late in the evening and well into the night.
- Boys seeded mile (7:56p): Connor Madell. A busy young man Madell could be. Can the lad break 4:20?
- Boys Invite mile (8:04p): Connor McCue (Sr., West Aurora). This could be a break out meet for a young man who has been struck by all kinds of bad luck at the wrong time. But look for McCue to step up big and get a personal best which at the moment is 4:14 converted.
- Boys 3200m rated (9:49p): Soren Knudsen (Jr., Minooka) is ready to run fast again after missing some time off with an injured foot. His season best of 9:18.71 is breakable. "I'd love to see him break 9:10," said his coach Nick Lundin. "I know he has bigger goals but that would be great for me to see right now." Neuqua Valley's Jake McEneaney and Scott Anderson will also be in the race to give it a little Illinois seasoning. Anderson will be doubling back from the 4x1600 relay while McEneaney will be racing completely fresh. Add Danny Kilrea to the pot as well.
- Boys 3200m seeded (10:02p): Connor Horn will be the lone ranger among the Illinois entrants competing in the long stuff. Horn ran 9:16.79 last year and is ready to surpass that time according to his coach Paul Vandersteen.
- 3200m Invitational (10:50p): This is the main event of the Arcadia! The stellar field will include some of the fastest kids in the country as the entire current top 10 in America entered. Midwestern Ben Veatch (Sr., Carmel, IN) is back after a stellar junior track and senior harrier season. Veatch ran 8:53.42 last year to take 4th. He is the top returner but will have a ton of heat on his back. Blake Evertsen (Jr., Hinsdale Central) made the championship race. This may be the race where we will see a passing of the torch from the main gun Jon Davis (Sr., Oakwood). Maybe not until after the race and Davis is satisfied with either a victory or a serious personal best in the low 8:50s.
- Invitational Boys 4x400 (11:41p): The good news is Neuqua Valley made the Boss field. Now they will deal with Vista Murrieta who has the 11th fastest time in the country at 3:15.75. This year's revamped Wildcat line up only contains holdover Isaiah Robinson. But with JaQuere Williams, Ryan Lukas, and Kevin Sager big things are expected to happen.