Neuqua Valley Goes Coast To Coast In Obtaining Boys 3A Title

The unstoppable force known as Neuqua Valley getting ready for the state championship

Detweiller Park; Peoria-

MEET PAGE

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is achieve the obvious. At the end of the season last year the stats experts and cross country pundits got to work on 2016. The prognosis was good for Naperville (Neuqua Valley) who had ended their official season as "Naperville XC" in Portland, Oregon at the Nike Cross Nationals. The Wildcats placed 19th. They were rewarded with the pre-season #1 tag in August.

It is hard to say if US #3 Neuqua Valley faced any internal stress or pressure this season because they won each contest with ease. The masterful Head Coach Paul Vandersteen and his trusty assistants have a cool demeanor and that has trickled down to their team. It is amazing to watch them turn over their roster every year with a heavy load of upperclassmen. However, the next group of up and comers return more ready than before. It is as if they are born to be successful despite limited varsity racing.

No matter how great a team is they must perform on the big stage. On paper the Wildcats arguably have a top five all-time best team. The competition facing them is pretty good as well. US #24 Downers Grove North was unfairly dropped down in the polls for being soundly defeated by the Wildcats at the Naperville Twilight Invitational in early October. Not fair. But their coach John Sipp has gotten them ready for this day. As does the coaching staffs at Lyons Twp and Lake Zurich- the other title contenders.

Downers Grove North did not wait in the rematch. The Trojans got their pack ahead of the field and fought tooth and nail for the entire three miles. They had a slight lead entering the final stanza.

The senior leadership led by Jackson Jett (Sr.), Jake Mceneaney (Sr.), and Matt Milostan (Sr.) would not let their coaches down or themselves. The senior leaders put the foot to the medal and ended any thought of an upset with Raid like killing precision. All three earned all-state honors with sophomore Zach Kinne sandwiched in between at 17th place.

Lake Zurich got their first state trophy led by Griffin and Pereira. The Bears top three was too strong for Lyons Twp. and Chicago Whitney Young to overcome. .

Coach Vandersteen's post-meet reaction: 

Soren Knudsen never wavered in his confidence in becoming a champion even if the pundits did (Steve Bugarin photo)

On a unusually warm November day, 43 boys broke 15:00 making it one of the fastest ever meets. This fun fact is extremely interesting with the dilution of another classification addition in 2007. It only proves the depth and talent of Illinois. 

On of the meet favorites Soren Knudsen (Sr., Minooka) handled the fast early pace which hit the first mile in 4:36. With many of the subsequent trailers ran 4:42-4:45 including Neuqua Valley's pack it meant that a death march was coming somewhere late in the race.

The early race leaders included Dylan Jacobs (Jr., Sandburg), Brian Griffith (Sr., Lake Zurich), Matt Pereira (Sr., Lake Zurich), Blake Evertsen (Sr., Hinsdale Central), Brian Leonard (Sr., Palatine), Knudsen, and a few others.

Things got a little stretch at the halfway point in 6:57 with Jacobs still leading. Danny Kilrea (Jr., Downers Grove North) squeezed in somehow. Knudsen was in fourth place and moving strong.

The leaders at 2m crossed in 9:28. Charlie Kern (Jr., York) was lurking and in the right spot to show off his #1 ranking. But he did not take advantage of the opportunity and the door was slammed shut. Knudsen made his move along highway 29 with Jacobs. He put on a big surge with a half mile to go and moved Jacobs into his rear view mirror and clear over the final 500-600 meters; he pushed as hard as he could to break the magical 14:00 mark. He clocked a time of 14:02 that now will be entered into the annals of the Detweiller championship lore.

3A Odyssey with race footage and Soren Knudsen interview at the end