It was a sea of gold and blue mixed with green and white near the New Trier campus
HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Winnetka, IL
A last-minute change of plans after the cancellation of Friday's Palatine Meet of Champions brought two of the top boy's teams in the state together to battle each other old school dual meet style: 3A #1 New Trier vs. 3A #4 Sandburg on the Trevians' home course. A stark contrast from the expected six-team invite, the new dual-format provided a more intimate setting for these two elite teams-- and, in a way, contributed to a rise in competition level.
Through the opening mile, Andrew Flynn of New Trier leads the pack to a 5:01 split. All 14 guys in the field are within four seconds of each other. No clear leader has emerged, and the next two miles will be a test of endurance to see if the Trevians can outlast the Eagles.
The two-mile mark is where the top five runners start to distinguish themselves. Led by Flynn and followed by Trevian teammates Nick Falk, and Charlie Siebert, they cruised through the second mile in 10:12-13. Sandburg's top three -- Brock Rice, Ismail Tineh, Griffin Lehnhardt -- are only a few seconds behind. The team battle is currently a toss-up; the final mile will be cutthroat, as either team has a shot at winning.
Falk strengthens his position as one of the top runners in the state, earning the win in 15:13, with teammate Flynn second in 15:19. Tineh has an excellent final mile and a finishing kick, improving his position from fifth to third-- almost passing Flynn on the way to the chute. He led his team in a time of 15:20. When all was said and done, New Trier touted a 26-second 1-5 split (15:13-15:39), with Sandburg displaying a 22-second 1-5 spead (15:20-15:42).
As expected, the Trevians came out on top, winning
over Sandburg 23-32. While the dual meet format made the meet seem casual,
nothing about the performances was lowkey. Both New Trier and Sandburg
solidified themselves as top teams in the state. They did a great job adapting
to the adversity of a last minute switch, and they were resourceful
in still planning a dual meet.
Congratulations to these two teams, and best of luck as the season progresses.