The massive lead pack during the early stages of the state championship
RESULTS I VIDEOS I PHOTOS I RECAP VIDEO
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Five races in the books on the famous Detweiller Park, and one to go. The 3A boys race is the centerpiece, no matter how you slice it. The fact that rain fell on the course made the forthcoming outcome suspenseful.
Little did the starting field know, but a tsunami was about to happen...
The perceived preseason #1 runner, Downers Grove North's super senior Philip Cupial, had a plan that no one knew about.
The plan was simple: come and get me if you can!
Cupial immediately established the tone of the race by dashing out front and making everyone chase him. He learned from the Hinsdale Central Sectional that erasing a massive deficit is more taxing than doing the work when you are the favorite.
Cupial hit the first mile mat in 4:38, followed closely by Santiago Chavez (Jr., Burbank Reavis). There was a slew of runners under 4:40, and for the fans and even coaches, this is a good thing.
During the tour of the "Bermuda Triangle," it was Cupial followed closely by Chavez, Gordy Libby (Sr., Lake Zurich), Owen Horeni (Sr., Yorkville), Samuel Assefa (Jr., Chicago Lane), Samuel Hill (Jr., St. Charles North), Karanveer Patil (So., Lake Zurich), and more.
Cupial was still in the lead at two miles, with a time of around 9:24, and Chavez was just a few strides back. The lead chase pack didn't change much, and if things hold, we may see record numbers under 15:00.
Cupial stretched his lead to over four seconds with a half mile remaining. At this point, he was in his element, an 800-meter runner. He strode home at 14:03 and finally earned the long-lost state championship he had desired.
| Place | Video | Athlete | Team | Mark | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Philip Cupial | 12 | Downers Grove (North) | 14:03.20 | 1 | |
| 2 |  Gordy (Cameron) Libby | 12 | Lake Zurich | 14:07.50 | 2 | |
| 3 |  Owen Horeni | 12 | Yorkville (H.S) | 14:07.50 | 3 | |
| 4 |  Thomas Czerwinski | 12 | Plainfield (North) | 14:11.80 | 4 | |
| 5 |  Conrad Saner | 11 | Downers Grove (South) | 14:17.50 | 5 | |
| 6 |  Samuel Assefa | 11 | Chicago (Lane) | 14:17.90 | 6 | |
| 7 |  Alex Batsala | 11 | Plainfield (South) | 14:19.70 | 7 | |
| 8 | Karanveer Patil | 10 | Lake Zurich | 14:20.10 | 8 | |
| 9 |  Samuel Hill | 11 | St. Charles (North) | 14:20.40 | 9 | |
| 10 |  Junior Lopez | 12 | Glenview (Glenbrook South) | 14:21.00 | 10 |
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Two-time defending champion Downers Grove North endured a rough second half of the season. But champions always come out and play hard, and the Trojans competed as well as they could. However, the third time was a charm for Plainfield North, which finished second last year. The Tigers had dealt with adversity throughout the season, and this was their moment!
| Place | Team | Points | Scorers | Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Plainfield (North) | 149 | 4+13+28+48+56 (77+143) | 0:50 1-5 Split | 14:40 Avg |
| 2 |  Downers Grove (North) | 169 | 1+17+26+62+63 (82+92) | 1:02 1-5 Split | 14:40 Avg |
| 3 |  Arlington Heights (Hersey) | 198 | 20+34+38+52+54 (65+111) | 0:25 1-5 Split | 14:51 Avg |
| 4 |  Lake Zurich | 211 | 2+8+11+60+130 (159+189) | 1:31 1-5 Split | 14:42 Avg |
| 5 |  Elmhurst (York) | 226 | 22+25+31+51+97 (109+112) | 0:43 1-5 Split | 14:54 Avg |
| 6 |  Plainfield (South) | 251 | 7+36+37+67+104 (137+196) | 1:05 1-5 Split | 14:54 Avg |
| 7 |  Mt. Prospect (Prospect) | 262 | 27+45+46+61+83 (88+96) | 0:30 1-5 Split | 14:59 Avg |
| 8 |  St. Charles (North) | 273 | 9+41+57+81+85 (105+120) | 0:55 1-5 Split | 14:57 Avg |
| 9 |  Orland Park (Sandburg) | 284 | 16+35+73+76+84 (122+134) | 0:49 1-5 Split | 14:58 Avg |
| 10 |  Chicago (Lane) | 341 | 6+42+89+94+110 (131+158) | 1:12 1-5 Split | 15:04 Avg |