Richard Spring Invitational 2014

his is the reason that the commonly phased Peoria Notre Dame Invitational or PND will be officially referred as the Richard Spring Memorial Invitational on paper: “Richard Spring, a 1981 graduate of Bergan High School in Peoria, ran cross-country, the mile, and the two-mile. Participating on two state championship teams, Richard personally finished third in the single-class IHSA state tournament in his senior year. Richard died running at Augustana College in 1982.”

PND boys winner Zach Dale of Conant talks about his thrilling victory in 14:29

PND girls winner Maryjeanne Gilbert of PND details her race

O'Fallon ace Dorrian Gordon lends a few minutes to discuss his race

Sandburg boys coach John O'Malley talks about his team's thrilling victory at PND Invite

Hersey's David Rodriguez talks about his great race at Richard Spring Invite

The name Zach and Zack has come up startling big over the past few years on the Illinois prep distance running scene and even on the national spotlight. Of course, by now, most running fiends in the state in the past running season or two know Zack Smith, the former Downers Grove North standout now at the University of Illinois. But there is another kid with a Z by his name. He is Zach Dale...

In her team's home invitational, Peoria Notre Dame junior Maryjeanne Gilbert had the race of her life as she knocked 34 seconds off her 2013 Illinois state meet performance at Detweiler with her 16:30 victory at the Richard Spring Invitational. After seeing US #9 ranked Jesse Reiser roll out a 14:20 performance at Detweiler Park last week at the First to the Finish Line Invitational, US #13 Zach Dale was chasing Reiser's time on Saturday in Peoria. 

One of the prevailing feelings coming in was the boys and girls chess piece landscape had not been completed.