IHSA Regional Recap

The nice thing about the way our post season beings is that we get to run at the same course two weeks in a row.  By the time Regionals rolls around everyone feels very comfortable at Turtlehead.  Yesterday marked the start of the drive towards the state championship in cross country.

On Friday when I checked the weather it called for possible thunderstorms, by Saturday morning it was just calling for rain and wind.  The girls race went before us is decent conditions overcast and windy, as the boys race started almost  immediately it started to pour sideways rain.  It was a steady sheet on rain, as a results no one wanted to lead the race, the first mile was marked by a huge pack of guys going through the mile together in 5:12, the pack included our top 6, 2 from Illiana, Scott from East, Raul from Joliet Central, an Andrew runner, and one from Joliet West as well.  This actually worked our really well for us as the plan was to be conversative from the start and then move in the back woods.  By the time they got to me at the 1.25 mark things were already starting to thin out.

As the pack emerged from the woods at the 1.5 mark is was now a pack of 7, Raul, both from Illiana, Scott from East, and Noah, Demetri, and Kyle.  That entire pack stuck together for the next 3/4ths of a mile, they crossed 2 miles in 10:35.  As they went up the hill on the last lap the race really began.  Raul and DeYoung took the lead and Demetri went with.  The last mile was very quick, considering the conditions as DeYoung closed in 5:00 with Raul and Demetri just a touch over 5:00.  In a very close battle those three would finish as the top three with DeYoung victorious.  Noah would follow Demetri in for 4th place overall and Kyle would close out that front pack in 7th.

Yesterday's top 3 have been steady all year, but yesterday the back end of our pack stepped up big time.  John Chomiak had a rough day yesterday, he fought incredibly hard but he just didn't have it in him out there.  He put himself in the mix early but as he faded both Mark and Mike stepped up.  Mark hung on to the tail end of the front pack for as long as he could and then battled to a great 10th place finish.  Mike stayed controlled through the first half and then moved up well late to finish 13th.  Tohose two guys ran some of the best races of the year when the team needed it most.  Belavich closed out our scoring in 20th place running 16:54, nearly 30 seconds faster than last year in conditions that were far worse this year.

For the second year in a row the Phoenix got to take home a Regional Championship trophy, the difference deign this year's the guys have the sights set on much more to come as the season continues.