Three run to All-State honors

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PEORIA - The state cross country meet is all about survival of the fittest.

The first mile is typically run at a breakneck pace. For example, in Saturday's Class 3A meet, eventual winner Lukas Verzbicas of Sandburg, who was attempting to break Craig Virgin's 37-year-old course record of 13:50, took the field out in a blistering 4:28 before tiring and finishing in 14:07.

So it's all about running like heck, and just hanging on.

It worked for Geneva senior Kevin Sparks in the Class 3A race, as well as Marmion Academy's Zack Young and Kaneland junior Trevor Holm in the 2A race, as all three ran well enough to pick up All-State honors.

"You have to be prepared that you are going to go out fast," Sparks said. "You have to contain yourself, all of the emotions and the other runners going around."

By the time the 3A race went off at 2 p.m., the temperatures had soared in the low 70s and Sparks was part of a frenzied start and eventual fast race that saw him run 14:58 and finish in 23rd place. To put in perspective, Sparks' time would have been good enough to win individual titles in the other two boys' races.

"Coming out I had a (personal best) in my last race as a high schooler and it means the world to me," Sparks said. "It came together like the last piece of a puzzle, and I can't be any more grateful."

Verzbicas won the race by 21 seconds over Andrew Smith and Jack Driggs of York, who were awarded the same time. York finished third in the team standings with 118 points behind champion Neuqua Valley and Loyola Academy (111).

Geneva finished in 14th place with 392 points. David Groeber of Waubonsie Valley, running as an individual, placed 59th in 15:26.

Class 2A - Also running his final high school race, Young also held on to the fast pace and finished 10th (15:28) in a race that had one of the more bizarre moments in recent state meet memory.

C.J. Elward of Peoria Notre Dame took the race out quickly and held a commanding lead with about a half-mile to go. But the senior started to waver and with about 300 meters to go pulled to the side of the course in a dead stop. He eventually started walking as the field blew by him, and while he made it up the hill to the finish he ended up in 72nd place.

"They just ran themselves out, and that is unfortunate when you see someone put forth that much effort and they just die," Young said. "At least you know he gave everything."

Belvidere North junior Paul Zeman was the beneficiary of Elward's misfortune, taking the lead to win the race in 15:09 over Metamora senior Stephan Rauh (15:14).

Young fared a little better, but not by much, needing assistance to walk out of the finishing area before laying down in some shade to collect himself.

"I came out of the back loop in about 35th place and I could hear people screaming, and I knew I had to move up," Young said. "I hit the two-mile (mark) and started picking people off. They didn't come back which means I was putting people away, which I like doing."

Holm finished in 21st place for Kaneland in 15:35, while teammate Dominic Furco was 44th in 15:56 and Edgar Valle placed 60th in 16:08, helping the Knights to a fifth-place finish as a team with 192 points, while Yorkville was 13th with 304 points and Marmion 15th at 331.

Jake Callahan finished in 35th place in 15:50 to lead the Foxes. Mike Gaydos of Sandwich finished in 68th place in 16:13 running as an individual.

Belvidere North won the team title with 77 points to easily outdistance Normal U-High (119 points). Boys cross Country | IHSA State Finals