Photo: 2017 Foot Locker National Champion Dylan Jacobs leads a stellar distance group that looks to have a memorable 2018 track season (Laura Duffy Photo)

By Michael Newman

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I thought my sophomore year in track in 1978 on the state level was great. You had runners that were putting up some great performances that you could not wait to see what they would do next. I saw Jim Spivey run 4:06 to win the 1 Mile Run at the IPI Invitational. We had a quad meet at the beginning of the season that included the state cross country champion Deerfield. Instead of doing a cool down after winning the sophomore 2 Mile Run, I watched in awe as Todd McCallister ran 9:13 by himself in the varsity race. His brother Mark later ran 4:19. This was the beginning of April in frigid conditions.

At the state meet with temperatures in the mid-90’s, John Sullivan led Thornridge to the 4x880 Relay title. Tom Graves completed the first distance triple crown (xc, 1-mile, 2-mile) by running 9:06 in the 2-mile and outkicking the McCallisters to run 4:09 to win the 1-mile Run.

Those were the performances I and other runners during that time looked to trying to replicate it.

40 years later, here we go again.

I don’t think we realize how special that high-school distance running is in this state or better yet, how special it is to watch Danny Kilrea of Lyons Township, Dylan Jacobs of Sandburg, and Clayton Mendez of Whitney Young race.

The three runners were double All-Americans in the national meets in December. Those three runners were chosen to run on the United States National Junior Team at the Great Edinburgh XC Challenge last month with Kilrea leading the way in fourth. Three runners from one state. Three runners from Illinois. No other state this year could match the strength of the distance running demonstrated by these runners.

It will just keep getting better. Just wait for the races in the next couple of months. Savor those moments. They don’t come around that often.

Here is a look at the three individual distance events that will take place during the 2018 season. A preview of the 3200 Meter Relay is also included.

3200 METER RUN

Top Returnees

Notes – With some many quality runners in this classification this 2018 season, I don’t think we will see the distance triple crown happened like it did last season with Soren Knudsen. I did not say, though, that it is impossible.

The talent is there with five athletes returning that were in the top nine in the 3A finals. I am interested to see how much Danny Kilrea drops his time down from his personal best of 9:00.81. He did finish fourth in the finals race in what was not his best of the season. Kilrea did run under 9:10 seven times during his indoor and outdoor seasons. It will be fun to watch his racing improve transitioning from what he did last fall to now.

Clayton Mendez is in the same ball park as Kilrea. He ran under 9-minutes at Distance Night in Palatine clocking 8:59.46 for the win. He finished third at state, then came back at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals to earn All-American status by finishing fourth. Just Kilrea, Mendez had that successful cross-country season. The transition to track will be fun to watch. Both could be under 8:50 at some point this season.

There are four other all-state runners that could be difference makers in this event. Zach Kinne finished fifth last year at state, then followed that up with a fourth-place finish at Detweiller Park last November. He ran 9:35 by himself on a recruiting trip to Yale last weekend. He is in good shape to drop his personal best of 9:11.48 even lower.

I am guessing that Matt Moravec is itching to race again. The Downers Grove North junior missed almost all the cross-country season due to injury. He ran 9:15.36 to place seventh last year. Tommy Brady of Maine South and Nick Laning of Barrington finished eighth and ninth in this event. They looked strong last fall as Brady finished third at state and Laning placed ninth. Both will be factors at this distance this spring.

Matt Richtman of Kaneland finished second in the 2A race at last year’s state meet. He won the 2A title last November at Detweiller Park. Now with his school in 3A, I still think Richtman will be among the leaders getting close to 9:10.

There are several runners that I would also keep an eye on. Josh Methner of Hersey finished seventh last November at the Nike Cross Midwest Regionals just missing a trip to Portland. The week before at state, this sophomore also finished seventh at state. He ran 9:25.75 last spring as a freshman. How low will he go in 2018?

We can’t forget about Dylan Jacobs. He ran 9:16.70 during last season but concentrated on the 4x8 helping his team to a second-place finish as well as competing in the 1600. If he tries the 3200/1600 double, he could be the runner that wins both. Waiting to see how far the Foot Locker National Champion can drop his personal best at this distance.

Josh Rodgers of Geneva, Jack Becker of Crystal Lake South, and Ryan Kennedy of Neuqua Valley are some of the many runners to watch for in this event.

800 METER RUN

Top Returnees

Notes – It was not the best of times for York’s Charlie Kern during the past cross-country season where he missed most of the campaign. He was healthy enough to help his team in the sectional and state meets. It was not as planned but he does have this spring to look forward to. It is a season that he will be ready for. Kern returns as the runner to watch in this event having run 1:53.03 during the season and then finishing third at state.

This event could be wide-open with only two other all-state placers back. Wes York of Waubonsie Valley dropped his personal best from last year down four seconds as he ran 1:54.61 in the finals to finish seventh. Phillip Hall of Danville has a personal best of 1:54.73 to finish eighth overall. Both runners could challenge Kern this spring.

Another runner to keep an eye on is Grant Jensen of Prairie Ridge. As a sophomore last year, he ran a then personal best of 1:56.07 in the state meet missing qualifying for the finals by two spots. Two weeks later at the Midwest Distance Classic, Jensen came back to run 1:53.32 to finish third in the race.

Joey Simon of Wheaton North made the final last year placing 10^th. He should be among the top runners this year. Brian Hauser of Shepard, Franky Romano of Edwardsville, Tyler Dunn of Normal West, and Ed Worthen of Fremd are some of the other runners to keep an eye on.

1600 METER RUN

Top Returnees

Notes – This could be an amazing event at state if the “big-four” decide to run in it. Dylan Jacobs finished ninth in the state meet, then came back six days later to run 4:09.09 (4:07.57 – 1600m) to finish sixth in the elite race at the Magis Miles in Chicago. In the High School race at that meet, Charlie Kern won that race in 4:13.20 (4:11.67 – 1600m) with Danny Kilrea close behind in 4:14.27 (4:12.81 – 1600m). Kilrea had finished 11^th in the state finals doubling back from the 3200. The following week at the Midwest Distance Classic, Clayton Mendez won the 1600 Meter Run in that meet running a personal best 4:11.26. Mendez had doubled back from the 3200 at state to finish seventh in the finals.

It’s all going to come down to what these four runners will compete in at state. The two-day set-up that the IHSA uses is tough to come back in. For some, it means racing four distance races in 24 hours or more.

There are plenty of quality runners that could also win this event outside of these four. Alex Tam of Libertyville ran 4:15.87 during the season and qualified for the state meet but not making the finals. His improvement range shows that he could be near 4:10 this year and possibly winning. Andrew O’Keefe of Granite City missed the state finals by two spots but did run 4:16.37 during the season. He did not finish the way they he wanted to last November as ran sick at the state meet. That could spur him to some bigger things in this 2018 season.

Fox Valley Conference Rivals Jack Becker of Crystal Lake South and Zach Albrecht of Jacobs both ran 4:17 last season. Both could be in the finals this May. Matt Richtman came back to finish seventh in the 2A race at the state meet. 4:14 or under is possible for him. There are so many runners that could step into the spotlight in this event. 13 runners returning were under 4:20 for this distance. Thomas Shilgalis of Naperville Central, Tommy Brady, Ryan Birkmeier of Downers Grove North, and Sam Rivera of Whitney Young are some of the runners to watch for.

4x800 METER RELAY

2017 Top List

Notes – Who will step up to the head of the class in this event? As we head into February, it is hard to say at this point. Graduation have hit the 3A state finalist teams hard. We might not even know who the favorite will be until we get to the state series. That is how wide-open this event. Even more so than years before.

Defending champion Neuqua Valley only returns Tyler Bombacino from last year’s team. Ryan Kennedy was used in the prelims. We will see how the season plays out to see if the Wildcats find good fits for this event. Sandburg finished second and returns two runners. One of them is Dylan Jacobs. Glenbrook North was a surprise last spring finishing fourth in the finals. They return three runners led by Kyle Foley. North could be the one team to watch. Lyons Township also made the finals finishing third last year. Two return from that team led by Charles Harders.

So, which of the non-qualifying teams make a difference in 2018?

It could be Danville who returns their entire quartet that ran 8:01.22 during the regular season. Glenbard West and Batavia did not make the finals. Glenbard West returns two from last year while Batavia returns their entire quartet. Keep an eye on those three teams.

It could also be York. The Dukes did not run their “A” team in sectionals last year but did run 7:54.65 during the regular season. A team with Charlie Kern and up and coming sophomore Daniel Klysh could push York to the front. Also watch for Downers Grove North who did not make it out of their sectional. The Trojans did run 7:52 at the WSC-Silver Championships. Brendan Lockerby leads a good group of runners who also won the 3A XC State Championships last fall. Watch out for Borth in this relay this spring.