Illinois Prep Top Times On-site coverage: Lyons Twp Invitational

Date: September 3, 2005

Location: Lyons Twp High School; main campus

Course conditions: flat and fast; 3 miles

Weather conditions: 83*F and sunny

Lyons provided a surprising new course for all due to construction on the historic old course. Still, the 2005 model would provide excitement for the fans and athletes as fast times were plentiful. The meet featured a number of quality teams in the girls and boys division.

-Girls recap-

The race featured several preseason ranked teams in #3 Lincoln-Way East, #6 Sandburg, and #11 Lyons Twp. Also, perennial Indiana power Valparaiso was featured. As the gun sounded Sandburg and Valparaiso made their presence known with heavy numbers coming through the first half mile between 2:50 and 3:00. The contingent of 7-8 crossed through the first mile in a fast 5:41 that included Valparaiso twins Lauren and Amanda Hardesty. The duo successfully strung out the pack with a surge at 1.25m as they headed in the “jungle”, but Lauren Haberkorn (Marist) and Amanda Beggs (LWE) would hang tight. Lane Tech’s Stephanie Hughes was a short distance back but was starting to fade from the lead girls. Valpo and Sandburg were dueling for team supremacy at 1.5m with LWE’s pack surprisingly off the pack. Beggs and Haberkorn took control by 2m in 11:40ish and clear of the pack. As the two entered the “jungle” again the matter would be settled here. Haberkorn put on a surge coming out of the woods in front of her Redhawk cheering section and gapped Beggs. Meanwhile, Sandburg and Valparaiso appeared to be locked in a tight team battle. Sandburg newcomer Kristin Sutherlin aided her team’s cause with a 7^th place finish. Her teammates scoring teammates all checked in the top 20 with a :45 split between them. This off set Valpo’s three girls in the top 10 and their almost 2:00 overall 1-5 split. Sandburg got the narrow 61-66 victory. LWE was tripped up by their pack being way back and had to settle for a distant 3^rd place.

Beggs seemed to be marginally pleased with effort: “I need to work on my kick. I’m pretty much bogged down by distance [training]… I’m definitely going to work on my speed- this was a good training run.” Haberkorn in her own words of an exciting last stage race: “before the race it was my plan to [get away the last half mile] and I was going to stick with it.”

-Boys recap-

The race went out in a pedestrian 2:30 for the first half mile, as it appeared like half the field was intact. Jesse Luciano (Willowbrook) maintained poise and contact with the early leaders. Team standings were unclear as all contenders were in motion. The leaders continued steady pace through the first mile in 5:02. At 1.5m, Luciano and Kevin Adamowski (Sandburg) were poised to go 1-2m. Sandburg’s pack began to take hold of the race and it’s a matter of who wants to race for second. Luciano breezed past 2m in 10:02 with Adamowski trailing. It wasn’t until the final trip to the “jungle” that Luciano decided to put the race away. A small 5-second margin doubled to more than 10 seconds in the next quarter mile. Luciano steamed past 2.5m in 12:32, Adamowski was 12:44 and tiring. However, his Eagle mates looked strong and appeared to have the title wrapped up. Luciano cruised home in 14:56 for his first victory in more than a year. Luciano is poised to for a state individual crown after missing time due to injuries. “I just wanted to keep a 5:00 pace- my legs don’t have the pizzazz that they’re going to have in a few weeks. I’ve just been doing a lot of high mileage [workouts]” said Luciano. Luciano appeared so strong and relaxed that he literally toyed with the field. He added this last statement: “I’m not going to fret if I lose a race because I’m gearing myself for the end of the season when I want to do something special.”

The Eagles took the team title very easily and Adamowski acknowledged the lack of respect shown by some forces, “I’m going to have to change that… look out for Sandburg at the end of the season.”

1) Jesse Luciano- 5:02, 7:37-1.5m, 10:02, 12:32- 2.50m

2) Kevin Adamowski- 5:02, 7:39, 1) 10:04- 1.5m, 12:44- 2.50m.