DGN at Lake Park Invite story (varsity)

Downers Grove North junior Grace Maletich is striving to finish higher in her cross country races.

At the rate she's been improving, it's coming soon.

"I'm pretty much dropping 30 seconds every race so that feels good. Hopefully next week, the same thing," Maletich said.

Maletich was among the highlights for the Trojans as they finished fifth at Lake Park’s Harvey Braus Lancer Invitational Saturday, Sept. 13.

Sophomore Emma Moravec once again finished among the top 10 for the third straight meet. She finished ninth in 17:56 for 3.0 miles to break 18:00 for the first time in a meet and receive a large medal with a top-15 finish.

Maletich (18:32.3) and junior Angela Budach (18:34.1) were 21st and 24th to earn small medals, followed by juniors Ashley Johnson (38th, 18:55.0) and Kaitlyn Bonfield (42nd, 19:01.6), freshman Katie Cantlin (46th, 19:24.8), senior Jenna Murphy (51st, 19:45.1) and junior Maci Schaub (60th, 19:56.2). Varsity teams were allowed eight entries rather than the usual seven.

"It was a strange week of practice. I didn't know what to expect so I went into it with the attitude we'll see how it goes," Downers North coach Tim McDonald said. "I thought they competed better than I anticipated. There were little highlights, but overall we've got to be better."

The Trojans (132 points) finished fifth behind defending state champion and top-ranked Glenbard West (27 points), Schaumburg (89), Hoffman Estates (94), St. Charles East (120).

Those teams were among six top-15 rated teams by DyeStat Illinois or MileSplit Illinois at the invite. In this week’s rankings, the Trojans dropped to No. 14 by MileSplit and No. 20 by DyeStat.

“I think we did well. I felt like we could have done better, but I feel like the start of the race was pretty good and I feel like we all finished pretty well,” Maletich said. “I’m proud of what, but we might have all been able to finish a little higher.”

With her ninth-place finish, Moravec finished ahead of two of the five returning 2013 all-staters in the race and was the third-highest finishing sophomore or freshman. Moravec edged Prospect sophomore Brooke Wilson (17:56.7), the last runner to break 18:00, and was 3.0 seconds behind eighth-place Hoffman Estates junior Meagan Biddle (17:53.1).

In her first two races this season, Moravec ran 18:57 and 18:33, finishing third both times.

“That (18:00 mark) has kind of been my goal ever since cross country season last year. It seemed like a landmark to pass and now I’ve got to pick a new one and go for that,” Moravec said.

“I was just racing to beat other teams mostly, but I was watching the mile clocks. It was good to see I was on track. It was really exciting to be up there with the big guns. I’m just hoping some of my teammates will come up and join me because we have really big hopes for the season.”

Glenbard West put four in the top six, including invite winner Lindsay Graham (16:49.5), 17th at state last year, and two-time all-state senior Lisa Luczak (4th, 17:16.3). St. Charles East senior Torree Scull, at state last year, was seventh (17:51.2). Glenbard West junior Grace Rogers (11th, 18:01.2) and Schaumburg sophomore Ellie O’Connell (15th, 18:18.5) were 21st and 13th, respectively, at state in 2013.

Maletich also knows what it’s like to be in that mix, especially last season, and remains motivated by her large increments of progress. She was 10th at the Lake Park Invite last year in 17:58.8 while Moravec was 33rd in 18:44.2 in her then varsity debut.

“I feel like I’m a little behind from last year because I was kind of where Emma is now, but I’m improving every week so that’s good to see. By the end of the season, I’m hoping that it’ll get down to where I want it to,” Maletich said.

Maletich also has received a boost from Budach, who joined the varsity after the 2013 Lake Park Invite when she was a team-best sixth in the junior varsity race in 19:26.1.

There’s been a give and take between the two runners to bring the best out of each other. This time, Maletich went out stronger at the start and maintained a slight lead over Budach.

“I kind of went out and tried to hang on. It’s just kind of whoever starts out first, that’s how the race usually goes,” Maletich said.

“For two people to finish with pretty much the exact same time felt good and teamwise it was good, too. It’s nice to just keep improving every single week and to really be racing as a team.”

Cantlin made quite a varsity debut as she was the team’s No. 5 finisher. The Trojans’ JV and Open lineups were affected by the absence of several upperclassmen to take the American College Test, but McDonald said Cantlin was running up no matter what.

More varsity help could be coming soon from sophomore but first-year runner Zoe Covey, who was a team-best fifth in the JV race (19:35.4). Covey did compete in track as a freshman, starting indoors as a sprinter.

“We need to sixth runner and Katie really kind of took a step forward, her and Zoe (Covey in the JV race) saying we’re going to come after this thing,” McDonald said. “They have some foot speed. They might be taking shots at being under 19:00 as they get stronger.”

Cantlin was even more successful than she had been on the frosh-soph level thanks to a more aggressive approach at the start.

“The first three races, she was going out slow with the JV and then she’d make up ground on everybody. She’d be the No. 10 kid for us at the half mile and then end up our No. 1 at that level,” McDonald said. “She went out strong (Saturday). She really went out after it.”

Next week has special meaning for Maletich and the Trojans. They will be competing at Peoria's Detweiller Park, the annual site of the state meet, to participate in Peoria Notre Dame's Richard Spring Invitational.

Seven top-25 DyeStat teams will be the invite, including Glenbard West, Schaumburg and St. Charles once again and Palatine, fourth in state in 2013.

Since teams are allowed as many as 10 entries in the varsity meet, several younger runners could get a chance, such as Moravec and Budach, a then first-year team member, in 2013. McDonald said he was planning to bring 20 runners for the three girls races. They travel as a group to Peoria Friday and stay overnight, similar to the timetable if the team can again qualify for the state meet Nov. 8.

“It is definitely a huge team bonding experience for us to spend the night together,” Moravec said. “It’s super. We get close when we’re in Peoria. It’s a really fun experience.”

After a one-year absence, the Trojans qualified for state as a team in 2013. They earned the fifth and final advancing spot out of the sectional by five points over Lyons Township.

Neuqua Valley is the only state-ranked team out of this year’s Marist Sectional also competing Saturday. Hinsdale Central, LT, Lockport and Downers Grove South competed at Detweiller Sept. 6 in the First to the Finish Invite with Hinsdale Central winning for the first time since 2009.

“At this moment, our top seven will be there (Saturday),” McDonald said Monday. “That’s what they work for. We’re going to put forth our best effort. I think they know the situation in terms of they want to do well.”

-- by Bill Stone

Complete Lake Park Invite results are available at realtiminginc.com with this URL: http://www.realtiminginc.com/Race%20Results/2014%20Cross%20Country/Lake%20Park%20Inv/Lake%20Park%20Invitational%20Results.html