DGN at Silver Meet story (varsity)

The holiday season came early for Downers Grove North sophomore girls cross country runner Emma Moravec during the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet Saturday, Oct. 18, at Proviso West.

“It was like a Christmas party. Red uniforms, green uniforms (all around me),” Moravec said. “I was just really hoping to get up with the Glenbard (West green) and Hinsdale (Central red) girls and see where it went, and I’m really happy with the outcome.”

Moravec not only earned all-conference honors with a top-16 finish, but she placed among the top 10 in the state’s toughest conference with a 10th-place 19:11.55 for the 3.04 miles. 

Junior Angela Budach (13th, 19:36.21) also earned all-conference honors for the first time. Junior Grace Maletich was 17th (19:46.07), 1.79 seconds from 16th, followed by juniors Kaitlyn Bonfield (20th, 20:06.45) and Ashley Johnson  (22nd, 20:08.01) and seniors Zayna Jan (33rd, 20:37.90) and Jenna Murphy (36th, 21:07.39).

The Trojans (82 points) finished third and only were beaten by defending Class 3A state champion Glenbard West (20) and Hinsdale Central (52), the top-two rated teams in Class 3A who shared the overall conference title.

As for the Proviso West course, it was more like monsoon season. The meet was moved there from York’s East End Park home site because of too much standing water, but the Hillside course also had its share of muddy and wet areas, including a large puddle that runners had to trudge or try to elude through three times. Intermittent rain during Saturday’s races certainly didn’t help.

“It was really muddy and wet. I’m caked it dirt right now, but it was kind of fun to mix it up over there and have some puddles and mud and stuff like that,” Maletich said.

“We’ve had some similar (races), like when we’re at Hinsdale’s course (Katherine Legge Memorial Park),” Budach said. “They have the creek where you have to run through, but we haven’t had one this season that’s been this muddy.”

Moravec’s individual accomplishment was a well-earned present for hard work. She and Budach were the only runner not from Glenbard West or Hinsdale Central to place among the top 13.

Moravec and Budach were 18th and 33rd in the 2013 Silver race, respectively.

“Glenbard and Hinsdale went out knowing what they had to do and I went out knowing what I had to do so it all just kind of fell into place,” Moravec said. “I’m really happy. Last year I didn’t make the all-conference and this year I did and it’s pretty awesome. My goal actually was to be in the top 10 so I accomplished what I wanted to.”

Moravec was 10th at the mile and ninth at two miles before being edged in the homestretch by .32 by Hinsdale Central freshman Reilly Revord (9th, 19:11.32). Budach, known for moving up during races, was 16th at one mile and 13th at two.

“It was exciting because I didn’t have the best week at practice and I wasn’t really sure how I was going to do,” Budach said. “I just went into the race thinking about it as the fun mud run and I was going to run through the mud puddles and it would be OK. I was happy with how I did.”

Maletich and Bonfield had been all-conference the past two seasons. Maletich was 14th each of the past two years and Bonfield was sixth in 2012 and 11th last year.

Maletich knew she would be on the bubble this season, especially because only three of the 2013 all-conference finishers were seniors. Maletich was edged for the last all-conference spot by York freshman Erin Davies (16th, 19:44.28).

In all, four freshmen were all-conference Saturday, including three in the top 10 and two in the top five. At one mile, Bonfield and Maletich were 14th and 15th in a pack with Budach, and Maletich and Bonfield were 14th and 15th at two miles.

“The entire race it was back and forth. I was in top 16 and then I wasn’t,” Maletich said. “Right at the end I had it and then right at the very end (Davies) passed me. It sucks, but what can you do?

“It kind of played out the way it did. I feel it would have been the same way if we ran 3.0 miles or (the longer 3.04). It’s kind of how it was.”

All six Silver teams that competed in the varsity race Saturday have been ranked among the top 25 in 3A this season either by DyeStat Illinois or MileSplit Illinois. On Saturday, the Trojans finished comfortably ahead of York (100), Lyons Township (125) and Oak Park-River Forest (145).

Downers North ends up third in the final overall standings, a combination of Silver Meet and dual meet results. The Trojans were 4-2 in Silver duals, losing only to the Hilltoppers and Red Devils.

“I think we did well and we maintained our position in the conference, coming out with third. I was really happy with that,” Moravec said.

The Trojans now set their sights on returning to the 3A state meet for the second year in a row. Their journey begins with the Hinsdale Central Regional at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at Katherine Legge Memorial Park. That was the site of the 2013 sectional, where the Trojans ran their best race of the year to finish fifth and earned the last advancing team spot to state.

Downers North only needs a top-six finish Saturday to advance to the Marist Sectional Nov. 1. The field includes three other state-ranked teams – Hinsdale Central, Lyons Township, Downers Grove South – as well as Argo, Curie, Morton, Proviso East, Proviso West and individuals from Kelly.

-- by Bill Stone