June 12, 2010
Benedictine University; Lisle IL
Start time: 6p
Meet website: http://www.runnerspace.com/GALA

Can you guess which of the following is a true statement: A) not a single Illinois boy or girl distance runner 800-2m is ranked among the top 25 nationally; B) typically bad weather put a damper on fast times; C) the starpower effect has yet to strut their stuff; D) all of the above.  There is no real answer to why the kids in the land of Lincoln have been noticeably off of the radar.  However, the Mercury should be comfortably in the mid-70s throughout the evening, which will provide for a splendid time for competitors and fans.

The fields-

800m field (top seed (s) plus key IL competitors)-
Meet record: Danny Neff (Ohio- 2009) 1:50.02
Top seed: Austin Mudd (Center Grove IN)
Nathan Prom (Dundee-Crown)         
Justin Lee (Springfield HS)             
Dominique Manley (Collinsville)                      
Joe McAsey (Minooka)                
Steve Blazer Oak Park (Fenwick)       
David Eckhart  (Park Ridge Maine South)             
Zachary Young (Aurora Marmion Academy)               
Angelos Karkalis (Rolling Meadows)          
Alcaeos Bolaris (Chicago St. Ignatius)                            
Tim Pollard (LaGrange Lyons Twp)          
Samuel Telfer (LaGrange Lyons Twp)          
Alex Brend (Lake Zurich)            
Francisco Soto (Lake Zurich)            
Outlook: Mudd, the junior from Center Grove HS, should be considered the favorite here after tearing through the Indiana State last weekend.  Mudd possesses fine tactical points in his running game along with a killer kick that may aid him should someone come out of nowhere to steal the race.  Also, his US#10 mark says enough to thwart any wise guys. Keep an eye on Gabriel Genovesi of Wisconsin.  He is more of a long sprinter type, but in a one-shot deal he could be dangerous as his 1:51.23 attests.  Manley has come on like gangbusters this season after slowly gaining stature and fame on the underground scene before finally dispatching more heralded half-milers at the IL state championships.  Although Manley ran 1:53 and placed 9th in the 2009 3A state championship, he was still considered a long shot to be among the top 800m runners in Illinois.  Now, after dropping his personal best to 1:52.30 (IL #1) on two days of hard racing, he should feel fresh and ready to bust a jaw dropping effort Saturday evening.  Others to watch will be state runner-up Prom.  Prom (IL #4 1:53.56) has emerged from a solid Dundee-Crown program that hails the shelved phenom Anthony Manfrin.  Mr. Prom could further make an impact on the field by the end of the night.  McAsley (IL #6 1:53.90), A. Karkaris (IL #9 1:54.30) are armed and dangerous. And don’t sleep on strong 4x8 runners Lee, Soto, and Telfer.  Now, it’s their time to shine under the bright lights.

Boys 1 Mile Run-
Meet record: Rob Finnerty (Burnsville MN- 2008) 4:01.09
Top seed: Taylor Wardell (Appleton WI)          
Matthew Schacht (York)                                
Jack Driggs (York)               
Jacob Waterman (Wheaton North)                
John Seeberg (Loyola Academy)                       
Sergio Miranda (Romeoville)           
Andrew Smith (York)               
Paul Zeman (Belvidere North)                          
Kyle Smith (Minooka)                         
Matthew Schacht (York)       
Kyle Zankowski (St. Charles North)                 
James Waterman (Wheaton North)                          
Justin Rehfeldt (Rockford Christian)                          
Mike Moore (LaGrange Lyons Twp)                                
Kulayifi Haji (Chicago Lane Tech)                
Malachy Schrobilgen (Oak Park-River Forest)               
Khushpal Sangha (York)               
Peter Hogenson (Oak Park-River-Forest)
Outlook: this event may not be as strong as in past years with a stud miler who can output a 4:02, but sub-4:10 are very feasible by several in the field.  The unfortunate scratch of Michigan’s Omar Kaddurah (due to silly association rule) will put a serious damper on possibly a show-stopping individual performance.  The fan faithful will have to make do with Wardell’s 4:10 credentials.  If pushed, he and several others could get under 4:08.  Florida’s Colin Barker did not make the long trip to settle for 4:10.8- his personal best.  Expect a lot more from him.  Driggs (left photo in front green) will be a big threat for the home state because of his closing speed.  Will Class A’s Rehfeldt finally unleash what he is capable of in a fast field?  The rest of the 4:15-20 milers will be gunning for big PR’s.

Boys 2 Mile Run-
Meet record: Lukas Verzbicas (Lincoln-Way Central IL-2009) 8:53.98
Top seed Ryan Dohner (Spring TX )                           
Nico Composto (Loyola Academy)                
Noah Graboys (New Trier)                
Mark Donohue (Loyola Academy)            
George Davros (Skokie Niles West)            
Kevin Jacobs (Rockton Hononegah)                
Drew Kerschieter (Normal Community West)            
Photis Karkalis (Rolling Meadows)           
Patrick Smith (Loyola Academy)
Outlook: The overall field is large even if the homestaters come in with a rather small contingent.  Composto will lead the brotherhood with a swift 9:03.50 (IL #1) that was achieved in mid May.  He didn’t contest the event during the state series, but should be ready to pop another outstanding time after putting up some solid 1600m marks (4:15s).  His main foe will be Dohner from the Lone Star state and his backbreaking 8:59.14. Oh, and Matt Jablonski from Maryland has a road-blocking 9:02.00 (US #1 for Two-Miles). Illinois has never played in a secondary position on its home turf- and it won’t happen either despite Texas having three of their top deuce runners in the field.  Graboys is capable of eclipsing his 9:15 seasonal mark as is Composto’s teammate Donohue.  Davros had a bad state meet but has clocked 9:19 as did Jacobs. This race could turn out to be a real thriller.

-Girls’ field-

Girls 800m-
Meet record: Jami Hill (Onalaska WI- 2008) 2:09.14
Top seed: Laura Roesler (Fargo ND)               
McKinzie Schulz (Lisle Benet Academy)            
Michelle Frigo (York)                        
Jahnell Horton (Evanston)               
Rachel Price (Loyola Academy)               
Katie Porada (Lisle Benet Academy)                        
Michelle Dobbs (Rochelle)               
Kaileen Healy (Lisle Benet Academy)                
Brittany Schwarz (Dixon)                  
Rebecca Zaiter (York)
Outlook: Ms. Do-It-All Laura Roesler has the versatility that every track and field coach in America loves.  She can run virtually every event on the track… with supreme authority.  It is utterly scary to think that the future Oregon Duck has a national ranking in the 100-400m dashes.  Unfortunately for her foes, they are going to get a taste of her best event: the 800m and the US# 2 2:05.76.  It may very well be Roesler pushing aside the rabbit and the meet record.  It’s hard to think that Schulz (left photo) has only the 99th best mark coming into the fray.  Despite health and personal issues, she has run a solid 2:12.82.  This will be Schulz’s last high school competition before she heads off to Notre Dame in the fall- and it will be one that she will never forget.  Horton and Frigo are nearly identical with IL#7 2:13.30 and IL#8 2:13.53 marks.  Frigo edged Horton at the state championship and both are sophomores who will more than likely duel on the state and national level for several more years.

Girls Mile-
Meet record: Stephanie Brown (Downs Tri-Valley- 2009) 4:50.12
Top seed: Emma Brink (KY)                            
Margaret Connelly (Oak Park Fenwick)          
Marie O'Leary (Normal Community)            
Molly Dahlquist (Peoria Notre Dame)                                
Megan O'Brien (Lockport)               
Natalie Kaminski (Loyola Academy)            
Jaime Mitsos (Homer Glen IL Jr. High)         
Marnie Kinnaird (Oak Park-River Forest)
Outlook: a small field but a quality one led by Brink and her 4:52 credentials.  Connelly will come into this affair well guarded and looking for vindication after a bittersweet 2010 regular school season.  Consider the fact that she put together a great outdoor campaign that included huge personal bests in the 3200 and 1600 (IL #11 5:01.95).  Connelly gambled at her state championship by scratching the 1600m so she could run the 3200m fresh, but was narrowly edged out of an all-state medal by one spot.  Now, she and O’Leary will be putting all of their energy into one race.  Hopefully, they will come up with aces.  Dahlquist will be there as well toting a 5:03 personal best.