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newlenoxpatriot.com SPORTS
The New Lenox Patriot | November 8, 2018 | 45
Cross Country
Central’s Englert runs career best at state meet
Kreis, Allen have
uncharacteristic
performances
Tim Cronin, Freelance Reporter
Lincoln-Way Central’s
two boys entrants had a
mixed showing at the 3A
state race on Saturday, Nov.
3, in Peoria.
Senior Andrew Englert
finished 57th in a careerbest
15:07.73 (and also set
a career best at the two-mile
split), but junior Jared Kreis
fell off the pace midway
through the race and placed
123rd in 15:31.43.
“I just wanted to go out
there and have my best
showing,” Englert said. “It
was my last race and I knew
it. I tried to soak up every
moment as much as possible.
I wanted to hang up with
guys as long as possible. It
worked out pretty well.
“I know Jared had a tough
race. I can’t give him enough
credit for getting out there
and helping me and the rest
of the guys train well.”
Lincoln-Way Central’s
Merrigan Allen had a tough
time in the Girls 3A race.
She got out slowly by her
standards, was shuffled to
the back of the pack quickly,
and could never catch up,
finishing 201st in the field of
209, timed in 19:25.99.
Brett Gardner ran three
miles on Saturday looking
like someone in complete
control of his race. The Lincoln-Way
East junior started
quickly, kept up the pace,
and finished 14th in the Boys
3A championship race, his
career-best time of 14:42.34.
In that regard, he fulfilled
the promise shown as
a freshman two years ago,
when he ran the same Detweiller
Park layout in 15:11
and grabbed a 66th place
finish while teammate Noah
Healy finished 24th and
scored all-state recognition.
That was Gardner’s goal
last year, but illness slowed
him by eight seconds and
dropped him to a 76th place
finish.
He can cast that from his
memory after Saturday’s
showing, even though he
again wasn’t 100 percent.
This time, things worked
out.
“I went out a little but fast,
then did what I wanted to
do,” Gardner said. “It’s the
end of the season and I’m a
little bit banged up, but no
excuses. I ran hard and I’m
pretty happy with how I did.
I’m very content.”
Gardner was past of the
huge lead pack that came
up the first uphill straightaway
like a pack of hornets,
but was smart to be on
the edge of it, the left edge,
which gave him a better line
through the left-hand corner
that followed.
“I just had my hands out,
making sure I had room
around me, and keep from
getting tripped,” Gardner
said. “I got spiked a couple
times – I felt that early – just
kinda ignored it. It’s three
years in a row that’s happened.”
Gardner didn’t want to
hear times from his coaches
around the track, but positions.
“I slowly moved my
way up from 24th to 18th
to wherever I finished,” he
explained before knowing
his 14th-place spot. “When
you’re running in a big race
like this, it doesn’t matter
how fast you run, it matters
what place you’re at. Against
people who all run really fast
times, it’s how you finish.”
East coach Ross Widinski
was tickled with Gardner’s
run.
With a career-best time of 15:07.73, Lincoln-Way Central’s Andrew Englert pounds for the finish line in the boys’ 3A
championship race on Saturday, Nov. 3, in Peoria. Photos by Tim Cronin/22nd Century Media
Sophomore Merrigan Allen (No. 2085) is off the starting line and about to be swallowed up in the field in girls’ 3A title race.
“The last quarter-mile
was a little rough, but he got
through it,” Widinski said.
“He kind of started back a
little bit – that was his race
strategy, and worked his way
up over the course of the first
mile. We watched a couple
of earlier races, and the first
person around the first turn
didn’t win. We wanted to be
conservative, but conservative
is a relative thing. We’re
talking about a couple seconds.
“We’re proud of him. His
goal this year was all-state.
He accomplished his goal.
He’s got bigger things for
the next couple years here.
Everyone who gets here
works so hard, but I don’t
think anyone works any
harder than Brett does.”