By Michael Newman

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Medinah, Ill --- In the first 200 meters of the Boys Varsity race at the Harvey Braus Invitational, Billy Thomas (Hoffman Estates HS) was running the way he was running in the 2013 indoor track season where he would lead from the gun. It was instant replay on Saturday as Thomas stormed to the lead. To his right Joseph Suarez (East HS, Plainfield) noticed what was happening and got right on his side.

“I usually take it out fast but he took the initiative,” Suarez said. “I just tried to stay with him.”

Within the first half mile, the two had built up a 50 meter lead on the rest of the pack led by Dan Cotton (Bartlett HS). Thomas had the lead as they passed the mile in 4:49. Suarez tried to push the second mile but Thomas would not let him go. It was the beginning of the third mile when Thomas opened up a 10 meter lead that he extended on a downhill incline of the course. The race was over at that point as Thomas crossed the finish line in 14:38, 13 seconds better than Suarez.

He missed the entire outdoor season after he came down with mono. That might have spurred him on to better things. People took notice last week after he ran 15:04 on a rugged Fenton course. His time Saturday was almost a minute faster at this meet than a year ago.

“I did have mono last year. I don’t make any excuses from that. It just has made me work harder,” Thomas said. “I really just want to get to the state meet and run as fast as I can.”

The team race was just exciting as the individual race. St. Charles East barely had the lead after three runners in over host Lake Park by one point. The difference was Lake Park’s fourth and fifth runners Lucas Bracher and Zachary Schwarz that gave the Lancers an eight point win over the Saints.

“We did not run in a pack like we did in Fenton. Today we were going for times,” said Lake Park coach Lance Murphy. “It’s a fast course. We wanted to get some fast times. We wanted to use this race to get ready for Peoria.”

The girls’ race was a matter of control which suited Lindsay Graham and Glenbard West just fine. Last week at the Hornet Red-Devil Invitational, Graham was content to try to get into a kicking battle with Hinsdale Central’s Alexa Haff. She learned her lesson and used what she learned in the girls’ varsity race.

After passing the 2 mile in 11:38, Graham left a pack led by Torree Scull (East HS, St. Charles) and Kendall Cast (Metea Valley HS, Aurora) and cruised to an eighteen second win. Lisa Luczak, who was 21^st at the mile, moved up beautifully the last half of the race to catch Cast at the line for third.

“Once I made the move (after the two mile mark) and it was working, I didn’t look back,” Graham said after her race. “I just wanted the race very badly. I know my move last week was not very effective. I needed to get distance before it came out to the end.”

Glenbard West, still without defending state champion Madeline Perez, controlled the race after the mile. To that point, Hoffman Estates had a slight lead on the Hilltoppers. West’s six other runners made moves in the second mile to put themselves in position for an easy team win scoring 45 points. It was a tight battle for second as St. Charles North held off Hoffman Estates by one point. Schaumburg was three points behind Hoffman Estates for fourth.

“With all the work that we did in the last week, I am happy with the performance that we got today from our team,” Hoffman Estates Kirk Macnider said.

“With missing Madeline and fifth runner Christiana Sedall out today, we had girls step up,” Said Glenbard West Coach Paul Haas. “Janie Nabholz ran in the sophomore race last week. She stepped up today and moved during the second mile. All of our kids did today. They all competed well today. What else can you ask for?”