Minnesota's Shane Streich (above) winning the Minnesota D1 State Championship race last November. Streich ran the nation's third fastest time in winning the 800 Meter Run Saturday Night at the Midwest Distance Classic in Lisle. (File Photo).

Minnesota state champ has epic night with US #3 800 win; Anderson runs US #2 2k Steeple

By Michael Newman

DyeStat Illinois Editor

[email protected]

Lisle, Ill – Opportunity and excitement were in the air late Saturday afternoon as athletes and fans filed into the Benedictine University Track Complex for the renewal of the U.S. Army Midwest Distance Classic. Storm clouds and high humidity were also in the air. Benedictine University officials called a lightning delay that caused a delay of the start of the meet until 9:00 PM almost 2 hours after it was scheduled to start.  The storms that hit the area frightened away some fans and athletes from the meet. Those who stuck around were in for a treat with some great races and times.

Shane Streich (Waseca HS MN) turned in some great performances in a span of less than an hour on the rain soaked Benedictine track. The future University of Minnesota student / athlete was one of the favorites in a loaded field of the Boys 800. University of Nebraska and former Naperville Central runner Sam Bransby was the designated pacer taking the pack out in a quick 26.2. Ty Moss (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville) and Pavlo Hutsalyuk (Lane Tech HS, Chicago) were less than a second behind. Streich hung back in the pack with Eric Brown II (Wisconsin Lutheran HS WI). The pace did not lag on the second 200 as Bransby pulled the pack through in a quick 53.7. Streich passed Moss to take the lead as Bransby pulled off the track coming off of the curve.

Streich started to push the pace on the back stretch with Hutsalyuk close on his shoulder. Moss responded a little too late and was three steps back. As the trio passed in 1:22, Streich made a move on the curve adding distance between him and Hutsalyuk. The race was his on the final straightaway as he crossed the line with the nation’s third fastest time so far this season (1:49.73). Brown II, a last minute entrant, moved off the curve from fourth to capture second (1:50.86) running the third fastest time ever for a Wisconsin prep runner. Moss and Hutsalyuk finished third (1:51.25) and fourth (1:51.28) achieving season’s bests.

“I knew there were going to be guys here that would be nipping at my heels. I wanted to go out in 54. It was nice to have a pacer,” Streich said after the 800. “I got boxed in right away in the first 200. I was able to get out and pick it up. The 600 I came in right as I wanted to. I just had to gut it out and finish which I did.”

Streich’s evening was not through. He came back less than an hour later to run in the 1600 Meter Run. He was feeling the effects of his 800 race as he was in the back of the pack. Ryan Clevenger (Downers Grove North HS IL) tucked in behind the pace setter going through the first 400 in a quick 60.6. As Clevenger passed by the 800 in 2:05.2, Streich was making his way up through the pack putting himself in good position in second.

The pack was starting to get closer to Clevenger and Streich on the back stretch as they approached the 1000. Sean Torpy (Sandburg HS, Orland Park IL) was the runner that was making the biggest push taking the lead as they passed through with 600 meters to go in 2:38. The junior passed the bell lap in 3:09.7 opening up close to a ten meter lead on the pack led by Streich and Clevenger. He would not be challenged the rest of the way winning in a personal best 4:09.85. Jacob Simmons (Sturgis SD) made a huge move in the final 400 meters moving from sixth to finish second (4:12.81). It was Clevenger next finishing third. Streich was next in fourth.

“We had a great pacer that knew what he was doing. I just wanted to sit back a little early. Even though I was tenth it was going to get me by in 2:05ish,” Torpy said. “On the third lap I started moving up a bit and decided to take off.”

One of the most exciting races of the evening was the Boys 3200 Meter Run. As the pace setter stepped off the rack after pulling the pack through the first 1600 in 4:28, Thomas Pollard (Gilbert IA) responded pushing the pace and trying to separate himself from his competitors running laps five and six in 67.5 and 67.2. In the final 800 meters, Dylan Hodgson (Washington KS) started to cut the gap down between him and Pollard getting closer to the leader with each stride.

Hodgson closed the gap taking the lead on the curve with 150 meters to go in the race. It was Pollard that found another gear repassing Hodgson in the last ten meters to cross the line in season’s best 8:56.06 for the win. Hodgson was a close second running a huge personal best (8:56.34). John Nownes (Omaha NE) was also under nine minutes as he finished third (8:58.61). Ben Eidenschink (Nekoosa WI) and Jon Davis (Oakwood HS, Fithian IL) finished fourth (9:02.18) and fifth (9:07.04).

One of the biggest surprises of the night was in the Boys 200 Meter Steeplechase. Michigan Division 4 State Champion in the 800 and 1600 Luke Anderson (Harbor Beach MI) is a novice in this event. This meet was his first time competing over the barriers. That did not seem to bother him. He bolted to the lead at the gun. It was a lead that he would not relinquish. He crossed the line with the nation’s second fastest time (6:01.79) winning by eleven seconds ahead of Ryan Onders (Shaker Heights OH).

“It was a wild goose chase of sorts because I did not know how fast to go out,” Anderson said after his race. “By the third lap, I had felt like Mike Tyson had punched my arms a few times. I was not really that comfortable. I was just waiting for the bell to ring metaphorically speaking waiting for the race to be over.”

There was no real drama in the Girls 1600 Meter Run. Audrey Belf (Birmingham MI) used the race as a tune up for next week’s Brooks PR Meet in Seattle. She had help at the beginning by a pace setter pushing her through the first 400 in 67 seconds. Belf was on her own after that. She won easily by sixteen seconds (4:44.79) ahead of second place Kathryn House (Loyola Academy, Wilmette IL). House pulled away from Brooke Wilson (Prospect HS, Mt Prospect IL) to run 5:00.33 some two seconds ahead of Wilson (5:02.62).

“I knew this would be a mental battle throughout the race. I was glad the pacer was there. It was something totally unexpected,” Belf said. “After the first 400, it was keeping it strong after that. I wish I could have finished stronger bit it is hard when you are all alone. I gave it everything I had but it has given me tremendous confidence heading into Brooks next week.”

Karina Liz (Aurora IL) stepped away from her usual strategy in the Girls 800 Meter Run of pushing the pace early and then holding on. She stayed on the shoulder of Alyssa Goesch (Germantown WI) for most of the race. Liz passed Goesch in the final 100 Meters to record a 2:13.42 winning time a second ahead of Goesch (2:14.40). Jennifer Lichter (Aquinas HS, LaCrosse WI) pulled away from the small field of three in the final 122 meters to win the 3200 Meter Run (11:02.68). She was twelve seconds ahead of second place Ave Gosenheider (Edgewood HS, Madison).

The most unfortunate action of the meet was in the early stages of the Girls 2000 Meter Steeplechase. Abbie Wright (Louisville KY) and Hailey Deitsch (Shawnee KS) went over the first water barrier 300 meters into the race. When Deitsch landed, she crumpled to the ground injuring her Achilles and unable to continue. Wright was on her own after that running 7:22.53 to win the event.