2014
Varsity Team State Rankings and quotes
Pre-Season Ranked #3 in the State by dyestatil.com
Pre-Season Ranked #4 in the State by ITCCCA
Pre-Season Ranked #6 in the
State by Il.MileSplit.com
6. Mahomet-Seymour
Head
Coach/coaches: Neal Garrison/Todd LaFond
Last
year's finish: State- 15th
Key
Returners: Alex Keeble (Jr.), Andrew
Walmer (So.)- 45th Jackson Powell (Sr.)- 137th, William Wolf (Sr.)
Projected
top 7: Keeble, Powell, Wolf,
Walmer, Gabe Pommier (So.), Brian Butcher (So.), Jack Hyde (Jr.)
Newcomers: Evan Burge, Joe Churm, Kyle
Sheehy
Coach
Garrison’s Take: Our team ran well this
summer, but not as many miles as in previous summers. We hope
this doesn't hurt us in the end. Our season goals are to fight to win
many of our invitationals and hopefully place in the top 10 at State.
We have a solid team full of runners with good character. They
are disciplined in their training and care about their teammates.
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Springfield Invitational Week
Week 1 Ranked #2 in the State by dyestatil.com
Week 1 Ranked #1 in the Sectional by dyestatil.com
Week 1 Ranked #3 in the State by ITCCCA
Week 1 Ranked #6 in the State by IL.MileSplit.com
2A
#3 Mahomet-Seymour opened op their season impressively dominating the
Boys race Saturday at Eastern Illinois University campus course. The
Bulldogs placed six runners in the first nine to easily win the team
race scoring only 22 points. 1A #8 Shelbyville finished second with 72
points. Mahomet’s Alex Keeble finished second finishing behind
individual race winner Caleb Hummer (Danville HS) by only a second
14:57-14:58. Even though their 1-5 split was 61 seconds, their 2-5
split was only 10 seconds.
#2
Mahomet-Seymour is a team to watch this fall. They put six runners in
the first nine to win the Charleston Invitational with only 22 points
more than 50 ahead of a good Shelbyville team. Alex Keeble will be in
the discussion of one of the top five runners in 2A this fall. Their
split on five was 61 seconds. However, their 2-5 split was only 11
seconds.
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Peoria Notre Dame Week
Week 2 Ranked #2 in the State by dyestatil.com
Week 2 Ranked #1 in the Sectional by dyestatil.com
Week 2 Ranked #2 in the State by ITCCCA
Week 2 Ranked #4 in the State by Il.MileSplit.com
Pre-PND invite quotes
There
are two smaller schools that I want to keep an eye on. Mahomet Seymour
is currently ranked second in 2A. They have looked strong in their
first two meets. Last week at Springfield, the Bulldogs only had a
fifty second split on their first five. Alex Keeble will be one of the
top 2A runners this fall. He could also be in the top ten in this race.
How they run in this race could define this team as they venture into
the rest of the season.
This
is an extremely deep field. We could see a large amount of runners
under 15 since the course conditions could be better than last week.
Runners that I would keep an eye on include Jon Klaiber (North HS,
Naperville), Pavlo Hutsalyuk (Lane Tech HS, Chicago), Devin Davies
(York HS, Elmhurst), Alex Keeble (Mahomet-Seymour HS), Sam Oh
(Stevenson HS, Lincolnshire), Henry Mierczwa (Maine South HS, Park
Ridge), Kyle Cepeda (Wheaton-Warrenville South), Sean Torpy and Tom
Brennen (Sandburg HS, Orland Park), Jack Carroll and Christian Swenson
(Loyola Academy, Wilmette), Peter Johnsrud (Oswego HS), Grant von der
Lippe (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights), Matt Norvell (Monticello HS), and
Eli Hill (University HS, Normal).
Post-PND
invite quotes
Peoria, Ill – It was like
night and day of the conditions of that of the Girls Race and then the
Boys Race at the Richard Spring Invitational at Detweiller Park
Saturday morning. The Varsity girls race was comforted by a before race
rain and overcast conditions. Within an hour between races, the sun
came out and the temperature jumped up to 76 degrees with humidity
climbing close to 90%. The overall times suffered as runners came
across the finish line saturated in sweat. It did not bother Zach Dale
(Conant HS, Hoffman Estates) and the #2 Carl Sandburg team. Both
responded with great performances in the Varsity Boys race.
Dale missed the opportunity
to run at the First to the Finish Invitational last weekend due to ACT
testing. The opportunity was there to run in this meet. “It is always a
lot more motivating when I have my fellow captains there,” Dale said
about running the meet without his team. “At the same time, I am used
to that like being at meets like Arcadia or meets like that”
Dale went out strong leading
the pack around the first half mile in a quick 2:14 first half. Jon
Davis (Oakwood HS, Fithian), Alex Keeble (Mahomet-Seymour HS), Matt
Periera (Lake Zurich HS), Dorrian Gordon (O’Fallon HS), David Rodriguez
(Hersey HS, Arlington Heights), and Graham Brown (Palatine HS). The
pack slowed down coming through the first mile in 4:45.
The pace slowed down
considerably going into the triangle and throughout the second mile.
Dale came out of the triangle surrounded by Brown, Rodriguez, and Davis
as the quartet passed the two mile in 9:43. Gordon was two seconds back
at 9:45. Keeble, Periera, and Sam Oh (Stevenson HS, Lincolnshire) were
another two seconds back.
The race began then. As they
made the turn behind the finish line, Dale made a concentrated effort
to separate himself from the rest of the pack. As they went down the
decline along Route 29, Dale had opened up a 20 meter lead on Rodriguez
and Gordon. The race was basically over at that point.
The drenched Dale crossed
the finish line in 14:29 for the win. On Wednesday, he broke the Coanat
course record at Busse Woods as he ran a solo 14:48 on that 3 mile
circuit. In his first invitational race of the year, he walked away
from the finish area satisfied.
“Today I just wanted to
stick on the leaders for the first mile and try to work that hill every
time I went through,” Dale said after the race. “I wanted to make a
move out of the triangle. My coach (John Powers) wanted me to make a
move coming up hill just like at state. Last year at state I was really
gassed the third mile. I used that as a motivation. I wasn’t as tired
today like I was at state.”
Dale’s last mile Saturday
was an impressive 4:46. His margin of victory was five seconds ahead of
a charging David Rodriguez. Dorrion Gordon was another three seconds
back in third. Jon Davis ran a five second PR at Detweiller finishing
fourth in 14:41. Alex Keeble ran a fantastic race finishing fifth right
on Davis’ side also running 14:41.
#2 Sandburg had the race won
at the mile mark. Sean Torpy was right in front with the leaders.
Sandburg’s top seven was all in the top 30. No other team could match
that kind of pack.
The Eagles dominated the
team competition with a low 64 points. In the 63 team field, there was
no other team that was in double digits. Their top five finished in the
top 21 individually. Sean Torpy finished eighth to lead Sandburg. His
brother Chris (12th), Max Lehnhardt (15th), Tom
Brennen (18th), and Martin Skucas (21st) were
close behind. Their split on five was 18 seconds. Those kind of splits
are how state meets are won.
“Our guys ran exactly how I
hoped they would. They were aggressive and then tough enough to finish
what they started. Like the 4 x 800, we are quite systematic in our
execution at Detweiller. The guys got out to the front and blitzed
through the 800 and the mile. While aware of the quality of the field,
they ran with fearlessness,” said Sandburg Coach John O’Malley. “We
have some things to work on. We have to work on phase 3 of the race,
which we were tough in but need to be more effective. We'll work on
some things out and continue to improve.”
Even though Sandburg
commanded the race on top of the team standings, the story of this meet
could have been the second place finish by 2A #2 Mahomet-Seymour.
Traditionally in this meet, it is a novelty if you see a 2A school in
the top five in the team standings of this traditionally 3A top heavy
meet. The Bulldogs were the exception to the rule finishing with 192
points ahead of 3A powers #8 Loyola Academy, #12 Hersey, and #7 York.
“Our team has been trying
for years to take small steps each year to get closer to the top of
each invitational we run. We know how amazing the other teams
that run at this meet are and in so many ways how great their programs
are year after year,” said Mahomet Coach Neal Garrison. “We finally
placed 10th last year as a team at the PND invitational last year and
were hoping for a better finish this year. We thought if
everything went very well that we had an outside chance of placing in
the top 5 teams. We really have to give credit to our alumni for
raising the standard each year and our current runners not in the top 7
pushing the others in practices and meets. It is paying off as
they placed higher than we would have imagined this year.”
Keeble’s 14:41 finish stamps
him as a runner to watch in the 2A race at state in November. Jack Hyde
(35th), Andrew Walmer (37th), William Wolf (47th),
and Brian Butcher (78th) were all within 33 seconds of each
other. Their overall split was 73 seconds.
“Our ten runners running the
varsity race gave it a great team effort helping each other throughout
the race. Andrew Walmer has been helping lead our runners in
closing the gap on Alex Keeble. Andrew ran a 12 second lifetime
best. William Wolf is coming off an injury and almost back to
full form,” added Garrison. “All of these guys have great character and
care a lot about their teammates. I think this is one of the main
reasons our team is having so much success.”
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East Peoria InvitationalWeek
Week 3 Ranked #2 in the State by dyestatil.com
Week 3 Ranked #1 in the Sectional by dyestatil.com
Week 3 Ranked #2 in the State by ITCCCA
Week 3 Ranked #2 in the State by Il.Milesplit.com
Week 3 Ranked #45 in the Nation by Milesplit.com
Week 3 Top 50 Individuals in the Nation by
Milesplit.com - Alex Keeble #38
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Open Week
Week 4 Ranked #2 in the State by dyestatil.com
Week 4 Ranked #1 in the Sectional by dyestatil.com
Week 4 Ranked #2 in the State by ITCCCA
Week 4 Ranked #2 in the State by Il.Milesplit.com
Week 4 Ranked #36 in the Nation by Milesplit.com
Week 4 Top
50 Individuals in the Nation by Milesplit.com - Alex Keeble #43
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Metamora Invitational Week
Week 5 Ranked #2 in the State by dyestatil.com
Week 5 Ranked #1 in the Sectional by dyestatil.com
Week 5 Ranked #2 in the State by ITCCCA
Week 5 Ranked #2 in the State by Il.Milesplit.com
Week 5 Ranked #35 in the Nation by Milesplit.com
Week 5 Top
50 Individuals in the Nation by Milesplit.com - Alex Keeble #46
Metamora Invite recap by dyestat.com
2A
#2 Mahomet-Seymour won the Boys team championship paced by the 1-3
finish by Alex Keeble and William Wolf. Keeble won the race in 14:51
nine seconds ahead of Jake Gillum. It was a close team battle as the
Bulldogs held off host Metamora 50-68. 2A #8 Springfield finished third
with 101 points.
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Conference Week
Week 6 Ranked #2 in the State by dyestatil.com
Week 6 Ranked #1 in the Sectional by dyestatil.com
Week 6 Ranked #2 in the State by ITCCCA
Week 6 Ranked #2 in the State by Il.Milesplit.com
Week 6 Ranked #35 in the Nation by Milesplit.com
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Regional Week
Week 7 Ranked #2 in the State by dyestatil.com
Week 7 Ranked #1 in the Sectional by dyestatil.com
Week 7 Ranked #2 in the State by ITCCCA
Week 7 Ranked #2 in the State by Il.Milesplit.com
Week 7 Ranked #43 in the Nation by Milesplit.com
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Sectional Week
Final Ranked #2 in the State by dyestatil.com
Final Ranked #1 in the Sectional by dyestatil.com
Final Ranked #2 in the State by ITCCCA
Ranked #2 in the State by Il.Milesplit.com
Ranked #32 in the Nation by Milesplit.com
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State Week
State Week Ranked #2 in the State by ITCCCA
Alex
Keeble (Mahomet-Seymour HS) ran 14:41 to finish in the top 5 at the
Richard Spring Invitational. He did not finish the state meet a year
ago because he was ill. I am sure that has motivated him to be one of
the top runners in 2A this season. He will be a factor up front.
Overview – People start to take
notice of Mahomet-Seymour after they finished second in the high
powered Richard Spring Invitational against some tough 3A schools. Now
they are ready to take their biggest test of going after a state
championship. The Bulldogs will have the strong front runner with Alex
Keeble. He should be in the top 5 in this race. William Wolf has
stepped up as a strong #2 runner for this team. In the last four races,
he has been within nine seconds on the average to Keeble. He may be a
little farther back on Saturday, but he should be finishing in the top
15. The 3 to 5 split for Mahomet has been 20 seconds the past few
weeks. The key is to have that within 15 seconds of Wolf for the
Bulldogs to leave Detweiller Park with the state championship trophy.
Past Team Rankings and Quotes