L-R: Steven Krauklis, Xander Jacobson, Nick Bushelle, Taylor Soltys, Mark Derrick, Alekh Meka, Drew Smith
L-R (front): Coach Saul, Coach Rossi, Jimmy Riddle, Luke Verbus, Brian Morenus, Coach Vandersteen. L-R (middle): Aaron Beattie, Danny Pawola, Josh Budnik, Kevin Grady. L-R (back): Coach Janota, Mike Ruff, Connor Shields, Bryan Winek, Chris Derrick, Robert James, Coach Rohde
The 2007 meet may go down in history as being the greatest team race ever run by us. We went 1, 2, 3, 8, 12, and 13 without our number 2 runner, Jimmy Riddle. This was done vs. two teams who would later finish 4th and 6th at the State meet. Chris Derrick smashed the course record running 13:57. The meet was held at Lake Park and their course typically runs about 5 seconds slower than Detweiller. It was a perfect day to run with temperatures in the low 50’s and no wind. We took the a.m. off the day before for the first time this season and that little bit of rest worked wonders. Our JV and F/S squads also finished 1, 2, 3, in each of their races and we easily won all three team titles. It was this race that we began to realize we had a chance to win the 2007 State championship without Jimmy.
L-R: Danny Pawola, Connor Shields, Billy Klimczak, Brian Morenus, Bryan Winek, Luke Verbus, David Wing
We ran the 2008 conference meet at Sunrise Park in Bartlett. It was a sunny day with temperatures in the high 40’s. We managed to win all three levels again and had the individual champion in each race. We ran without Aaron Beattie, our number 2 guy, due to IT problems. We managed to finish 1, 3, 4 in the varsity race. Danny Pawola was the individual champion, winning by 20 seconds. St. Charles North was ranked 6th in the State at the time and had some very good runners. Because we won the conference title for the third time in a row, we got to keep the trophy.
- L-R (front): Coach Javaherian, Coach Vandersteen. L-R (middle): Matt Hill, Carlton Folster, Jordan Lagomarcino, David Wing, Luke Verbus, Jaffar Mahmoud, Josh Ferguson, Coach Janota. L-R (back): Coach Saul, Coach Rossi, Billy Klimczak, Josh Antonson, Al Merkley, Aaron Beattie, Andrew Tout
The 2009 Conference meet was as historic as it gets. We achieved the unlikely, finishing 1-7! The stars must have been aligned this day because I have never heard of this happening in any major meet in Illinois. The meet was again held at Sunrise Park in Bartlett and it was a sunny day with temperatures in the mid 40’s. I told Aaron to run his usual race and he immediately went to the front and stayed in that position until the end. Our pack behind him was instructed to wait until the 1.5 mile mark and then make a gradual move to try and pass any runners in front of them. Kyle Zankowski, from St. Charles North, was about 30 meters in front of our pack and we started to close the gap. By the time we hit the 2.5 mile mark, four of our guys were well in front of him and now it was a question of whether our 6th and 7th men could out-kick him at the end. With one final surge, both Jordan Lagomarcino and Josh Antonson moved past Zankowski and allowed us to finish with a perfect score. We knew at this point we had a special team.
Start of the 2006 Conference Race
Before the 2006 meet began, I told the top seven that every place would count, and it did! Chris Derrick and Jimmy Riddle placed 1st and 2nd with no challenge from anyone. Danny Pawola, Mike Ruff, and Brian Morenus all stepped in front of a competitor at the finish line to enable us to win our 3rd conference title in a nail-biter. We tied with WV, but our 6th man, Brian Morenus, was less than a second ahead of WV’s 6th man. The meet was hosted by Elgin High School at Lordes Park. To add to the drama, the officials had to confer with one another at the awards ceremony before announcing us as conference champions. The top 3 teams went on to finish 2nd, 5th, and 9th at the IHSA State Meet.
L-R (front): Kevin Pojman, Dan Box, Joe Bergelin. L-R (back): Ryan Miller, Rick Burke, Nick Dunn, Geoff Houtman
Our 2nd conference championship occurred on Waubonsie Valley’s home course in 2003. Led by the determination of our co-captains, Nick Dunn and Dan Box, we were able to hold off Waubonsie Valley to avenge an earlier season dual meet loss on this same course. Nick made a surge around 1.3 miles to break the pack and held off WV’s Durrell Williams to win the individual title. Geoff Houtman squeezed out a 3rd while almost getting DQ’d for flailing his arms at the finish. Senior Rick Burke and junior Joe Bergelin showed they could be counted upon to be our 4th and 5th men.
L-R: Mike Canino, Greg Wittendorf, David Walczak, Jeff Goode, Coach Dickerson, Evan Roberts, Matt Bailey, Nick Dunn, Coach Vandersteen
Our first conference championship occurred during the 2000 season. The meet was held at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles. We had five guys place in the top 15 to earn all-conference honors and had all seven men place in the top 20. The day was sunny and boasted 70 degree temperatures. This meet was the highlight of the season, for we just missed qualifying for State by finishing a close 6th at the Sectional meet. St. Charles East was the dominant program in the conference and for the ‘new guys on the block’ to win this meet was a huge breakthrough for us.
Paul Vandersteen
Jaime Janota
Steve Saul
Mike Rossi
