When the boys cross country season started, Highland Park set goals of winning the Central Suburban North title and qualifying for state as a team.
Coach Steve Buti said the two ingredients to reach those goals will be an all-state performance from Brett Davidson and an improved effort from the Giants’ pack.
Davidson, a senior, ran a career-best 14 minutes, 43.3 seconds at the First to the Finish Invitational in Peoria on Sept. 12. The race was held on the same Detweiller Park course that will host the state meet Nov. 7. The Giants placed 16th out of 47 teams.
“This was a breakthrough race for us,” Buti said. “Brett had his best time by 30 seconds. This is how we have to perform to get to state. The pace [of the pack] is still too high.”
The key for both Davidson and the pack of Jonathan Rosenfeld, Nate Amster, Alec Glazier, Jose Reyes, Ben Bloom, Charlie Skurie, Matthew Casey and Alejandro Gutierrez is to pass a few more runners toward the end of the race than they have been, according to Buti.
Davidson said he picked up five spots in the last 1,000 meters in Peoria after setting a 14:45 goal. He said he anticipated keeping his pace under five minutes the first two miles.
“I went out with the fastest runners the first mile and kept up,” Davidson said. “I stayed with them the second mile. By the last 1,000 meters, I ran harder and passed two guys. In the last quarter mile I pushed myself harder and passed three guys at the line.”
Davidson did not qualify for Class 3A state last year but broke out during the spring track season to reach the Class 3A state meet in the 3,200. Over the summer, Davidson said he increased his weekly base training by 10 to 20 miles to average between 65 to 70 along with weight training.
“The strength training made a lot of difference,” Davidson said. “It helped me handle the stress of the higher mileage and pace.”
Rosenfeld said Davidson’s work ethic is noticed by everyone on the team, and it filters down to the other Giants.
“No one on the team is surprised by the times Brett’s turning in,” Rosenfeld said. “He gives 110 percent all the time. He’ll get us that low score and the rest of us have to push each other to pass guys.”
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @sadinsteve
