HIGHLAND PARK TEAM IS GOING TO STATE!

The day did not start well for the Giants.   The top 7 had to get a ride in Coach Caines' car to Busse Woods while the rest of the team had to find rides to the meet.   Once we got there Coach Buti was feeling good about our lucky box number...23 (MJ).    As the gun went off (which caught some people off guard due to some poor instructions from the officials) the team was able to get out well until junior Angel Estrada went down around 300 meters.   He was able to pop back up quickly after a roll but lost some crucial ground after his great start.    Seniors Jonah Hanig and Emmett Smith also got out well and into good position with Luke Nudelman not far behind.   Sophomore Ben Casey (whose hip has been bothering him this week) also had a solid start.   Sophomore Brady McDougall and junior James Rector got out closer to the back of the pack with hopes of moving up throughout the race.   

Hanig battled tough through the first half of the race but started losing ground on the leaders and members of the chase pack as the race progressed.   He started to cramp up during the final mile, but fought through it to finish in 10th place (15:29.87).   Smith was hoping to finish in the top 15 and try to put himself in position to earn an individual qualifying spot to State but was not able to close as strong as he would have liked to and finished in 21st (15:44.35).    Estrada did not move up much during the 2nd mile, but made up an incredible amount of time and positions in the final mile (especially the final 400) to finish in 23rd place (15:46.19).   Nudelman battled hard but faded a bit in the second half of the race.   He was still able to push hard through the last 400 and not allow many people to pass him as he finished in 68th place (16:29.00).    Casey had a much better race then Regionals and focused on trying to stay relaxed as he pushed throughout the race and was able to finish in 81st (78th team score 16:34.58).   McDougall moved up throughout the race and finished in 130th (17:07.5) and Rector was 150th (17:33.55).  

After the race the team and coaches were pretty disappointed in the performance.   At that point we knew Hanig had qualified, but it was not looking good for the team or any other individuals to make it to State.   After a long wait, Coach Caines was told that "we were in"....he could not believe it at first.    Once he confirmed this to be true the team went wild.    It was a roller coster of emotions after being so distraught just moments earlier to being elated and in shock once we heard the news...5th place!    The team scored 200 points (which is very high even for a tough Sectional like Schumburg) just 12 points ahead of Buffalo Grove, who beat us a week earlier at Regionals.  

One thing we have talked about with the team during the state series is to do what you can even if you are not having your best race...as they say at Paavo "Run Hard When It Is Hard To Run!".   The Highland Park Boys Cross Country Team did just that!   Despite not running a great team race, the Giants did what they needed to so that they could make it to the State Meet.   Each man had to do their part today for the team to qualify.   If any of them were not able to battle as tough as they did, Highland Park would not be going to State.   Now, the hope is that the team can go into the State Meet feeling relaxed, focused, and ready to run their best TEAM race of the year and show everyone how good of a team Highland Park really is!     GO GIANTS!