When Lincoln-Way Central’s Chris Kaminski turned around after finishing fifth overall in the cross country sectional, the senior saw a familiar sight.
“I saw a couple guys from our conference,” he said of the SouthWest Suburban.
Indeed Kaminski, along with Joliet Central senior Salvador Lazaro, and Joliet West junior Dan Treasure, staged their own mini SWSC race, finishing fifth, sixth and seventh respectively on Saturday at the Class 3A Edwardsville Sectional on the campus of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
Not only did the trio finish together in the top 10, they were within a second of each other. Kaminski had a time of 16:12.52, Lazaro was at 16:13.08, and Treasure was an eyelash behind at 16:13.42.
Kaminski’s time helped the Knights to a second place finish with 74 team points. O’Fallon, behind first place individual winner Patrick Perrier – who easily won with a course record time of 15:11, was the sectional champ with the top three placers and a team score of 33. Edwardsville (74) was third and Normal (125) was fourth. Joliet Central also qualified for the first time in school history with a fifth place finish of 159, beating out sixth place Minooka.
The battle between Lazaro, and Treasure was the latest in a long line of close races between the two.
“I was like ‘oh, it’s Treasure and I can’t let him beat me,’” Lazaro said of the stretch run of the race. “We’re pretty good buddies, but it’s a crosstown rivalry.
“We’ve been working really, really hard for this and it feels great to qualify as a team.”
Treasure’s time made him the top individual qualifier, not on a team, and helped Joliet West to an eighth place finish (237), which was 12 points behind Lincoln-Way East.
“This is a little longer course being a 5K,” Treasure said. This is my best time in a 5K race and I’m pretty proud of that. I was just trying to keep up with the top kids, but I’ve never beat [Lazaro]. He wouldn’t let me pass him.”
Lazaro corrected his crosstown friend, however.
“He beat me once,” Lazaro said of Treasure. “At our Joliet Central Invite [by 7 seconds on Sept. 14].”
But Kaminski edged them both.
“It feels great,” Kaminski said. “We have seven guys that are tough, we ran as a real tight group and I’m proud of them. I have high hopes for state.”
Tommy Kolacki (10th overall at 16:22), Ben Zibricky (16th at 16:32), Ian Peterson (21st at 16:37), and Jackson Waters (22nd at 16:40) were the top five for the Knights.
Joliet Central’s scores were rounded out by Raul Rosendo (12th at 16:29), Vince Moreno (31st at 16:56), Jose Aguilera (47th at 17:19), and Andre Martinez (63rd at 17:37).
Also qualifying individually was Gabe Ceballos from Minooka in 17th at 16:33.17, Matthew King from Thornwood in 18th at 16:33.83, and Kevin Anderson (16:41.57) and Matt Anyiwo (16:41.74) from Homewood-Flossmoor were 25th and 26th respectively. H-F finished ninth overall at 249.
The close finish between Anderson and Anyiwo has been the norm for the two.
“We were just pushing each other,” Anyiwo said. “I pulled him at the start and he did the same at the end.”
Anderson agreed.
“He [Anyiwo] usually gets out faster and I caught him in the second mile,” he said. “It feels amazing to get to state. It’s a lot of pressure off our backs.”
