Sage has top-notch day with boys title
BY MIKE CONSIDINE Daily Herald Sports Writer

PEORIA - State record holder Craig Virgin gave York senior Donald Sage and his teammates a pre-meet pep talk.

After the race, another Illinois distance running legend, Olympian Rick Wohlhuter, extended congratulations and talked about Sage's favorite runner, the late Steve Prefontaine.

There also was Sage's first individual state title and the Dukes' 20th state championship to consider.

All in all, Sage didn't mind that he wasn't able to break Virgin's state record Saturday in the Class AA race at Detweiller Park. He held off a career-best race from West Chicago senior Tim Keller (14:24), who took second.

"Winning the race was the ultimate goal," said Sage, who won in 14:03, 13 seconds off the record. "Setting the record would have been a bonus. I feel really good about all we've been able to accomplish."

All of York's five scoring runners were in the top 12 for just 24 points. The Dukes had 6 of the area's 12 all-state runners. Fifth-place Downers Grove North had two (205).

York coach Joe Newton said Sage expended all of his energy in the second mile.

"I knew he couldn't (do it) when his first mile needed to be 4:35 and he was at 4:40 or :41," Newton said, "but coming close to 14 minutes is pretty good. At the half(-mile), he was in about sixth. He had to struggle to get back up front. He was out of gas that last half-mile.

"Donald is the best I've ever coached in my 46 years."

Keller was second and Naperville Central senior Ryan Teising third with 500 meters left.

"(Sage) tried to put me away in the second mile and the third, too," Keller said, "but I kept going after him."

Teising surged to run down Keller, but his body gave out. He retained all-state status, but fell to 21st (14:57). As a team, the Redhawks placed 11th (315).

"That's how the state meet is, you have to go all-out," Naperville Central coach George Cyr said. "We've never had a bad state meet until today."

Led by a ninth-place finish by Brian Rae (14:41), Naperville North was 10th (300).

Downers North's Todd Quednau was 11th (14:45), and surprising Pat Bradley 18th (14:55).

Quednau ran his personal best by 30 seconds.

"I wanted to go out hard and not get caught in that hard (first) left turn," Quednau said. "I just relaxed until the big runners came up on me and then I chased them. It feels great to finish my career this way."

Trojans coach Will Kupisch said Bradley embodied the team's fighting spirit.

"It was one of the best experiences I've ever had," Bradley said of his first state meet. "I was ready because I knew we could do well."

Glenbard South sophomore Micah Van Denend (14:37) was surrounded by Dukes. York's Adam Palumbo (14:34) and Pete Cioni (14:36) were ahead of him and Adam Roche was behind (14:38).

"I wanted to stay up with (York's) pack," Van Denend said. "I kept working to catch up to them. In the final mile I was hurting. I kept trying work hard and pick off as many guys at the end as I could."

The Raiders' next four runners were within 18 seconds of each other as they tallied 210 points for sixth place.

"We were right in the mix," Glenbard South coach Andy Preuss said. "I thought we ran extremely well."

St. Francis turned in its best-ever finish in the Class A meet, taking fifth (188).

"We get everybody back next year except Bryan Moore," St. Francis coach Scott Nelson said. "We were ranked as high as third, but I think we held up pretty well."

The Spartans' lead runner Pat Quinn, one of five St. Francis sophomores, battled illness to place 31st (15:52) and Bryan Moore was 35th (15:53).

"I was very disappointed," Quinn said. "I was sick all week. I thought I was over it. We were hoping to get a trophy for a top-three finish, but we still ran well."