From the Sun-Times

VanDenend's dream run
November 4, 2001
BY TINA AKOURIS
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES STAFF REPORTER


PEORIA--The boys cross-country state final read like the plot of a feel-good movie. Glenbard South senior Micah VanDenend capped a stellar postseason with a come-from-behind win for the Class AA championship, leading the Raiders to the team title with 118 points Saturday at Detweiller Park.

Illiana Christian senior Paul Jellema won his second consecutive boys Class A title in 14:32, giving his coach, Phil VanNoord, a retirement gift.

"I think last year I was more nervous and didn't know what to expect, but this year I'm more relaxed,'' Jellema said. "It's still fun, but a tiny bit stressful.''

For VanDenend and Glenbard South, the state final capped a dream run in the season's last few weeks. VanDenend, who won the race in 14:19, returned from a stress fracture in his right leg to run in only five races this season, winning them all. And once the Raiders reached the postseason, they won the Suburban Prairie Conference meet, regionals, sectionals and finally state.

"Thank God,'' VanDenend said. "All I thought of was this being my [senior] year. Last year my goal was to come back at the end of the season and run and it didn't happen for me. My doctor, my family, my coach and my teammates are all very supportive and they all believed I could come back and achieve this.''

Besides VanDenend, other scorers for Glenbard South were senior Kevin Kulhman (23rd) and sophomores Eric MacTaggart (24th), John Mulrow (31st) and Kyle Nugent (97th).

In the biggest surprise, Geneva finished second with 198 points, ahead of Crystal Lake Central (210). Two-time defending champion York was fourth with 229.

Many Vikings runners did not believe they finished second, and some, like senior Dan Huling, cried when they heard the final tally.

"I was just like, 'What?' I thought we got seventh,'' Huling said. "I knew coming in here if we all ran good we could get third. I was going fifth in the [final] 200 [meters], and some kids passed me and I just died. I had nothing left.''

"It was amazing. I didn't think it would happen,'' Geneva senior Andrew McQuillan said. "We thought the top three would be a dream. I was stunned.''

VanDenend may have been just as stunned with his championship. He was in the lead pack the entire race, but he shared the lead with Lake Zurich junior Sam Romanoski and Edwardsville junior Stephen Pifer. VanDenend dropped back to third just past the mile-and-a-half mark and let Romanoski take the lead with Pifer in second.

VanDenend made his move with 500 meters to go. He passed Pifer and began to cut into Romanoski's lead, finally overtaking him with 200 meters to go. Romanoski finished in 14:23 and Pifer in 14:31.

NOTES: York coach Joe Newton, who won a record 21 state cross-country titles, announced he will return to coach the Dukes for another season in 2002.

*Class A team champion Eureka won its fourth consecutive state title, a record for Class A schools. York has the AA record with six consecutive titles from 1989-1994.