Running conditions weren’t ideal for a morning DVC Boys Country Championship meet at Waubonsie Valley, as cold rain has been coming down all weekend. The Wildcats of Neuqua Valley are looking to defend last season’s title, while the rest of the conference looks to take them down. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Runners are stride for stride to start
As the runners began the three-mile journey, the rain only intensified. Naperville North’s Foster Shelbert went ahead of the pack in the first 400 meters as Neuqua’s Zac Close trailed.
With runners making their way in between the tennis and baseball fields battling their eyes from the rain, it is Close and Robert Glenn leading the way, with DeKalb’s Jacob Barraza and Ammar Bhanpuri trailing. Redhawk Tyler Browing making his way over the pavement. Metea’s Austin Brown is just outside the top five and Anthony Pastore trailing. Patrick Clune and Shelbert are stride for stride followed by Jack Robertz, and Nick Camp. Waubonsie’s Zach Self and Austin Mcinturff flirt with the top 20 in the first mile.
Approaching mile two, Close only grows his lead, and Bhanpuri gets ahead of Glenn for second place. Browing had a lead on Barraza who had an even bigger lead on Brown, as the rest of the participants followed behind him. Tony Hindlerliter and Joshua Nauman round the top 10.
Glenn is in the third spot, But Browing inches himself closer. Brown holds the lead he has over Pastore, Robertz Shelbert, and Clune with Hinderliter gaining ground. Ian French from Metea follows behind McInturff and self. Jack Graham, Julian Brozek, and Nick Kamp all pile up as they trail French.
Wildcats repeat as DVC champions
In the end, it’s Close who wins comfortably with a time of 15:27.20. Tyler Browing is in second at 15:44.6 and Bhanpuri rounds out the top three. Barraza gets in the top five representing DeKalb and Clune stretches across to edge out Brown for sixth place. Hinderliter picks it up in the end and beats out the herd of Naperville Central runners. Shelbert is at nine, while Robertz is the final runner in the top 10. Pastore and Rameez Abrar finish two seconds apart from one another at 16:29 and 16:27 for 11th and 12th place. Max Hengie leads the pack of Redhawk runners with Julian Brozek and Jack Graham taking 13th, 15th, and 16th. Self is the lone Warrior in the top 20 at 17 and Nathan Behr placed 18th. Kamp finishes 19th and Neuqua’s Jacob Lane rounds out the top 20 with McInturff just behind him.
Once again, the Neuqua Valley Wildcats repeat as DVC champions taking the win with a score of 38. As Close led the way in first place.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
