In cross-country circles, the competition between Pat Joyce and Chris Brown has come to be known simply as ”the rivalry.”
Stevenson`s Joyce and Libertyville`s Brown are exceptional senior runners whose teams compete in the North Suburban Conference, assuring several meetings each year. Neither says he dislikes the other. Then again, they aren`t likely to double-date or take in a flick together anytime soon.
”Brown is a good runner,” Joyce said. ”I can`t knock him down, even though we do have a rivalry. He`s not my best friend or anything like that. We`ve had races where we`ve gotten into arguments, but it`s never been anything big. We`ve talked, but only after races and only little things like
`Congratulations.` ”
”It`s a good rivalry,” Brown said. ”Last year at the Palatine Invitational was the first time he ever beat me. It set me back. I settled down and beat him at conference and sectionals, but he won at state.
”He`s just beaten me in the places where it counts. He did it at state and I didn`t.”
Joyce was first in the 1991 cross-country finals while Brown came in third-even more fodder for the rivalry.
”I think the newspapers make more of the rivalry than it really is,”
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Stevenson coach David Noskin said. ”They know each other. They try to beat each other. There is a rivalry, but it`s not that intense.”
Besides high school competition, Joyce and Brown met last summer in California in a Junior Olympic race. Brown was fourth at 15:14 with Joyce
(15:16) was breathing down his neck.
”When I ran last year, I didn`t focus on Brown,” Joyce said. ”If I beat him, fine, but not if I come in 125th and he`s behind me.
”I want to win, not to beat Brown. If I take a loss to him I say, `Hey, I`ve got to go out better the next race.` ”
”I don`t think about him in races,” Brown said. ”We have a good rivalry. That`s not uncommon in cross-country. But that`s about it.”