Evan Mitchell runs a cross country race with most of the field chasing him to the finish line.
The Lincoln-Way West senior has conference and regional titles to his credit, and he reached All-State status in Class 2A last year with a 15th-place finish at the state meet.
“It’s been great,” Mitchell said of his high school career. “Knock on wood, I’ve never really had a big injury. I’m really thankful for that.
“It’s fun because I’m running with my best friend, Ryan Taylor. He’s really put in the work this year. He’s really been pushing me. I haven’t had that in a while, somebody to make me work harder.”
West was moved up to Class 3A this year, and Mitchell showed Saturday he can handle the stronger competition. The Bradley-bound standout finished third (16:16) out of 206 runners in the rain-soaked Lockport Invitational at Dellwood Park.
Mitchell outraced Shepard senior Caleb Washington (sixth, 16:28), who was 26th in the 3A state meet last season. The top three Southland finishers also included Mitchell’s teammate Taylor, who was ninth (16:33).
State contender Neuqua Valley won the team title 122-138 over Wheaton North. The 26-team field had seven schools from last year’s 3A state final.
“I was behind two really good guys, (Oak Park-River Forest’s) Irwin Loud and (Neuqua Valley’s) Jake McEneaney,” Mitchell said. “I was really happy with it. It was kind of fun to run in this, too.
“Times don’t really matter in cross country. It’s all about place.”
At first, the Warriors being moved up to a new place — Class 3A — didn’t sit well with Mitchell.
“I was a little upset about it,” he said. “People would bring it up, ‘Are you going to be All-State?’ I’d be kind of nervous and get all mad about it.
“But I’m really hopeful. I think I should be All-State this year. It’s going to be a lot more challenging, but I’ve been putting in a lot more miles. Getting a lot more sleep, eating healthier, doing everything I can.”
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Mitchell thinks it will take running in the low 14:40s to finish among the Top 25 in the 3A final and earn All-State recognition.
Lincoln-Way East, Central and West should be among eight or nine schools to contend for five state meet spots at the Edwardsville Sectional.
Gaining ground: Lockport outran Lincoln-Way Central and West Saturday at the Porters’ invitational. Lockport was 13th, Central 14th and West 16th.
Dellwood Park also will be the site of the Oct. 15 SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue meet and the Oct. 22 Lockport Regional.
“I think we have a really good chance because we’ve been beating teams that we haven’t beaten in a few years,” Lockport sophomore Donovan Paske said. “Now that we’re finally getting together, I think we can do really good.”
Paske finished 36th and junior David Krzysiak was 58th to lead the Porters on Saturday. Cade Musich was 64th.
“It’s usually been me and Cade, and now David,” Paske said.
“I’m making my way up,” Krzysiak said. “I was running back with the sixth and seventh guys towards the beginning of the season, but I’m slowly making my way up.”
Coming up: The Jimmy Daniels Olympian Run Saturday at Rich Central will be the final large invitational in the Southland before conference meets on Oct. 15.
Tim Tierney is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.