Cross country is big at Sandburg.
Friends and family flock to see the team compete, a group of fans often run around with a huge Sandburg flag, and the Eagles can analyze the sport as well as they execute it.
Yes, cross country is big at Sandburg. Consider the way senior Martin Skucas talks about breaking down a race and what it takes to correctly run a course.
“Getting down the 800, how hard you have to go,” Skucas said. “Getting down the next mile, how hard you have to go. You have to really start pushing. Although you can’t see the finish, it’s really where you have to get gas on the pedal.”
A year after Sandburg won the Class 3A state title, the school that produced individual state champions Tom Graves and Lukas Verzbicas has another state contender in Dylan Jacobs ready to run Saturday at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
“I feel great physically,” Jacobs said.
The junior standout warmed up for the state final with victories at the Class 3A Sandburg Regional and Marist Sectional.
Jacobs clocked the best time in the regional (14:18) and the sectional (14:25) on the flat Midlothian Meadows course.
“I’m definitely trying to be more of a leader,” he said. “We’ve got young guys on the top seven. They need to learn how to get ready for these races because they’ll be doing it for a lot of years to come.”
Jacobs missed the state final last year because of a hamstring injury, but he was a big part of the team’s success during the 2015 regular season.
“The state championship team, that was a heck of a year,” Jacobs said. “Definitely learned from all the older guys, how much they helped me mature as a runner and as a person. It really helps individually now.”
Jacobs outraced Lyons’ Danny Kilrea and Vince Zona at the sectional, two runners Sandburg coach John O’Malley believes will be in the top five at state.
”It’s a good rivalry,” O’Malley said.
Although Sandburg likely isn’t in contention for a team trophy, the group that lost six of seven individuals from last year has made strides this season.
“It looks really different than it did last year, which is another thing you have to adapt to,” Skucas said. “It’s kind of cool going in as the underdogs. No one expects you. Everyone’s kind of putting you down.
“But we come out, we’ve got Dylan blasting from the gun. I’m right behind him. We’ve got Alex Szymanski behind me, all of our younger sophomores and freshmen behind him. It’s a really big family.”
Sandburg won its regional and placed fourth at the sectional behind Downers Grove North, Lyons and Hinsdale Central. Oak Park was one point behind Sandburg for the final qualifying spot.
“We’re really pushing ourselves,” Skucas said. “Coach O’Malley really helps us believe in ourselves. We wouldn’t think we’d go to state without the guys we had last year, but we’re doing it.
“First meet, times weren’t as good as we wanted, but we thought we definitely have potential. Let’s take what we learned last year and start applying it. We’ve definitely come a long way and still going to keep that rolling for state.”
Sounds like a Sandburg team.
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Tim Tierney is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.
BOYS STATE CROSS COUNTRY
CLASS 3A
Schedule: 2 p.m. Saturday at Detweiller Park, Peoria.
Team qualifiers: Lincoln-Way East, Sandburg.
Individual qualifiers: Josh English, Eisenhower, junior; Evan Mitchell, Lincoln-Way West, senior; Austin Ohm, Illiana Christian, junior; John Stiglic, Lincoln-Way West, sophomore; Ryan Taylor, Lincoln-Way West, junior; Caleb Washington, senior, Shepard.
CLASS 2A
Schedule: Noon Saturday at Detweiller Park, Peoria.
Team qualifier: Brother Rice.
Individual qualifier: Jazare Jones, Thornridge, senior.
CLASS 1A
Schedule: 10 a.m. Saturday at Detweiller Park, Peoria.
Individual qualifier: Adam Swanson, junior, Beecher.