Dylan Jacobs has often thought what it would be like to win an individual cross country state title.
“National races are awesome,” he said. “But to be a state champion, that’s something you dream of once you start running.”
The Sandburg senior is expected to be a top contender Saturday for the Class 3A title at Detweiller Park in Peoria. Jacobs finished third last year behind Minooka’s Soren Knudsen, the state champ, and Lyons’ Danny Kilrea.
“That was the goal even last year, and last year I came up short,” Jacobs said. “That was kind of the focus this year.”
Knudsen graduated, which left Kilrea and Jacobs as the top returnees. Kilrea beat Jacobs early in the season at the Lyons Invitational and Jacobs outraced Kilrea to win the Hinsdale Central Sectional by eight seconds.
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Their final high school cross country matchup should be the feature attraction of the state meet.
“We’re friends off the course, but on the course we’re competitors,” Jacobs said. “We both love to win. We both love racing against the best. I know he probably wasn’t happy with the (sectional) race, just like I wasn’t early in the year at Lyons.
“I know we’ll both be going for each other at state. It’s going to be a fun weekend.”
Sandburg coach John O’Malley believes Jacobs and Kilrea will look back at their battles for a long time.
“They’ll remember each other 30 years from now,” O’Malley said. “Going through the college recruiting process together, they’ve been racing each other for three years. They were the super sophs. I think they’ve made each other better, for sure.
“It’s been fun watching them. They’re both really great, tough kids, great character.”
Other top 3A runners include Young’s Clayton Mendez and Barrington’s Nick Laning, both sectional champions, and Maine South’s Tommy Brady, a sectional runner-up.
“Everyone in the state you have to worry about,” Jacobs said. “Anyone can race on any given day. Anything can happen. If they’re feeling good, they’re going to go out and run really well.
“I just need to focus on myself and focus on my team and hopefully we do the best there and we come away happy.”
Sandburg placed fifth in the Hinsdale Central Sectional to earn a team qualifying spot for state. The affable Jacobs congratulated both teammates and rivals in the chute after the sectional race.
“Dylan is just a happy person, so we’re going to be happy,” O’Malley said. “We’re going to be really excited about the opportunity and be happy about it.”
Lockport is happy about returning to the state meet as a team for the first time since 2009.
Led by senior Cade Musich, two juniors and four sophomores, the Porters finished second to Yorkville at the Granite City Sectional.
Lincoln-Way East sophomore Brett Gardner could be a contender for top 25 and all-state status.
In 2A, Illiana Christian senior Austin Ohm raced to the Wheaton Academy Sectional title and should be among the top state finishers. Illiana was in 3A the past two years because of the IHSA success factor.
Tim Tierney is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.