STORY: DGN at Minooka Invitational (varsity)

Downers Grove North sophomore Ryan Birkmeier had enough motivation just running again for the varsity at the Minooka Flight Invitational Saturday, Oct. 19.
There was a little added incentive if he could actually win his No. 7 flight race.
“I wanted to get the T-shirt because I heard that it says champion on the back,” Birkmeier said.
Birkmeier set the tone for a solid day by the Trojans in the format that combines the results of seven flight races.
Junior Alec Danner was second in the No. 1 flight (15:15.77 for 3.0 miles) with the second fastest overall time at the invite.
Senior Robby Prescott won the No. 2 flight (15:31.96) with the third fastest overall time, followed in time by sophomore Nick Chudzik (6th at No. 4 flight, 16:12.45), Birkmeier (16:14.91), sophomore Jacob Ridderhoff (6th t No. 3, 16:27.44), junior Andrew Marek (5th at No. 6, 16:43.74) and senior Nick Torres (5th at No. 7, 16:48.58).
The Trojans (26 points) finished second to Hoffman Estates (17) and just ahead of Class 2A power Yorkville (27) and Minooka (28).
All seven Trojans earned individual medals for being among the top 10 at flight No. 1 and the top five at the other six flights. Birkmeier won his flight by 7.16 seconds. Prescott won by 4.33 seconds.
“I kind of felt like I maybe could have won (my flight going in),” Prescott said. “I didn’t really know anybody in the heat, but I kept it in the back of my head and just went out there and raced my race.”
Special championship T-shirts only can be earned by winners of any race at the invite. Birkmeier and Prescott were joined by senior Rocco Manzo, who later won the open race in 16:34.
“That helped motivate to just finish the race in first,” said Birkmeier about his first flight race. “It was pretty cool (to win). I didn’t know if I was going to win coming into it.”
“Not really (too much motivation),” Prescott added. “I just kind of had that thought in my head that it would be cool to get a T-shirt. As soon as I crossed the finish line, it hit me, ‘Ooh. I got a T-shirt.’ ”
Danner only was beaten by Minooka junior Soren Knudsen (15:10.21), 163rd at the 2014 state meet as an individual qualifier. Hoffman Estates senior Bryan Gamboa, third in the No. 1 flight (15:42.28), would have also finished third in the No. 2 flight, 10.32 seconds behind Prescott.
Last year, Danner was fourth in the No. 2 flight at Minooka (15:55). Prescott ran in the No. 7 flight at the invite as a late substitute. He finished 11th in 17:21.
“I did all right,” Prescott said. “I wasn’t really supposed to run it. But it was good varsity experience for me.”
The tradeoff for running in the No. 2 flight this time not only was tougher competition but worse racing conditions. Rain the night before, contributed with several races, added to a muddy mess as the invite progressed. Boys and girls flight races were run simultaneously.
“It was pretty muddy. You could see where all of the people went through,” Prescott said. “The course was a bit slow. There were a bunch of puddles and really muddy. It was slow, but I’m happy with the place race-wise.”
Prescott led his race pretty much from the start. Around the 2-mile mark, Hoffman Estates senior Shiv Patel (15:36.29) passed Prescott and led for about 100 meters, but Prescott passed him right back for good.
Birkmeier has had problems at times getting out strong, but he was part of the lead pack from the start of his flight race. By the halfway point, the lead had dwindled down to him and Yorkville junior Alexx Neuman (16:22.07).
“When we entered the woods, I started to pull away from him. When we came out of the woods, I had a pretty good lead and I kept it that way until I finished,” Birkmeier said. “Being in the front pack was helpful. I think that pushed me to do better.”