Genisio pulls away for win in Magis Miles High School Mile

College runners Watcke and Collet come home for wins in Elite Mile races, McCabe controls Girls High School Mile

(Genisio Photo Credit courtesy of Steven Bugarin)

By Michael Newman [email protected]

Chicago, Ill – A strong move of the final lap by Benton’s Gavin Genisio was the difference maker as he held off a loaded field to win the Boys High School Mile at Magis Miles Saturday night at St. Ignatius College Prep’s track.

RESULTS | MEET VIDEOS | Steven Bugarin Meet Photos

Emma Watcke of the University of Wisconsin and Christopher Collet of Wartburg College were winners in the Elite races in this meet. Catie McCabe of Hinsdale Central took the led one lap into the Girls High School Mile to win the title in that race.

Conditions were great for distance running in Chicago’s Near West side with temperatures in the low 60’s and a drop of rain here and there towards the end of the meet. That weather corelated to some great times on the track.

The second section of the Boys High School race was the most anticipated race of the night with some of the top runners at last week’s state meet in the field. Yasir Hirsi of Mather set the tone for the second section coming from fourth in the final 100-meters to win the first section of the event with a 4:20.21 personal best time.

Micah Wilson of St. Charles East was determined to run a fast pace in his final high school race at this meet. Wilson, along with Luke Wiley of Warren Township, Colby Revord of Hinsdale Central, and Genisio, led the pack through a 60.6 opening 400-meters. The pace started to slow on the second lap as the group, now joined by Declan Tunney of Sandburg and Tim Neumann of Downers Grove South, passed through 800-meters in 2:04. Wilson still led with Wiley on his side as the pack approached the bell lap in 3:07.5. The tension was building as the question permeated through the crowd of who would make the first move.

It was Genisio that made the first and final move in the final 300-meters as he maneuvered to the outside and went to the lead on front of this talented pack. By 150-meters left, the Benton sophomore was in charge. The question was who would get the closest to the lead.

Genisio crossed the line with a winning 4:09.23 time. Revord followed running a school record and personal best of 4:10.34. Tunney also crossed the line in a personal best of 4:10.93 to finish third. Wiley (4:10.97), Wilson (4:12.09),  and Neumann (4:12.92) followed. The fast finish of the race showed as most of the field collapsed on the infield feeling that tension that hits you after a fast race.

“I knew this race was going to come down to a kick,” said Genisio. “I ran 61 seconds for that last lap. I think I have improved myself a lot this season. I started to peak beginning at sectionals. I think I’m going to continue to race this year until I am done.”

The second section field of the Girls High School Mile went through the first 400-meters in a slow 77 seconds. Catie McCabe decided enough was enough. The two-time track all-state runner accelerated and ran away from most of the field passing 800-meters in 2:28 with only Evelyn Hett of Jones Prep and Mia Kotler of Latin School able to stay within a second of the lead.

The same margin stayed true when the bell rung for the final lap. Kotler and Hett were trying to make ground on the lead, but they could not get any closer to the Hinsdale junior. McCabe pulled away to run 4:59.49 for the win. Hett passed Kotler in the final 100-meters to finish second (5:00.93) ahead of Kotler (5:03.42).

“The first lap (77 seconds) changed my race strategy tonight. I wanted to go through the first half in 2:25,” McCabe said. “I felt the second lap change of pace the rest of the race. I knew I wanted to run fast. I knew had to pick up my time to do so.”

Emma Watcke’s experience running the college type race paid off in the Women’s Elite Mile. The former Hinsdale Central all-state runner made a series of moves in the final two laps to control the lead. She passed in 3:39 with a lap to go with Mary Grace Hegberg of St. Viator, Marianne Mihas of Harvard (formally Latin School), and Brooke Johnston of Lake Zurich within a second of Watcke.

Hegberg passed Watcke with 200-meters left in the race. It appeared that the future Georgetown University Student/athlete would have win. Watcke came back in the final 100-meters to pass Hegberg for the win. Watcke’s winning time was 4:48.06 just ahead of Hegberg in 4:48.37, Mihas in 4:50.52, and Johnston who ran a school record of 4:50.55 to finish fourth. Johnston is only a junior.

“I was not expecting to take the lead being ranked ninth in this field. I did not know entirely what to expect. I just wanted to stay with the top group,” Johnston said. “I just wanted the time to take care of itself and push myself to new limits.”

The pace slowed in the Men’s Elite race where it seemed no one wanted to take the lead. Christopher Collet led the pack through in 2:04. The field in this race had run two consecutive 62 second laps. Wilson Georges of Limestone was the only high school runner in this race. He decided to take the lead with 700-meters left in the race. The third lap picked up to 61 seconds with Georges leading but Collet and Ben Rosa of Harvard close to the front.

The two collegiate runners accelerated around the final curve with Georges trying to hold on. Collet, who won the 3000-meter Steeplechase at last week’s NCAA D3 National Championships, pulled away to win with a 4:05.01 time with Rosa second in 4:05.87. Georges ran a personal best of 4:09.79 to finish third.

“I was hoping to run faster but with the way the race went, I did not have the legs that those front guys had the final two laps,” Georges said. “It was a good racing experience. I was happy with it. I was expecting to be pulled along. It was interesting. I did not expect to be in the front at all.”

Evan Morris of Deerfield was all-state last week in the 3A 800 Meter Run. He came into this meet and won Section 12 of the Open Mile with the fastest time of the 12 sections in 4:21.22. Lexi Noonan of St. Ignatius had the fastest Girls Open time in the meet running 5:37.11.

Jack Jennings of Palatine Pack ran 4:51.34 to win the Middle School Boys Mile. Charlize-Trinity McKenzie of Cedarburg WI ran 5:08.29 to win the Middle School Girls Mile for the second year in a row.

Jacob Barraza of DeKalb took the lead on the final lap passing Tommy Nitz of Huntley to take home the win in the Freshman Mile with a 4:28.95 time. Nitz ran 4:29.39 to finish second.