After a mile through the Class 3A state championship race, Reavis senior cross country star Santiago Chavez realized things were not going according to plan.
“I was supposed to lead the pack at 1.2 miles,” Chavez said. “At 1.8, I was making my move but they (other competitors) covered it pretty well.
“I had to just be patient. I just stayed with them until the end.”
The patience paid off as he made his move late in the race and won the IHSA state championship with a time of 14 minutes, 4.80 seconds on Nov. 7 at Detweiller Park in Peoria. Lake Zurich junior Karanveer Patil was second at 14:09.75.
Chavez, a Louisville recruit, is the first runner in Reavis history to win a cross country state title and is the eighth Southwest Regional Publishing-area runner to do it. The last to accomplish the feat was Lyons’ Danny Kilrea in 3A in 2018.
Last year, Chavez was an all-state runner with a 21st-place finish at 14:27.1 and had a similar problem of having his game plan blow up during the race.
“Last year it happened and I did panic,” he said. “But I feel like I’ve matured as a runner and I didn’t let that affect me this year.”
Reavis cross country coach Ciara Nelligan was happy to see Chavez cross the finish line first.
“We have a new state champ in Burbank,” she said. “It was exciting. He had two guys stick with him when he was trying to lead, but he ran the smartest race he has run all season.
“It showed his growth over the years and how he has learned how to race better.”
Chavez was a raw talent his freshman year. Entering this season, however, some running insiders projected Chavez as a top-five runner in the state and at times during the season, he was projected at No. 1.
“I didn’t put too much pressure on myself,” he said. “A bunch of the guys that were there said they were going to win the state meet. But I never said that.”
And after it was over?
“It was relieving,” he said. “It felt good to get all of that pressure from the season off of my shoulders.”
Morton’s Miquel Flores finished ninth with a 14:23.92 to earn all-state honors.
In Class 2A, Evergreen Park junior Kevin Reyes was the top area finisher, placing 98th with a 15:31.39.
In the girls races, Nazareth’s Kathleen Hardy was the top area finisher in Class 2A at 11th with a 17:41.43 and Kennedy’s Viviana Tryfonopoulos also made all-state with a 21st-place finish of 17:54.12.
Sandburg freshman Elessa McNeill was the top area finisher in Class 3A, taking 51st with a 17:38.00.
Chicago Christian senior Abby Mullin was the top placer in Class 1A with a 92nd-place finish of 19:07.10.