By Michael Newman

[email protected]

For half the season, it was wide-open and anybody’s guess on who would be the runner to watch in 2A Boys. Jake Hoffert (Yorkville HS) defeated his brother Luke early in the year at the 2A First to the Finish Invitational at Detweiller Park turning in a sizzling 14:32 run. Two weeks later, both brothers were out with IT Band injuries. Zach Hird (Alleman HS, Rock Island) was nipped at the line by McHenry’s Jesse Reiser at the Peoria Central Invitational. Hird, however, turned in a fast 14:35 time.

During the first half of the season, there was no sign of John Wold (Glenbard South HS, Glen Ellyn). He missed the first month of the season when he had both a sinus infection that turned into an upper respiratory infection. His first race was at the beginning of October at the Stevenson Invitational. He was still not recovered and had to drop out of the race with a little over a half mile to go.

He picked up his pace in winning at Metamora and then a convincing win at the Metro Suburban Conference Meet by 23 seconds over Nick Fiene (Illiana Christian HS, Lansing). Wold showed that he would be the runner to be at the state meet with dominating wins over the Hoffert brothers at the regional and sectional races both held at Kress Creek Farms in West Chicago.

Wold had his confidence back from his sectional race. He crushed the first two miles in 9:23 then shut it down for the last mile saving his energy for Detweiller Park. His goal at state was to go under 14 minutes. He was on pace to do so going by the two mile point in 9:23 with a thirteen second lead over Johnny Leverenz (Danville HS). The fast first two miles and the winds that had picked up to close to 20 mph started to wear on the Glenbard South senior. Instead of going after a time, it was just a matter of getting in before the rest of the runners in the race and defending his 2012 state championship.

Leverenz finished the season strong winning his conference, regional, and sectional races. The amazing thing is that Wold has not run a complete track or cross country season the last two years. Yet, he has won three state championships (two cross country, one track). “If he could ever stay healthy during one season, he could be scary,” said former Glenbard South Coach Andy Preuss. How true.

It will be fun to watch him this track season. I hope that he can stay healthy the entire year. I believe he can turn in some unbelievable performances.

We congratulate John Wold of Glenbard South HS as our DyeStat Illinois 2013 2A Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.