By Michael Newman

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Jack Aho – JR – Grayslake Central

The mystery at the beginning of the season was who would step up into the top spot in 2A Boys after Jake and Luke Hoffert had graduated. Jack Aho made his statement at the First to the Finish Invitational when he won the 2A race by six seconds ahead of last year’s state meet #1 returnee Vernon Hills’ Shane Williamson.

Aho did not look back from there.

He went undefeated the rest of the regular IHSA season winning a tough Fox Valley Conference meet by 20 seconds and then winning the toughest 2A sectional in the state at Woodstock North. The following week at the IHSA State Meet, Aho pulled away from the pack in the final 800 to win the 2A state individual championship while leading his team to a convincing team state championship.

Jack followed that performance up by finishing fourth at the NXN Midwest Regional qualifying for Nationals in Portland. Aho finished 53^rd in that race in December. He established himself as one of the juniors to watch next year nationally.

Congratulations to Jack Aho of Grayslake Central High School in Grayslake as the 2015 DyeStat Illinois 2A Boys Runner of the Year.