Wilkins leads PR at Palatine Invite

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PALATINE – Mitch Wilkins was a bundle of nervous energy at school last week.

“I did get my classwork done, but I wasn’t the most focused on school,” the Prairie Ridge senior runner said. “I was extremely anxious about this meet.”

After what he felt were subpar races at the Palatine Cross Country Invitational the past two years, Wilkins was itching to run in one of the state’s best meets. He even chose not to attend the Wolves’ homecoming football game Friday night to get ample rest for the race.

It was all worth it Saturday morning. Wilkins ran with the top group and took sixth place in 14:42.7 at Deer Grove Forest Preserve, leading the Wolves to sixth place as a team. He was 8 seconds behind New Trier’s Leland Later, who won the race.

“I’m very proud of that. It went out about like I thought it would in 4:45 for the first mile,” Wilkins said.

“I positioned myself and made moves,” Wilkins said. “Overall, I ran a good race and I’m proud of myself.”

The Wolves wanted to perform well in their first big invitational meet of the season. Wilkins and junior Joe Cowlin, who was 18th in 15:14.3, helped them finish sixth out of 28 teams with 209 points. Crystal Lake Central junior Alex Baker finished 10th in 14:55.3.

Crystal Lake Central freshman Sami Staples took ninth in the girls race and led the Tigers to seventh place with 216 points. Lake Park’s Kaylee Flanagan won that race in 16:51.3, which broke the course record.

“The boys were champing at the bit to be in a big invitational,” Prairie Ridge coach Judd Shutt said. “We were supposed to run at [St. Charles East’s] Leavey Invite [on Sept. 3], but varsity boys race was canceled because of the heat and too many ambulance calls. They were hungry and wanted to prove themselves. They made a statement that they’ve put in the work over the summer.”

Baker has established himself as one of the area’s top runners this season.

“It was very fast, great competition, I just had to let everything go,” Baker said. “I wanted to get out fast, and try and stay with the top group, and then finish strong.”

Although Central’s girls did not have their best race, Staples again was strong, finishing in 17:43.3.

“I’m really happy. All those girls are amazing runners and some of the top contenders in state,” Staples said. “It was nerve-racking, but it was awesome to run with girls who are so fast.”

Central’s Kelly McNeely was 33rd and Maddie Dagley was 46th to help the Tigers take seventh.