Swiney runs best race at home this season, but still finishes second
On a cool day perfect for running Du Quoin's Landen Swiney ran his best time on his home course, but it wasn't good enough as birthday boy Pinckneyville freshman Issac Teel kept Swiney from successfully defending his conference title at the SIRR Mississippi Division cross country championships last Thursday.
"In junior high we had a meet always on my birthday and I won all those races, so I'm kind of used to it now," Teel said. "I was a little bit worried again today that he'd catch me at the end. The first mile I tried to go out fast because that's how I did the last time we ran here and it ended up doing pretty good for me. The last two miles I didn't want to fall too far off my pace."
Teel won with a time of 15:42.5 for his sixth first place finish out of the Panthers' eight meets so far with Swiney entering the chute 13.2 seconds later (15.55.7).
"Teel kind of pulled away a little more on the second mile, but for the most part it he was ahead by the same difference the whole race," Swiney said. "I'm not upset with my time - I went almost 40 seconds faster than the last time I ran this course - so I'm not upset with the way I ran."
While Swiney was having his best day his teammates didn't leaving the Du Quoin Indians 50 points behind conference champs Pinckneyville (20-70). Anna-Jonesboro finished third (77), Nashville fourth (86) and Carterville fifth (109). Sparta was in quarantine, so wasn't able to participate.
"That was Landen's fastest time out there on our course - he had never been under 16 before - and that was a pretty good time for him," said Du Quoin coach Eric Kirkpatrick. "Landen is pretty competitive and wanted to win, but I told him when someone runs a 15:42 you have to tip your hat and he was pretty good about it."
After Swiney earned his second all-conference honors the Indians were shut out of other all-conference selections with junior Nathan Smith just missing the 10th and final spot by 1.2 seconds after being nipped at the finish line by Pinckneyville's David Wagner with a time of 17:04.6.
Rounding out the Indian runners were senior Jonathan Gomes 13th (17:37.4), senior David Gomes 20th (18.40.2), senior Reese Tilley 24th (19.06.5), freshman Conor Gross 26th (19.10.5) and junior Hunter Douglas 34th (21:13.0).
"We didn't run particularly well, to be honest with you, but we were pretty happy with finishing second," Kirkpatrick said. "We were down Tavion Garrison, who's normally in our top five, with a foot injury. We were hoping Nate and Jon would maybe sneak into that all-conference conversation and Jon ran about a second faster than the last time we ran here. It was a pretty good day to run and the weather was pretty good. The course was in pretty good shape after having a little bit of rain, so we were expecting some fast times."
Pinckneyville successfully defended its title to win its fifth in the last six years and sixth overall by placing five in the top seven and all seven in the top 12.
"Last year we had a good day at Harrisburg and had another good day today," said Pinckneyville coach Ryan Bruns.
After Swiney entered the chute senior Steven Hirte (16.26.9), junior Dylan Bledsoe (16:48.0) and senior Daniel Garavaglia (16.49.0) came through in a 25 seconds span finishing third, fourth and fifth for the Panthers.
Sophomore Dawson Chaney finished seventh (16:58.6) and with Wagner (17:03.4) taking 10th he gave the Panthers six all-conference selections after getting four last year and only two the year before.
"The challenge today was to get six on the all-conference team and it was going to take a heck of a race to pull it out," Bruns said. "It took the last stretch to get No. 6 in."
Two spots later junior Holden Clark crossed the finish line in 12th place (17:11.7). The entire of the Panther squad finished the race ahead of 23 of the 35 runners from five schools. The final six Pinckneyville runners all finished within a span of 34.8 seconds.
The Indians will participate in the four-team Nashville Invitational Monday that was moved to the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds course because of the COVID-19 crisis before starting the post-season at the Class 1A Marissa Regionals Saturday starting at 9 a.m.
2020 SIRR Mississippi Division Boys Cross Country Championships held at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds
Team Scores:
1. Pinckneyville, 20
2. Du Quoin, 70
3. Anna-Jonesboro, 77
4. Nashville, 86
5. Carterville, 109
Top 10 (All-Conference):
1. Issac Teel (Pinckneyville), 15:42.5
2. Landon Swiney (Du Quoin), 15:55.7
3. Steven Hirte (Pinckneyville), 16:26.9
4. Dylan Bledsoe (Pinckneyville), 16:48.0
5. Daniel Garavaglia (Pinckneyville), 16:49.0
6. Ray Habeck (Nashville), 16:57.7
7. Dawson Chaney (Pinckneyville), 16:58.6
8. Jayden Perez (Anna-Jonesboro), 17:00.9
9. Beto Diez (Anna-Jonesboro), 17:01.9
10. David Wagner (Pinckneyville), 17:03.4