Dylan Allingham (bottom left), shown here with his Lane Tech teammates after they won the Fall 2008 city varsity soccer championship, has already won a city championship in two completely different sports (soccer and track). If he joins cross country, he has a chance to become the rare athlete to have won a city championship in three different sports.
According to Lane Tech assistant track and cross country coach Tony Jones:
"Former Lane soccer standout Dylan Allingham has announced his intentions
of becoming a full-time runner by forgoing his senior year for the
kickers. "
The addition of Dylan Allingham, the defending 800 meter champion will bring an extra weapon to the already powerful Lane Tech cross country arsenal. The Lane Tech soccer team will have a blow, because Dylan has been the starting forward the past two years. With Dylan Lane's soccer team won the CPS city championship 2 years ago and advanced to the city semi-finals last year.
The soccer teams lost will be the cross country team gain. Tony Jones did not indicate how many or if Dylan will even run any cross country races. But only that Dylan's intention is to run full-time his senior year. Even if Dylan does not run cross country races, I'm sure his mere presence and commitment he took can only help the Lane Tech team. Come on, this is a guy who gave up a starting spot on a very good Lane Tech soccer team. Soccer is very popular at Lane. At last year's tryout and first day of practice, I saw about 100 guys on the field. Soccer is intense at Lane.
Dylan's move into running sports does make sense. He is after all the defending city 800 meter champion and with some expert coaching could make an even bigger impact his senior year.
Dylan is not the only track runner that may run cross country. Word is that Northside Prep has some track runners coming out for cross country. 400 meter standout Mac Melto (jr), impactful middle distance Ezra Edgerton, and jumper Josh Williams (jr) are training with Northside Prep this summer.
Urban Prep also has hurdler Isreal Durley (sr) expected to run cross country.
The biggest of them all may be all-state 3200 meter runner Jeffrey Rector. Rector plays football in the fall, but I heard that there is a chance he may run on Roosevelt's new cross country team. If Rector does run, then things will really get interesting
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