Lane got to the state meet by one point. The meet came down to a series of sprints at the end. Here is a look at how Lane's Lucas Beltran came out on top in one of those sprints.
(Pictures by Ilona)
1. With about 40 yards to go Lane's Lucas Beltran was behind New Trier's Eric Underwood and York's Bill Klink.
2. Beltran finally caught up to them
3. In this picture, Beltran overtakes Underwood.
4. But there are two more guys to overtake with 30 yards to go. He mustered enough to overcome Maine South's Jon Vacarro (right in black) by .1 of a second. That was the difference between Lane making it to state and Maine South not making it.
Incredible effort, way to go Beltran and LT!
Posted by: A CPS football fan looking for good coaches | October 31, 2011 at 11:33 AM
The details of the Lane Tech accomplishment are as great as the accomplishment. Thanks for this. Congrats!
Posted by: One of your competitors! | October 31, 2011 at 12:54 PM
It's been quiet around here without the haters. :)
I remember someone saying Beltran doesn't show up in big meets, well...there ya go.
Clutch.
Posted by: You go boy | October 31, 2011 at 01:35 PM
Yea it has been quiet but if I were you I would keep my mouth shut. Lane deserves the respect for what they accomplished this year but they don't need people coming on here to talk shit on their behalf. Now what if Lane at state, gets last? Or better yet what if their city rivals run faster times then them? I bet you won't hear anymore crickets, and comments like yours only intensifies others ignorance towards Lane. So do the fan and supporters of CPS a favor and congratulate but don't instigate.
Posted by: Fan of CPS | October 31, 2011 at 06:32 PM
Agreed CPS Fan dude... it's always some punk in the crowd talking shit. Somebody on the team band wagon. His ass is gonna get thrown off the bus if he keeps it up.
Posted by: Inside the Lane camp | October 31, 2011 at 07:32 PM
I run for Maine South High School and I'm posting about the controversy on the finish at the Niles West Sectional and how the IHSA added a point to Maine South's score causing us to lose our spot in the state meet. First off I would like to say we did file and appeal providing several points on how we did in fact tie Lane Tech, if not beat them. Our first point was that Neal Omar's chest crossed the line at the same time, if not after our runners foot and the results shouldn't have been changed. Second, the official to the left of the screen in the IHSA's official video didn't say Neal Omar had crossed the line until I crossed so them saying that his head, neck and shoulders crossed the first time and that these areas counted as his torso is not valid if the official on the line who saw right in front of him said during the race that it had not counted. Third, if you keep watching the video you can see my team mate, Jon Vaccaro cross the line. In the results it is said that a runner from Lane Tech beat Jon but if you watch the video you can see that Jon's chest crosses the line before and body part of the Lane Tech runner, but the Lane Tech runner got his foot on the mat first. If the IHSA is serious about this torso rule then they should have to change Jon and Lane Tech runner because Jon beat the other runner with his torso. Fourth, it is hard to determine when Neal Omar's torso crossed the line due to the angle the camera is filming at and the shadows from the sun. Lastly, something that could be a valid point but isn't as definitive as the others, there was no crowd control at the start causing all the runners on the right side to have to avoid spectators and in doing this caused these runners to be cut off by the rest of the field. This could have cost a couple of valuable seconds to be lost. These are some of the points we made to the IHSA and I'm not sure if there were more or not, you would have to ask my Coach, Greg Nordahl. The sad thing is that even with all of these points the IHSA didn't even review the video, I don't even think they listened to our points, they just said their decision was final anything we had to say was invalid. That is what really angers me because the point of the IHSA is to review this decision and make sure they are fair and correct and for them to not even review the video is just not right. My entire team is upset and unfortunately there is nothing we can do, I just want to get the word out so this doesn't happen to another team who spent 5 months preparing for one race and to be told they made it and then have it all taken away from them. I hope this never happens again.
Posted by: Maine South | October 31, 2011 at 08:06 PM
You sound bitter a CPS school edged you, even if it was due to luck. Nowhere did you give Lane credit. We're sorry this situation had to involve your team, but it's sports. You're team is not the only team that spent months training.
Expect people here to bash you because you, a Maine South runner, posted in a CPS blog.
Posted by: alright | October 31, 2011 at 08:28 PM
You darn tootin' I'm instigating. So they can talk all they want for the whole season about how Lane won't do this and that? And not expect fire back after Lane makes state. Well guess what? They did it. Excuse me as I beat my chest a little bit.
And to the Maine South runner. We get that you're mad that you didn't make it. But hey excuse me for trusting IHSA officials over a biased runner.
Posted by: Instigate | October 31, 2011 at 08:36 PM
I support the Maine South runner. He told the truth that Lane got through on technical deficiencies, not because they actually earned it.
Posted by: Maine South Supporter | October 31, 2011 at 08:58 PM
I appreciated the post by Maine South, and thought he left it like a man, no crying, and next time around everyone will be clear on the rules involving the finish line and the foot vs the chest crossing the line.
One thing he just learned: life ain't always fair, and the lesson then is in what you make of the failure.
Posted by: A CPS football fan looking for good coaches | October 31, 2011 at 09:05 PM
But it is a LT win, not a technicality, just a win, and they earned it.
Posted by: A CPS football fan looking for good coaches | October 31, 2011 at 09:06 PM
It's actually an LT-Maine South tie... and a win on a technicality. That's the whole point of the issue. Maine South was disqualified BECAUSE of a technicality, and had that not arisen, then they would have qualified.
Also for those bashing the Maine South poster, keep in mind he's not arguing why he thinks Maine South should have beaten Lane and taken their place; he's arguing why he thinks Maine should be joining Lane. Attention should be brought to the distinction.
Posted by: Poster from a different School | October 31, 2011 at 09:22 PM
Also, I HATE the application of the cliche 'Life isn't always fair' to sports officiating. That's the exact problem officiating is supposed to eliminate, and saying 'Oh well life isn't fair so deal with it' is justifying flaws in the system that should never exist in the first place.
Posted by: Poster from a different School | October 31, 2011 at 09:24 PM
A good meet referee, seeing that there was a tie for 5th, would have never even bothered to contact the IHSA. There was no reason to, given that there was no benefit to anyone to move this individual forward. The IHSA was wrong to move the runner up. You can't move one person up because of his chest and not do the same for the rest of the field.
Posted by: Maine South Supporter | October 31, 2011 at 09:26 PM
Before I post, I'd just like to say that I do not and never have, and never will attend Maine South. I am not a parent of anyone that attends the school as well.
The poster above is completely right. All the points he mentioned are 100% completely valid, and the IHSA did not even listen to Maine South's claim. Why would the IHSA even use the chips if they don't even bother looking at the results the chips show? Why don't we watch the video and finish of EVERY RUNNER in that race - every runner, that finished with another runner, and, completely ignore the chip time. Just focus on "whose torso crossed first." That would throw the results way off, there were so many close calls, that, without the chip time, the right call may not have been made. Eckhart and Kelly should both be placed before Omar.
When the initial results were posted, Lane Tech and Maine South were tied with 173 points. In fact, Maine South's #6 was better than Lane's #6, and so Maine South was listed at #5. However, the IHSA does not follow the 6th man tiebreaker rule, and so both teams qualified. In fact, I heard Maine South runner Kevin Dolan saying that he's happy that Lane gets to qualify as well, because that it would suck if they missed by a hair.
And, to make a final point, I can guarantee that Maine South, a top 5 state team, was not peaking at all for this meet. The IHSA has loaded sectionals up so much, that a team that's top 5 in state cannot even qualify! That's bs! Maine South and Niles North should have both qualified, rather than Niles West and Lane Tech who both clearly tapered and peaked for sectionals rather than state. In Niles North's case, their #1 had a very bad day, and that cost them as well. However, I would not be surprised to see Niles West and Lane Tech in the bottom 5 teams on Saturday. Maine South got jipped big time. They are returning most of their team next year and expect them to avenge this. They will show who truly deserves a trip to state.
Posted by: Maine South deserves to run down state | October 31, 2011 at 09:37 PM
This is a CPS sports blog. We should be happy that a CPS team made it downstate. I feel a lot of sympathy for main south, but saying all this on a CPS blog isn't gonna change anything. Let's focus on state and support every CPS runner from every class!
Posted by: CPS | October 31, 2011 at 09:43 PM
Your the reason people talk smack to Lane,idiot. People already talk about the advantages they think Lane has with numbers and all the other crap, so naturally people will find any reason to dislike them,thanks for aiding in that. Now i am sure people are going to want them to fail hard so those boys can be ridiculed.
Posted by: disagree | October 31, 2011 at 09:47 PM
Main south supporter(as in jock strap supporter)go back to your lily white pampered rich town and only come back when you acknowledge that main south are the losers!
Posted by: south side johnny | October 31, 2011 at 09:56 PM
*You're
How ironic you called someone an idiot and you can't do 2nd grade grammar.
Posted by: Ouch | October 31, 2011 at 09:57 PM
I made a gramatical error, everyone does, that doesn't discredit the point I was trying to make. Don't divert the attention away from picking at the little things. Did the one tiny error make it difficult for you to understand the sentence, if so then I am in the right to call you an idiot. Do us all a favor and stfu, support all the CPS teams.
Posted by: wow | October 31, 2011 at 10:11 PM
Yeah, your poor grammar hurt my eyes.
Just because I support Lane doesn't mean I don't support other teams. Awful point.
Posted by: ouch | October 31, 2011 at 10:31 PM
See you are clearly a moron. My point wasn't for you to support CPS teams even though thats something that you should do, my point was that you shouldn't pound your chest nor speak for them. Why don't you read my comment again.I guess my error not only hurt yours eyes but caused you to completely over look the main point, guess that happens to people like yourself. Awful retaliation
Posted by: disagree | October 31, 2011 at 11:10 PM
I can't wait until Lane gets shit on
Posted by: Kevin J | October 31, 2011 at 11:14 PM
But I could be wrong...again
Posted by: Kevin J | October 31, 2011 at 11:41 PM
Who wants to guess how many times "disagree" proofread his post? lol
Posted by: ouch | October 31, 2011 at 11:41 PM
Probably the number of times your mother has had the pipe laid down on her lol :p
Posted by: @ouch | November 01, 2011 at 08:17 AM
How is this punk Kevin J? Please stay out of Lane's business you little nerd. Obviously, it's easy to see the computer has given you power to talk big. You can always come to Lane's camp
Posted by: @Kevin J | November 01, 2011 at 09:15 AM
"But I could be wrong...again"
not me
Posted by: Kevin J | November 01, 2011 at 09:26 AM
Well, tell the "hater" Kevin J to stay away.
Posted by: @Kevin J | November 01, 2011 at 09:36 AM
Pretty amazing to look at the sectional rankings and team how teams did.
LW TW AAA Niles W Sec - FINAL Next Week
1 1 Elmhurst York Fenwick Regional
2 2 Winnetka New Trier Loyola Acad Regional
4 3 Park Ridge Maine South Loyola Acad Regional
3 4 Skokie Niles North Loyola Acad Regional
5 5 Wilmette Loyola Academy Loyola Acad Regional
6 6 Oak Park-River Forest Fenwick Regional
10 7 Chicago Lane Tech St. Ignatius Regional
9 8 Skokie Niles West Loyola Acad Regional
7 9 Roselle Lake Park Fenwick Regional
NR 10 Chicago St. Ignatius St. Ignatius Regional
Posted by: last sectional rankings looked impressive | November 01, 2011 at 01:39 PM
I'm always here to hate
Posted by: Kevin J | November 01, 2011 at 01:42 PM
*and see how teams did
Posted by: last sectional rankings looked impressive | November 01, 2011 at 01:53 PM
Eh, Dyestat's ratings are far from deserving to be taken seriously.
Posted by: Doesn't Mean Much | November 01, 2011 at 06:07 PM
"Eh, Dyestat's ratings are far from deserving to be taken seriously."
Interesting that you say that. They are on for the most part. Not a single team unranked team made it to state aside from Quincy sectional which is super weak. However, rankings don't give teams heart do they?
Posted by: Spread love not hate | November 01, 2011 at 07:24 PM
So how about Whitney Young girls volleyball making it to sectional finals in class 4A!
Posted by: mhmmm | November 01, 2011 at 09:36 PM
If they say that the chest and torso determine placings, why have the chips? They should have to go back and review every placing to make sure that someones torso didnt cross before someone elses chip. It is just as likely that in close finishes like this at a sectional race that someones front foot may cross
before someones torso. This could happen throughout the field. For
them to make this arbitrary ruling that in this instance it is the torso, demands a complete look at the entire field to make sure all "torsos" are ordered correctly. Otherwise, this is not following the scoring for the remaining runners.
Nordahl should definitely have filed a protest. Regardless of Omar's torso, or shoulder crossed, a full review of the entire field should be neceesary if that is the ruling they decide on. You can't score the entire field on their chip times and then determine that one runner
finished because his torso crossed. Seems out of place to me.
Posted by: Case for Maine South | November 02, 2011 at 07:07 PM
"Nordahl should definitely have filed a protest. Regardless of Omar's torso, or shoulder crossed, a full review of the entire field should be neceesary if that is the ruling they decide on. You can't score the entire field on their chip times and then determine that one runner"
Maine South/Coach Nordahl did protest. They had a 30 second video that the IHSA did not even bother to watch. That just goes to show how unclassy and unfair the IHSA is for excluding a team that will surely be Top 10, if not Top 5 in state.
Posted by: Maine South deserves to run down state | November 02, 2011 at 07:20 PM
what was the ruling on the protest? obviously a no but was there anything behind the no from ihsa?
Posted by: ruling? | November 02, 2011 at 07:58 PM
Maine South claims they finished ahead of Lane
Posted by: Maine South | November 02, 2011 at 09:31 PM
let this go... state will be here in two days. Time to move on. Is maine south even training right now?
Posted by: let it go | November 02, 2011 at 09:35 PM