NT’s Forbes is all business at regional race

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

New Trier’s Charlie Forbes races to a team-best seventh-place finish at the Niles West Sectional. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER

His name is Forbes.

So, it was fitting that he took care of business in this key postseason race.

New Trier junior Charlie Forbes arguably came up with the best race of his career at the Class 3A Niles West Sectional on Oct. 21.

The scholarly and bespectacled distance runner, who takes five AP classes, was the genuine article in helping the Trevians (50 points) to a second-place finish behind Maine South (47).

Wearing dark-rimmed glasses, professorial-looking Forbes ran lead for New Trier, taking seventh overall in a three-mile time of 15:48.

His standout showing also was … a bit of a shocker.

Charlie Forbes even surprised Charlie Forbes.

“I haven’t been running like this,” said Forbes, moments after the race. “I was doing great before the season started. But then, I took a U-turn. My times were slower than last year’s times.

“I was having a bad season,” he added. “I was physically tired. Mentally tired. I was fading in workouts.”

The cure?

A sabbatical.

After placing 119^th in the Palatine Invitational on Sept. 23, Forbes basically “took three weeks off” to regroup.

He needed to recharge.

Forbes returned to the NT lineup on Oct. 16 and turned in a decent 18^th-place finish — fifth on the team — in the CSL Championships at Vernon Hills.

“He’s had a tough season. So his race today was a huge positive,” said New Trier coach David Wisner. “Hopefully, we’ll get some more races like that from him.”

Forbes finished four seconds ahead of junior teammate Ford Baker (8^th, 15:52). Junior Graeme Lane also was a top-10 finisher (15:57). NT’s other scorers were seniors John Izzo (12^th, 16:00) and Owen Eskandari (13^th, 16:00).

The Trevians also took second behind Maine South 59-69 at the CSL Championships. In addition to Forbes, the top five included Baker (8^th, 16:10), Eskandari (13^th, 16:18), senior John Izzo (14^th, 16:19) and Lane (16^th, 16:24).

Top runner Pat Norrick didn’t run in either race due to injury.

“We’re hoping he’ll be ready for the sectional,” said Wisner, referring to Saturday’s sectional race at Lake Park High School. “We’re a different team with him in the lineup.”

Meanwhile, Loyola Academy also advanced to the sectional. Led by senior Connor Hoag (11^th, 15:58) and junior Jack Lynch (15^th, 16:03), the Ramblers placed fourth at the Niles West Regional with 98 points.

LA’s other scorers were freshman Spencer Dzyacky (22^nd, 16:21), junior Eli Miller (23^rd, 16:22) and sophomore Alex Owens (27^th, 16:33).

Lake Forest Regional

Highland Park (3^rd, 83 points) and host Lake Forest (6^th, 126 points) were two of the advancing teams at the Class 3A LF Regional on Oct. 21.

Mundelein edged Stevenson 68-73 for the team title.

Senior Fitz Laurie led the Giants with a seventh-place finish, while junior Jose Reyes also was a top-10 runner (9^th, 15:29).

HP’s other scorers were senior Alec Glazier (14^th, 15:55), freshman Jason Polydoris (27^th, 16:35) and senior Sebastian Arias (31^st, 16:44).

Sophomore Nathan Schmitt continues to be a standout for Lake Forest. He cruised his home course in 15:24 for sixth place.

The other scorers were sophomore Ben Rosa (16^th, 16:05), senior Kyle Levin (33^rd, 16:47), junior Elijah Fietsam (37^th, 16:56) and sophomore Joshua Lane (39^th, 16:59).

Earlier in the week, Lake Forest placed fifth (149 points) in the North Suburban Conference Meet at Warren. Schmitt came in eighth (15:15.1), while Rosa was 28^th (16:16.0).

Meanwhile, HP was the top CSL North team at the CSL Championships on Oct. 16 at Vernon Hills High School. With Reyes leading the way (4^th, 16:05.5), the Giants tallied 79 points to take third place overall behind Maine South (59) and New Trier (69). Senior Nate Amster (6^th, 16:07.6) and Laurie (7^th, 16:08.6) also turned in strong efforts.

Hoffman Estates Regional

Glenbrook South earned a sectional berth by taking fourth place (106 points) at the Class 3A Hoffman Estates Regional on Oct. 21.

Senior Jordan Theriault (13^th, 15:54), senior Matt Jortberg (14^th, 15:55) and sophomore Will Kelly (16^th, 15:57) paced the Titans. The other scorers were junior Charlie Schultz (25^th) and senior Dominic Chavez (38^th).

Glenbrook North didn’t make it out as a team, finishing seventh with 162 points. However, two Spartans — junior Dana Sullivan (17^th, 16:03) and senior Kyle Foley (21^st, 16:09) — qualified to Saturday’s sectional at Busse Woods.

Meanwhile, at the CSL Championships on Oct. 16 at Vernon Hills, GBS placed sixth overall with 150 points. Jortberg led the Titans with a ninth-place effort (16:10.2). Kelly was 15^th (16:21), while Schultz was 28^th (16:52).

GBN came in eighth with 206 points.

New Trier’s Charlie Forbes (left) runs with Loyola Academy’s Payton Hoag. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER