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Chris
Rombough of Fremont, Wisconsin sprinted out to a lead
early on.
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The
temperature was reported as 24 degrees.
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The
boys' seeded race had 338 finishers.
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#290
Daniel Roberts of Michigan and #2 Christian Wagner
of Indiana.
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Roberts
(who would finish 13th) leads with #1 Garrett Heath
close behind.
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#5
Matt Withrow and #10 Ryan Deak.
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Withrow
pulled away from the field around the mile mark...
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...and
instantly put a big gap on his competitors.
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Withrow
won his first Illinois State XC title this fall after
finishing second...
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...to
Stephen Pifer - a 2002 finalist now at the University
of Colorado - a year ago.
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Withrow
won by 20 seconds in 14:54, five seconds slower...
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...than
Chris Solinsky's winning time a year ago.
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Ryan
Deak (left) finished second in 15:14. Last year he
represented the South at Nationals...
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...After
moving to Colorado this year, he'll get a chance to
represent the Midwest.
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Minnesota
state champion Garrett Heath, sixth at last year's
national finals finished third in 15:15.
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Colorado
state champion Bradley Harkrader will make his first
trip to nationals after finishing fourth in 15:19.
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Neil
Naughton of Michigan will be another first-time qualifier
after finishing fifth in 15:23.
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L-R:
Justin Switzer, Christian Wagner, Brock Hagerman and
Ryan Gasper - four runners racing for three spots.
Hagerman was the odd man out, finishing ninth.
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Switzer
(8th, 15:26) and Wagner (6th, 15:26) both qualified
for the national finals.
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Michael
Popejoy of Illinois finished 10th in 15:33. Popejoy
rebounded well from his state meet, where he finished
17th.
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