Mather's Haji coasts to win

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:20PM

Abdurahim Haji is finally able to go all-out, which is a good thing because

he will have to do so soon.

The Mather junior coasted to victory Saturday morning in the Public League

cross-country meet at Washington Park, covering the flat, three-mile course

in 15 minutes, 30.25 seconds.

Payton senior Jamie Hershfang won the girls race and Lane swept the team

titles.

Haji, who was third in last year's city meet, won this year's title about a

month after undergoing a four-hour surgical procedure to correct a heart

ailment.

"He knew he had to have it done for about a year so he always had to hold

back," Mather coach Dale DeVinney said. "He always wanted to push himself,

but I held him back."

Haji didn't force the issue on Saturday, either, though he wound up winning

by 14 seconds over runner-up Oscar Medina of Lake View.

"After one mile, the pace was slow," Haji said. "That's when I [broke] it. I

was expecting more of a challenge."

He'll get it soon. The IHSA state series starts for Haji at the Class 3A

Loyola Regional, followed by the Niles West Sectional and, he hopes, the 3A

state meet in Peoria on Nov. 6. "That's a very competitive sectional,"

DeVinney said. "Step by step - we have to qualify for state first."

Despite Haji's effort, Lane edged Mather 60-67 for the boys title. Juniors

David Timlin and Lucas Beltran finished fourth and fifth to pace Lane.

Roosevelt's Jeffrey Rector was third in 15:47.16 and Young's Eric Shan

finished fourth in 15:55.45.

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