Tyler Ryan paces Plainfield South

Updated: September 10, 2011 11:42PM

The Joliet Central Invite is an early-season litmus test for a host of teams from in and out of the Joliet-area.

And, it provides a jumping off point as the first invitational for some of the schools.

Plainfield South came away with a pair of seconds, taking second as a team and featuring the second-place finisher in Tyler Ryan (15:40).

Fellow Southwest Prairie Conference member Oswego won the 16-team meet with 57 points. Plainfield South scored 69 points and Lincoln-Way East took home a plaque for taking third with 83 points.

“Our goal definitely this year is to win our conference and get downstate,” Ryan said. “We think we can accomplish those this year.”

Individually, Ryan fell a little short of his goal of a personal best.

“I was looking to (run a personal best) today,” Ryan said. “I think I was a little off. In the third mile, I started losing (the leader). I need to work on that. I just need to work hard in practice and do better overall in my next race.”

Dan Lathrop of Plainfield South also placed in the top 10, taking seventh in 16:03.

Tom Rotondi led the Griffins by taking sixth in 16:02.

Lincoln-Way West was fifth (123 points), Minooka came in sixth (181), Joliet West ended up seventh (206), Joliet Central was 10th (246), Romeoville took 11th (342), Plainfield North came in 12th (354) and Joliet Catholic placed 13th (370).

Minooka’s top seven runners did not run as they were entered in the Peoria Woodruff Invite at Detweiller Park in Peoria, site of the state meet.

Other top 10 finishers included Plainfield North’s Dan Wooldridge (fourth in 15:53) and Lincoln-Way West’s Mark Pedziwiatr (eighth in 16:10).

© 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.