Malcolm Taylor heads toward a second-place finish at Tuesday's Kickoff Classic at Kickapoo State Park. Despite hot and humid conditions, the junior dropped 6 seconds off his time from last year and moved up from fourth place. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

KICKAPOO STATE PARK — After narrowly missing out on the IHSA Class A state finals last season, Malcolm Taylor is focused on making it to Peoria this year.

The junior got his 2007 campaign off to a great start with a second-place finish at the Kickapoo Kickoff Classic today.

Taylor ran the 3-mile course in 17 minutes, 28 seconds. Oakwood’s Justin Jones, who won the meet last year, repeated as champ with a time of 16:53.

As a team, Uni placed third in a field of eight scoring squads. With 65 points, the Illineks were close behind the Unity Rockets, who finished with 58 points. St. Joseph-Ogden won the meet with 52 points. Danville was fourth with 68.

Joining Taylor in the top 10 was sophomore teammate Nathan Smith, who placed eighth with a time of 18:28.

Uni’s other point-scoring runners each placed in the top 25:

• Austin Rundus, senior, 14th place, 19:05
• Buck Walsh, freshman, 20th, 19:20
• Isaac Chambers, junior, 21st, 19:21

Rounding out Uni’s top seven were senior Jacob Olshansky, 30th (20:14) and sophomore Jack Snyder, 34th (20:40).

At last year’s Kickoff, the Illineks placed sixth out of 10 teams. Rundus, who suffered an injury later in the season, placed third (17:30), followed by Taylor in fourth (17:34).

Taylor’s 6-second improvement was a good sign, but even more impressive was the team’s stronger showing as a whole — despite today’s humid conditions.

Last year only one other Uni runner besides Rundus and Taylor finished the course in less than 21 minutes (Snyder, 20:34, 30th). But today all five point-scoring runners easily broke the 20-minute barrier.

2007 BOYS CROSS COUNTRY VARSITY RESULTS

Aug. 28: Kickapoo Kickoff Classic (3 miles)

• Story: see above
• Team finish: 3rd place, 65 points (out of eight scoring teams)
• Top seven Uni runners: Malcolm Taylor, 2nd (17:28); Nathan Smith, 8th (18:28); Austin Rundus, 14th (19:05); Buck Walsh, 20th (19:20); Isaac Chambers, 21st (19:21); Jacob Olshansky, 30th (20:14); Jack Snyder, 34th (20:40)

Next meet: Chrisman Cow Chip Classic, Sept. 1, Chrisman H.S.; first race to begin at 9 a.m. (directions)

Kickapoo Kickoff champion Justin Jones of Oakwood builds an early lead during Tuesday's meet. Behind him from left are Uni sophomore Nathan Smith, senior Austin Rundus, junior Malcolm Taylor, and (at far right) freshman Buck Walsh. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

[CORRECTION (8/30/07 7:30pm) – Typo corrected: "Nathan Jones" in photo caption corrected to "Nathan Smith"]