North Central College sophomore Connor Riss stopped short of calling it the best race of his life.
But the excitement in his voice told another story.
The Grayslake North graduate already had proved he was fully recovered from a broken foot suffered in February 2020. He was pleased with his fall and winter training heading into the indoor track season for the Division III program.
But Riss wanted to test himself in his first indoor meet of the season against Wheaton College in Naperville on Feb. 6.
“I went into the race thinking, ‘Just run and let whatever happens,’ ” Riss said. “I trusted my training and the work I put in.”
Sure enough, Riss set a personal best with a first-place time of 8 minutes, 44.44 seconds in the 3,000-meter run. He said it was a special moment after enduring a lengthy rehab that coincided with the shutdown of sports during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I woke up that morning and went on a quick and easy run with the guys going to the meet that day,” Riss said. “We were all very excited to be a part of that first real meet. As soon as I got to the line and warmed up, I knew I had to execute.
“I was fully ready to take control of that race. I responded well to some moves made by other runners in the race and made a good move with a half-mile to go. It was definitely one of my best races and a lot of fun.”
Riss said he’s happy to be healthy and have a chance to compete and is excited for the outdoor season. He was one of seven Cardinals to earn All-Midwest Region honors on March 23.
“I learned a lot, such as hard work pays off,” Riss said. “Looking back to where I was a year ago, in a boot, I was only able to be on a bike and go swimming. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to run.
“My goals are always to improve, get better and put in the work day in and day out. I want to get stronger and keep laying that foundation and keep growing as a person and athlete. I’m going to take this outdoor season and learn as much as I can.”
Smith’s gamble pays off: Stevenson graduate Justin Smith called it “a leap of faith.”
After three seasons at Indiana, he placed his name in the NCAA transfer portal last spring. Due to COVID-19 protocols, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Smith was unable to make any college visits, but he was intrigued by Arkansas coach Eric Musselman’s fast-paced offense.
Smith was a force on the offensive and defensive ends in Arkansas’ run to the Elite Eight, which ended with an 81-72 loss to Baylor in the South Regional final on Monday.
Smith averaged 13.6 points and 7.3 rebounds this season. He totaled 47 points and 18 rebounds in tournament wins against Colgate and Texas Tech and then had 12 points and 14 rebounds against Oral Roberts in the Sweet 16.
Peterson update: Libertyville graduate Drew Peterson capped off a strong season with 13 points and six rebounds in USC’s 85-66 loss to No. 1 Gonzaga in the West Region final in Indianapolis on Tuesday.
In his first season at USC after transferring from Rice, the 6-8 Peterson made a big impact by starting 30 of 33 games. He averaged 9.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists and shot 38.5% on 3-point attempts. He scored in double figures in two of USC’s four NCAA Tournament games.
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
