Bloomington twins go 1-2 in Quick Bix

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By Shannon Heaton | Saturday, July 26, 2008 6:46 PM CDT | () comments

Twins River and Brooke Gordon of Bloomington, Ill., are used to winning races — among kids their own age.

The 13-year-old eighth-graders aren’t quite so used to beating adults.

But that could change for River and Brooke after the twins were the first and second finishers, respectively, winning by fairly wide margins in Saturday’s Quick Bix.

River was quick to point out one fact, though. “We’re almost 14,” he amended.

Fair enough.

The almost 14-year-olds both ran personal bests Saturday, with River finishing in 10 minutes, 25 seconds. Brooke followed 36 seconds later.

“We just wanted to do the best we could, tough it out and try to get a PR,” Brooke said, indicating that it wasn’t exactly the twins’ strategy to lead from the front and go 1-2 in the race. “There’s normally a lot more competition between us.”

Then again, not always. Most times, like Saturday, the competition is behind them.

River is part of a Parkside Junior High School cross country team that has won the past two Illinois Elementary School Association state championships.

Brooke finished 11th in the Class AA IESA state meet as a seventh-grader.

For this race, the twins came to Davenport with their parents and their track coach, Darren Kerschieter.

“It’s probably our third year up here. My son won it two years ago, and now he’s doing the (Bix) 7,” Kerschieter said. “We don’t do a lot of miles, but the miles we put in have a purpose. Easy days are easy, hard days hard.”

If the Kerschieter name sounds familiar, it should. Kerschieter’s father is longtime basketball coach Dennis Kerschieter.

Darren graduated from Rock Island in 1986 and Augustana in 1990, running track and cross country for Vikings veteran coach Paul Olson.

The work ethic he learned from family and coaches, he’s passed on to the Gordons, along with their parents, Matt and Teresa.

“When my husband and oldest son (Clay) entered their first race, my son brought home a trophy. Everybody was like, ‘You can get those?’” Teresa Gordon said. “Now, we know we need a healthy lifestyle, too. But they (the twins) have had goals (in running) from the very beginning.”

One of those goals was Brooke’s expressed hope for her teammate, Bailey Kerschieter — Darren’s daughter — to make the race a 1-2-3 Parkside sweep.

It didn’t happen, though Bailey did finish in the top five Saturday.

Now, the twins can focus on another goal — competing in next year’s Bix 7.

Kerschieter thinks River can finish in 43 minutes, Brooke maybe in 45.

“Not really,” River said about running a specific time. “Whatever I can do.”

Whatever was good enough for a Quick Bix win Saturday.

Contact the sports desk at (563) 383-2285 or sports@qctimes.com.