Laskowski is learning from losses

You have to give Tony Laskowski credit. He loses to the best,and he learns from the best, too.

The Downers Grove North senior is one of the premier distancerunners in Illinois. But as a sophomore and junior, in bothcross-country and track, he consistently lost to Notre Dame's LenSitko and Oak Park's Jim Westphal.

Sitko was the No. 1 distance runner last year. He won thecross-country title, then almost pulled off a distance double at theClass AA track meet. He won the 1,600-meter run, but was edged byWestphal in the closing meters in the 3,200.

Laskowski rarely was beaten when either Sitko or Westphal wasnot in the field. But when they were, they …