WW South walks the walk at DVC
They say it isn’t bragging if you can do it.
Wheaton Warrenville South put its money where its mouth was Friday, winning the DuPage Valley Conference indoor track championship by 43 points over defending titlist West Aurora, 140-97. Wheaton North was third with 77.
“The other day we were all talking, coach (Ken Helberg) was talking about conference, and then we all just said we’ve got it in the bag,” said Tigers senior Digba Coker, who won the 55-meter hurdles in 7.79 seconds, ahead of West Aurora’s Marcus Waller.
“We said, we’ve got it, no problem,” Coker said. “Our goal was just making sure we beat what our best is.”
The feeling was contagious. Several DVC indoor records fell at the beautiful, new Al B. Carius Track at North Central College in Naperville.
Led by Glenbard East’s first-place 800 relay team of Patrick Thornton, Darnell Robinson, Markel Brackett and Antwon James, Glenbard North and West Aurora also eclipsed the prior meet record of 1 minute, 35 seconds in the event.
WW South’s Dan Franke, Phabian Clark, Andrew Dabisch and Max Heyden set a record in the meet-ending 1,600 relay, at 3:26.86, with Heyden and Franke also going 1-2 in the open 400 dash.
The Tigers’ Titus Davis broke a 28-year-old long jump record by more than 8 inches with his mark of 23 feet, 5 inches. He finished second to teammate Charlie Pinedo in the 55 dash, then Davis returned to set another DVC mark in the 200, coming out of the second section to run the lap in 22.44 seconds. It was his first 200 of the indoor season.
“I worked hard to get to this point and I’m very proud,” said Davis, a football receiver who will play at Central Michigan.
Wyoming football recruit Rafe Kiely of Wheaton North recorded his best indoor shot put, 54 feet, 3½ inches, to win that event, while West Chicago senior Jeff Foreman set a new overall personal high-jump record of 6-8.
The Drake-bound Foreman hadn’t exceeded 6-4 indoors before this year and had four 6-7 outdoor marks, including last year’s eighth-place finish in Class 3A. Foreman also pushed runner-up Tyler Ester of Wheaton North to a PR of 6-5.
West Chicago’s Gunnar Sterne used his kick to win both the 800- and 1,600-meter runs, reeling in West Aurora’s Ryan Bartell in the first and WW South’s Collin Fedor in the second.
The University of Illinois-Chicago recruit may try to lead the pack in the future. Since it ain’t broke, though, he may not fix it.
“Maybe I’ll be able to go out in front, but I’m undefeated so far this year in all my races,” Sterne said.
Mark Karwowski and Tim Brown celebrated their first DVC indoor meets as head coaches at Glenbard North and Naperville North, respectively.
Karwowski had a titlist in 3,200 winner Kyle Flores. Brown had a bunch of good performances led by Nick Lyon in pole vault and Jimmy Qiao in the 3,200.
“We’re a real young team and I asked them to give of their best,” Brown said, “and I had over half the team PR in their respective events. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
West Aurora was a serious point-earner, paced by Waller, Bartell, Patrick Schultz, Matt Souvannasing, Parrish McGhee, Alex Chollet, Zach Woods, Vontrell Hawkins, Nate Ocon, Matt Muth and Steve Loran. Just not enough to surpass WW South.
“They’re loaded,” quipped Blackhawks coach Cortney Lamb.
McGhee, Woods, Ocon and Jonny Osong placed third in that record-setting 800 relay, their time of 1:34.62 still under the prior mark.
Yet senior pole vaulter George Malina was the Blackhawks’ sole event winner, clearing 13 feet on his first attempt at the height to also claim West Aurora’s indoor program record.
“The DVC title is what I’ve been wanting for four years now,” Malina said.
“I would have liked to have 13-6 before the season ended,” he added. “We’ve got some good guys coming up, keep that record a little safer and just get a little bit closer to that (Illinois Prep Top Times Indoor Classic) qualifying height. But six or seven weeks until (state) sectionals, and that 9 more inches will come pretty soon.”