Neuqua Valley athletes enjoy California trip

Neuqua Valley track enjoyed a cool California reign.

At the renowned Arcadia Invitational April 9-11, the Wildcats' Tennessee-bound Maya Neal finished third in heptathlon while several Neuqua Boys compiled great times and finishes.

Ty Moss was among them. The Nebraska-bound senior broke his own school 800-meter record at Arcadia, his time of 1 minute, 52.30 seconds ranking first in Illinois and ninth in the country according to Dyestat.

Moss also joined Kyle Bender, Isaiah Robinson and Zac Espinoso on a 1,600 relay that is the best in the state and 32nd in the nation at 3:18.21; Moss ran a split time of 1:50.997 in the 3,200 relay with Bender, Espinosa and Robinson that went 7:52.74, again best in state and 11th in the country.

Junior Connor Horn went 4:18.83 in the mile and 9:16.79 in the 3,200. Also at 3,200 Hinsdale Central sophomore Blake Evertsen went 9:14.39 and McHenry's Jesse Reiser ran the fastest time in the country so far, 8:52.00. Conant's Zach Dale went 8:52.62.

Rounding out the Neuqua boys individuals, the Stanford-bound Espinosa went 48.54 in the 400, second in Illinois. Evertsen went 4:23.30 in the "Rising Stars' mile, while Downers Grove North's Ryan Clevenger also competed in the 3,200, running 9:19.86.

Neal's tally of 4,953 points in heptathlon included five top-four finishes among the 20 competitors. Dyestat lists Neal's 100 hurdles (14.58), 200 dash (25.34) and long jump (17 feet, 10¾ inches) all as best in state.

Downers Grove South's Michaela Hackbarth, second in Class 3A last season in the 800, ran 2:14.01 at Arcadia, tops in Illinois and 40th nationally. Downers North's Abby Kargol went 10:45.53 in the 3,200.

Well-rounded:

Wheaton Warrenville South senior Hannah Kats can throw a shot put and discus a long way. She also plays a mean saxophone.

During Sunday's Senior Honors Concert at WW South, the North Central College-bound Kats was presented the Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence. The award is given by the United States Marines Youth Foundation and the Marine Corps League in recognition of "diligence, dedication and musical excellence."

What makes the award more special is it is voted upon by fellow bandmates.

"This award is given to the highest caliber senior band student who displays the character, the work ethic and the leadership above and beyond all the rest," said WW South Director of Bands Vic Scimeca.

In the Tigers' first outdoor track meet, April 4 at Rock Island, Kats threw the discus 93 feet, 1 inch. Overall, WW South throws sent both Naomi Yamane and Taylor Sikora over 105 feet and, in shot, Yamane, Grace Potokar and Alex Enright all surpassing 35 feet.

For Enright, second in the A-flight shot put at 38-3½, it was her first prep outdoor competition in shot put, a budding multi-events athlete headed to Mississippi.

Mother knows best:

In 2014 Wheaton North's Chico Jackson opened the outdoor season with a 23-5 long jump in his first meet. That was as good as it got, as hamstring problems negated a return downstate.

After winning long jump and triple jump at the Wheaton North Best 4 on Saturday, Jackson said injury does not weigh heavily on his mind.

"It did at first, still in the back of my mind, but (his mother, Linda) talked to me about it and I just had to release it and get that off my mind because it was holding me back, you know?"

He's more concerned about things he can control, such as solidifying a starting long jump run-up mark that has "been everywhere."

"That's the only problem right now," Jackson said. "Everything else, I just left in the past."