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Boys track and field: Situation suits Hersey's Nickens at Bartlett's Flyin' Hawk Invite

From a certain perspective, the competitive conditions were superb on Saturday - sun, warmth and no snow. Just the right recipe for sprinters, and especially hurdlers.

And they were the main beneficiaries at the Bartlett Flyin' Hawk Invite at Streamwood's Millennium Field.

No, the distance guys weren't too fond of the 70-plus degree temps. But to Hersey junior Alex Nickens, it was the perfect day.

"It was warmer than the other day, and it loosens the muscles so much better," Nickens said. "It makes it a little easier."

Nickens, operating from an inside lane in the 300 intermediate hurdles ran what is considered to be a clean race - that is, not clipping even a single hurdle - to win the event in a personal best 41.06. Nickens set a Hersey sophomore team record last year.

"I felt pretty good coming into the race today so I felt like I would do pretty well," Nickens said.

All around, the Huskies wound up fourth overall in the team race with 63 points. Glenbrook North ran away with the team title, scoring 133.50 points to 96.5 for Rockton Hononegah and 96 for Lakes.

Hersey earned another individual title in the 1,600-meter run. Senior Kevin Paton held off a hard charge from Loyola Academy junior Andrew Niewiarowski to win in 4:30.50.

"I felt him coming up, but I felt like I had more energy to pull away from him at the end," Paton said.

Other top performances for the Huskies included a second-place finish from Jared Polfuss in the triple jump (42-5.75) and the 400 relay team of Nickens, Polfuss, Grant Wagner and Sigmund Serranilla that ran a season-best 43.95 in a fourth-place finish.

The defending meet champion, Lakes, didn't hoist the team hardware but still had several bright spots. A 1-2 finish from Brandon Thiel and Cameron Ruiz in the 400 highlighted a solid day for the Eagles.

Thiel ran a season-best 49.65 in holding off Ruiz, who ran a personal-best 49.93.

"A lot of training helped me in that race," Thiel said. "Training with the distance in the off-season helped me there at the end."

Ruiz, who verbally committed to Northwestern for football earlier in the week, had a full day's workload. He finished second in the long jump, clearing 21-10. He ran fourth in the 100 (11.38) and fifth in the 200 (22.85).

"I am a team player - medals don't mean all that much in the end," said Ruiz who fouled just by a hair on a effort of 23-1 in the long jump. "I'm happy with my times but I was happy to help the team get points."

Senior Robert Kuhlmann showed that his indoor performances in the 800-meters was a sign of things to come outdoors. In a rarity in this race, Kuhlmann jumped out in front of the pack and led from start to finish to win the 800 in 1:57.87. He too was challenged in the final 300 meters only to pull away and win.

"I knew I was going to have a nice margin to work with and I wanted to keep everyone behind me," Kuhlmann said. "When someone came up on me at the end, I left him and was confident in what I had."

The Eagles closed out the meet with a season-best in winning the 1,600. Thiel and Kuhlmann joined Jordan Mercure and Leon Small to run 3:26.06.

Mundelein senior Antoine Hicks had his best outdoor day of the season with his runner-up finish in the discus (149-10) and a third-place spot in the shot put (47-5). In the shot put, Hicks finished just behind Colin Orchard of Lakes, who tossed a personal best 49-10.

"Antione has really grown as an athlete," Mundelein coach Ethan Karolczyk said. "He continues to be so very coachable - from football season to now he continues to be more coachable."

Other top area performances included a win for Montini Catholic junior Mitch West in the 200 (22.22). West also teamed up with Matt Quaglia, Nick Fedanzo, and Will Smith Jr. for the win in the 800 relay (1:30.68).

South Elgin earned wins in the triple jump from senior Larnell Brown (45-9.5) and the 400 relay. Desmond Lockett, Derek Kumerow, Kyle Mastrangeli and Dominique Woods comprised the winning foursome, which finished in 43.01.

Fremd wins Battle of Palatine: Mid-Suburban League rivals Fremd and Palatine decided the head-to-head track and field version of the battle of Palatine, with the Vikings coming out on top 82-68.

Junior Danny Peterson and Sophomore Jaden Jackson had big days for the Vikings. Peterson won the 3,200 (9:48.63) and the 1,600 (4:22.68) in season-best times in both events. Jackson won the 300 hurdles in a season-best 39.25 and finished second in the 110 hurdles behind Dan Garcia of Palatine.

The Vikings also dominated in the field events, winning all but the pole vault and long jump.

BATE meet win for Prospect: As the favorite to win the MSL outdoor crown next month, Prospect showed why as it took home the team title at the BATE Invitational at Buffalo Grove. Distance was again a strong suit for the Knights as the 3,200 relay team ran a season-best 8:08.57to finish second and senior Karsen LeCompte ran 4:18.84 to finish second in the 1,600.

The 800 meters has been a staple for Prospect, and Luke Filipic carried on that tradition by winning in a quick 1:56.38, just ahead of Arturo Bautista of Buffalo Grove (1:58.92). Junior Billy Matzek was the Knights' other individual winner in the shot put (52-4).

Buffalo Grove junior Jimmy Trieb won a pair of individual titles, taking the 400 (51.51) and the 200 (23.06). Conant took top honors in the 1,600 relay, winning in 3:32.08.

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