Boys track: WW South happy with first-place finish
How fitting.
In the final Red Grange Invitatational boys track meet hosted on Friday by retiring Wheaton Warrenville South coach Ken Helberg, his Tigers earned first place out of 16 teams.
Senior Brandon Bell secured it in the final leg of a second-place 1,600-meter relay, one of Helberg's hallmarks over his 28 years.
"I put everything on the line. I'm glad with how we finished and I hope he's happy with it - I know he's happy with it," said Bell, who also placed third in the A-level 400-meter dash and in the B-level of the 100 at the three-tiered meet.
"We're just very honored and blessed to have him as a coach," Bell said. "To say that I'm a part of his last meet here at Red Grange is going to be something that I'm really going to remember and cherish."
The Tigers showed much depth, such as second-place finishes at each level of the 800-meter run, by Kyle Thompson, Dylan Kropp and Jeremy Ambrosio. They also racked up big points in field events.
Blaze Barista took third with a personal-best long jump of 20 feet, 11½ inches and won triple jump at 44-9.
"I'm happy with it," the senior said.
Tigers pole vaulter Tom Ansiel also was pleased. The junior entered this track season with a best of 12-3 but went 14-6 on Tuesday and then 15-1 Friday night to lead all vaulters.
"My secret? I just listen to what my coach (vault specialist Daryl Fitts) says," Ansiel said. "My other secret is I trust the Lord and whatever happens will happen and I'll be OK in the end."
Near the end of the 800-meter relay it seemed South Elgin was going to win the the thing. Then Metea Valley's Amiri Finner took the baton in the anchor leg. Making up what he said had been a 20-meter deficit, the Minnesota State-Mankato football recruit crushed his 200 meters to give the Mustangs the win in 1:31.09.
"It's just determination at the end of the day. It's who wants it, and it's your work ethic and what you put into practice so you have the power and drive so you can finish 200 meters," said Finner, who also won long jump on his last attempt, 21-4½.
As he did last year at state, Waubonsie Valley hurdler Tyler Kirkwood squared off against Evanston's Roland Amarteifio in the 110 hurdles. Kirkwood again edged the fellow senior, winning at 14.63 seconds. In the 300 the Evanston hurdler turned the tables though Kirkwood achieved a new standard of 39.67 seconds.
"That's all right," Kirkwood said of the second place. "I finally got 39. That's a half-second PR."
Glenbard West, with Sam Brodner winning shot put at 50-8, finished fourth overall behind WW South, Prospect and Evanston. Metea Valley was sixth, Waubonsie Valley ninth and Naperville North 13th.