Boys track: Grant runs to runner-up finish in DeKalb sectional
Timmy Brundidge won both hurdles races, and Octavian Wells also qualified for state in two individual events, as Grant's boys track and field team captured runner-up honors in the Class 3A DeKalb sectional on Saturday.
The meet was postponed Friday night because the fully automatic timing system malfunctioned. Huntley wound up winning the sectional with 121 points, 32 points ahead of Grant (89).
Brundidge ran 14.21 in the 110-meter high hurdles and clocked 38.77 in the 300 intermediate hurdles. The Loyola-bound Wells sped to victory in the 400 dash (49.71) and took second in the 100 (10.74). Grant's Tyler Schaefer (45-1) and Kemar Miller (44-9.5) placed second and third, respectively, in the triple jump to earn berths in next weekend's state meet in downstate Charleston.
The Bulldogs also advanced Henry Halverson in the high jump (6-3, fifth) and their 1,600 relay, which ran a winning 3:20.01.
Crystal Lake South coach Nick Willhoit believes the ultimate list of qualifiers should expand due to the unusual circumstances of the meet. While field events were completed Friday, the FAT issues created plenty of controversy. Under IHSA rules, hand-timed results mean only first and second-place finishers can qualify for state. However, sectionals using FAT can advance place finishers who meet predetermined state-qualifying times or distances.
"We ran .28 seconds under the (3,200 relay) qualifying time and we're submitting video evidence of that as part of our appeal," Willhoit said. "I want to see our guys (Jack Becker, Miles Floyd, Doug Cain, and Jon Prus) get the opportunity they earned."
An apparent glitch with the system Friday failed to provide video confirmation on the 3,200 relay. It appeared to function for one heat of the next event, but failed in the second heat. At that point, IHSA meet officials and meet committee members decided it was best to postpone track events to Saturday, at which time another electronic system was used.
As part of that decision, the track events conducted Friday were rerun Saturday.