Boys track: DuPage County athletes ready for the next step up
CHARLESTON - Class elevation was immaterial to Aaron Harris on Friday afternoon at Eastern Illinois University.
One year after becoming the first Lisle sprinter in its boys track and field history to earn three sprint medals at the Class 1A meet, the Illinois-bound star has other thoughts on his mind after the Lions were promoted to Class 2A.
"Just making finals today, will worry about a gold medal (on Saturday)," Harris said.
In the Class 2A preliminaries at O'Brien Stadium, Harris made dramatic statements at both 200 and 400 meters.
The Lisle senior earned the No. 1 seed in each event after posting respective times of 22.31 and 48.8 seconds.
Harris also authored the third-fastest time in the 100 dash, a 10.85.
"I am going to focus on my goal (of winning a state championship)," Harris said. "I ran a PR (in the 100). I like competition."
Harris will receive his fair share from other local smaller-school sprinters.
Montini standout Mitch West also had a dazzling day in the sprints.
The junior clocked the fastest 100 time in 10.72 seconds; he also, along with Wheaton Academy senior Ty Seager, will be dangerous in the 200.
West also anchored the Broncos' heat-winning 400 relay to set up another state-championship possibility.
Five of the six field events in both Class 2A and Class 3A were moved indoors due to threatening weather.
The discus was the lone dissenter.
In the Class 3A event Lake Park throwers Chago Basso and Austin Lynch have been joined by Wheaton North senior Dan Weber and Neuqua Valley senior Tom Cwiok in what would appear optimum position.
But Edwardsville junior A.J. Espenesa uncorked the longest throw in state history to unseat Lake Park discus legend Dan Block by 3 inches.
Espenesa has a commanding lead after his monster effort of 205 feet, 11 inches.
"It was great," Cwiok said of his participation in the same flight. "I have never seen a disc go that far."
Weber leads the area finalists at 176-4; Lancers teammates Lynch and Basso are 5 inches apart at 174-9-174-4.
Cwiok sits at 170-8.
Once again, Neuqua Valley figures to have the most prominent say in the team standings among local programs in Class 3A.
Ryan Lukas and JaQuere Williams were the key sprinters on the Wildcats' 800 relay that is six one-hundredths behind leader East St. Louis' 1:27.31.
The Wildcats' sprinters are still smarting from a muffed baton exchange at their sectional that cost their highly regarded 400 unit dearly.
"It's our revenge relay," said Williams, a Waubonsie Valley transfer.
Williams collaborated with 800 finalist Isaiah Robinson, Dan Gaynes and Kevin Sager to post one of the fastest times in the 1,600 relay as well.
"We can be right in there (the 1,600 relay) with the best of them," Neuqua Valley coach Mike Kennedy said.