Aurora Central takes 2nd at Metro Suburban invite
There may be more interesting ways to prime the legs for a major track meet, but that'd be a stretch.
As part of the McNulty Irish Dancers, Aurora Central Catholic junior McKimmon Englehardt and his three siblings had a full slate leading into Saturday's Metro Suburban Conference Boys Track & Field Indoor Invitational at Glenbard South.
"Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day, I had like eight shows yesterday," Englehardt said.
"I've been doing it for 12 years now so I'm pretty used to that. We do shows a lot, it's just part of my routine."
So is running sprints and hurdling for the Chargers. Englehardt had that part down, too, winning the 55-meter low hurdles in 7.79 seconds and going 1-2 with teammate Caleb Minx in the 55 highs to help ACC tie for second with Riverside-Brookfield behind MSC champion Glenbard South, which won with 119 points.
St. Edward, earning a win in the 55 dash from senior Alec Uscila and a second-place finish by sophomore Zach Olenek in long jump, finished in sixth place with 29 points.
Without the benefit of running in the fast heat, Uscila sprinted out of the fifth of six heats to clock a time of 6.78 seconds. That topped IC Catholic Prep nine-time all-stater Jordan Rowell and Glenbard South's Gabriel Dodd both out of the fast heat.
Olenek, who placed fourth at 6.96 seconds out of the same heat as Uscila, soared 19 feet, 5ΒΌ inches in long jump.
In 2016 Olenek and Uscila ran on state-qualifying 400- and 800-meter relays. St. Edward graduated two of those athletes, leaving the two returners time, as Uscila said, "to focus on our individual events."
"I surprised myself. I was glad I could take the win in the 55," said Uscila, a senior.
"I've been working a lot this year on my starts. A little bit on my top speed but mainly my starts because that was my issue last year."
ACC's Brant Krpan gained 8 points with a second-place shot put. Four-year varsity runner Josh Jerwers led off a second-place 3,200 relay, returned with a strong second in the 800 run, and capped the day with Englehardt, Matt Mendoza and Kennedy Cross to win the 1,600 relay.
"It kind of paid off, but it's not my best race," Jerwers said of the two 800-meter segments. "But it's a start to the outdoors."