Boys track: Schaumburg's Olaitan soars in Bartlett's Flyin Hawk

Schaumburg's Victor Olaitan entered this season with a bit of extra motivation.

Sure, Olaitan won the Mid-Suburban League title in the 110 high hurdles last year. But his season was cut short when he failed to advance out of the Metea Valley sectional, thereby missing a chance at competing in the Class 3A state meet.

This year, Olaitan has come back a bit faster - and much stronger and more determined.

It showed on Saturday at the Flyin Hawk Invitational hosted by Bartlett at Streamwood's Millennium Field.

With temperatures busting into the upper 70s, Olaitan also busted out a personal best in winning the 110 hurdles (15.03) against a stiff southwest wind.

"Last year I felt like I kind of choked at sectionals," said Olaitan who also took third in the triple jump (43-03) and ninth in the long jump (20-01.25). "This year I'm definitely determined to get to state."

Olaitan spent more time on the weights this off-season and it showed as the Saxon junior still pulled away for the victory despite clipping the final three hurdles and battling stiff winds.

"My coaches have been telling me to get my lead leg down and power forward," added Olaitan. "Last year I wasn't lifting at all, and that has helped me improve my times a lot."

Mukwonago (Wis.) pulled away for the victory in the 13-team field with 114 points, followed by Deerfield (93.5 points) and Glenbrook North (82 points), with Loyola and Hononegah tying for fourth place with 79 points.

Hersey took sixth place with 67.5 points, with Schaumburg (51 points), Mundelein (43 points), South Elgin (29.5), and Bartlett (28 points) rounding out the top 10.

Olaitan wasn't the only one having a big day for the Saxons, as senior Dakari Ferguson also stepped up by contributing in four events.

Ferguson won the high jump clearing at 6-1; the senior also overcame two scratches while trying to get his footwork down to take third in the long jump (21-2.75).

He then combined with junior Scott Brown, junior Justin Maristela and junior Joey Devine in leading the Saxons to a second-place finish in the 800 relay (1:33.93) and a fifth-place finish in the 400 relay (44.79).

"We are not quite where we want to be in the relay yet," said Ferguson. "We want to win every race we compete in, but we're doing a lot better with it and our exchanges are getting cleaner."

Senior Alex Nickens and senior Dan Gritt did a nice job in leading a balanced Hersey attack.

Nickens gave the Huskies a big lift by winning in the 300 low hurdles (42.82) and adding a third-place finish in the 110 high hurdles (16.55), with junior Zak Karmen (16.77) following closely behind for a fourth-place finish.

"The times are about the same from last year," said Nickens who also won the 300 low hurdles at Bartlett last season. "But I've done a lot more hurdle work, so going over the hurdles I'm a lot cleaner."

Gritt emerged with a third-place finish in the 800 (2:05.52). And Gritt and Nickens capped the day by combining with senior Jacob Krupa and junior Nate Mayo in a third-place finish in the 1,600 relay (3:38.25).

"I tried to stay conservative early," said Gritt of his 800 run, "then hit them at the end when they were battling the wind. We're looking strengthen our 1,600 relay, but it was a good start today."

Hersey senior Grant Wagner certainly had a full day. He placed seventh in both the long jump (20-9) and high jump (5-7), added a fifth-place finish in the 200 (23.60) and helped his team to a fourth-place finish in the 400 relay (44.23).

Senior Sam Svienty (10:15.29) and Mayo (10:23.12) went 4-6 in the 3,200, with Krupa adding a fourth-place finish in the 400 (54.03).

Bartlett junior Sulaimon Ahmed also showed plenty of potential on Saturday for the host Hawks.

Ahmed started his day by tying for first in the long jump (21-4.25), and he switched gears by too take second in the both the 100 (11.61) and the 200 (23.50) against that stiff southwest wind.

Ahmed is already established in the long jump - and now he's coming on strong in the sprints.

"Feels really good," said Ahmed of his key performance. "I've been working hard on my reaction time in the sprints and now my start is getting better."

"We knew he was a really good long jumper," said Bartlett coach Erik Kramer of his rising junior star. "Now his sprints times are getting good. It'll be fun to see what he can do without the wind."

Mundelein's young distance corps is starting to make an impact, which was evident on Saturday.

Sophomore Michael Parduhn, junior Kevin Garcia, sophomore David Carrillo and senior Ben Krauss combined to power the Mustangs to a second-place finish in the 3,200 relay (8:33.99).

Krauss came back to notch a sixth place finish in the 800 (2:06.64), with Parduhn (4:43.10) and Carrillo (4:44.65) going 4-5 in the 1,600.

"We have been pushing each other at every practice," said Parduhn. "We're going after a 3,200 relay spot, so it has been competitive."

Sophomore Robert St. Clair also flashed his stuff by taking second in the 3,200 (10:03.71).

"Every race I push myself in that final lap," said St. Clair, who answered a challenge by Loyola junior Connor Hoag (10:10.40) entering the final lap to secure second place. "I think the distance squad is taking steps forward."

Senior Mitch Sharer supported the Mustangs' effort by taking fourth in both the shot put (44-11.5) and discus (133-08).

South Elgin's sprint relays, like the weather, seem to be heating up.

Junior Kyle Sy, sophomore Jacob Todd, junior Jerlon Teems and junior Frank Montoya-azam combined to lead the Storm to a third place finish in the 400 relay (44.09).

Senior Collin Uvegas then joined Sy, Todd, and Teems to power the Storm to a fourth-place finish in the 800 relay (1:35.47).