Boys track: WW South ends up as county's best
A tight 1,600-meter race had nine runners contending with 300 meters left, and four different leaders over one-lap increments.
Lake Park's Colin Kirkham took out the pack, eclipsed by West Chicago's Danny McComb with a strong second quarter. Wheaton North's Justin Ostrem took control after 800 meters, but competition fueled Waubonsie Valley's Wes York to win in 4 minutes, 25.31 seconds.
"Man, I love track," York said.
There was lots to love at the 85th running of the DuPage County Meet at Lake Park's East Campus on Friday.
Like the 1,600, several teams had a taste at the top. Wheaton Warrenville South kept plugging away, past Glenbard North and York to capture the county title with 101 points to York's 86 and the Panthers' 69.5.
"We're a team-first program. We believe what's best for the team is best for everybody," said Tigers coach Chris Arthurs, who got late thunder from pole vault winner Tom Ansiel, Ashton Jones in triple jump, Erik Stubner in high jump and 1,600 relay winners Trent Schweitzer, Dan Schricker, Nate Guerreiro and Joe Zubak.
Every team earned a positive - the push to third in the 800 by Willowbrook's Casey King, Naperville North's Kris Heinz matching his 6-foot-5 personal best in high jump, Glenbard South's Conner Howard taking third in long jump, Naperville Central's Omarr Roberts and John Webb going 2-3 in discus.
West Chicago coach Paul McLeland didn't remember the last third-place county finish by a Wildcats 400-meter relay - Jack Reynolds, Zenen Cardenas, Jimmy Mackintos and C.J. Griffin - and he's coached the team 27 years.
In the 800 Wheaton North's Joey Simon responded to the kick by friendly foe Kyle Thompson, improving to 3-0 this season against the WW South senior with each under 1 minute, 57 seconds.
"Every race so far we've run together we've worked real well together, and we've 'PR'd each time," Simon said.
Montini's Mitch West doesn't see these teams much. He wins when he does. For a second straight year the Navy-bound senior won both the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
"Today is a confidence booster, probably," West said. "I haven't won a lot of races that I should have."
Glenbard North's Jace James was a three-event winner, in the 400 relay and both 110 and 300 hurdles. His 110 time of 14.19 seconds is a personal record.
"That's the best race I've run in my whole career," he said. "I got into a rhythm. It was the best I've felt all year before a meet, and it paid off."
Lake Park, which placed fourth with 62 points, saw Danny Spejcher swoop in to claim long jump at 21 feet, 8¾ inches, joining Lancers triple-jump winner Solomon Sangobowale to, as Spejcher said, put "another in the books."
Lake Park missed a probable 18-20 points since thrower Chago Basso is competing downstate with the Lancers math team. That opened the door for Waubonsie Valley's Richie Puls in discus and York's Cal Widener to win shot put, at 56-3½. Four of Widener's six throws surpassed 55 feet.
"I knew coming in I was probably going to be second place because Chago was here," said Widener, who will throw at Belmont. "But when he wasn't here I was like, wow, I can do this, I could be the leader in DuPage County right now."
York junior Charlie Kern got praised by his father and coach, also Charlie, for answering Cardenas' challenge in the 400 run, going under 50 seconds for the first time to win in 49.97.
"You responded - and you broke 50 for the first time," said father to son.