Boys track and field: Record triple jump exit for Lakes senior Ruiz
CHARLESTON - The goals Lakes senior Cameron Ruiz had this weekend were very simple - win the boys track and field state championship in both the long jump and triple jump.
All-time marks and special recognition aside, that's all Ruiz was after.
"Honestly, I didn't think about any records or anything this weekend," he said. "I just wanted to win."
With one came the other at the 123rd boys state track and field championships at Eastern Illinois University and O'Brien Field.
As the top seed and defending champ in the triple jump, Ruiz entered the final three competitive field efforts of his career, as he will attend Northwestern for football in the fall.
So Ruiz was simply trying to jump longer with each attempt. And thanks to Davion Cross of West Aurora, he had to.
The first jump by Cross caught Ruiz - but moments later, Ruiz eclipsed Cross. On the next attempt, Cross came within ΒΌ inch of Ruiz. That was as close as Cross got - but Ruiz wasn't finished.
He charged down the runway barely grazing the white toe plank. He jumped, hopped, then flew through the air. He landed softly in the south sand pit and immediately knew his effort was big. So did the crowd.
When the tape measure was finally rolled out, the mark was 51 feet, 1 inch - longer than anyone in Illinois high school triple jump history.
And most certainly enough to win the event.
Ruiz defended his state title and broke the previous state meet record held by Chris Hercules of Palatine (51-0.5, in 1997).
"I saw Davion jump 49, and I knew I had to prove myself," Ruiz said. "I knew it was 50-foot jump before they even took and marked it."
The disappointment of finishing second to Cross earlier in the long jump proved to be the fuel Ruiz needed.
"It got me fired up, but I like that kind of competition," Ruiz said. "I tried to hold my final phase because that is something I have been working on and it's something I normally struggle with, but I felt good."
To close his Lakes career, Ruiz earned medals in the long jump all four years, and in the triple jump twice.
Motivation was the one thing that Brian and Kyle Griffith of Lake Zurich didn't need when they stepped to the line for the finals of the 1,600. Following the disappointment of the 3,200-meter relay, nothing less than a PR and a possible state title was the only way the Griffiths wanted this to end.
In the 3,200 relay, a collision between Kyle Griffith and another runner turned the race into a nightmare as the once top-seeded Bears ended up 12th.
"I think we tried to turn the anger from how that race ended into a positive," Kyle Griffith said. "It's a good thing we had some time between races."
Brian Griffith took the lead in the race while Kyle had a front-row view in back of his brother and Minooka senior Soren Knudsen. Into the final 150-meters nary a step separated Griffith and Knudsen. Into the final few steps, Knudsen held off Griffith by .05 for the win. Brian was second in 4:10.56 to 4:12.54 for Kyle.
"Hard to be disappointed for me," Kyle said. "I had a two-second PR and had a great look at my brother in front of me."
Second was not a bad way to end it for Antioch senior Landon Keefover. After a seventh-place finish in the 110 hurdles as a junior, the Nebraska-bound Keefover followed that up with a second place finish this season. The placement was the highest in school history for a boys runner at state.
"Oh I can't be disappointed by this at all," said Keefover, who finished in 14.34. "Travis (Anderson of Edwardsville) is a great runner and I felt like I had a good start and ran my race. He just got me today."
Michigan-bound Grayslake Central senior Jack Aho finished his exceptional high school career with a runner-up finish in the 3,200 to Knudsen. Aho ran 9:07.12, earning a medal in the event for the third consecutive year.
Branden Ellis of Warren earned his first state medal by finishing seventh in the high jump, clearing 6-6, and Mundelein junior Bobby Nuzzo earned the Mustangs their first individual medal in the 100 in school history. His 10.90 clocking placed him seventh.
Jordan Eng of Stevenson earned his first state meet medal with a ninth-place finish in the long jump. His jump of 22-5 from Friday held up for a medal.
And Aidan Williamson got Vernon Hills on the Class 2A scoreboard with a ninth-place finish in the pole vault, where he cleared 13 feet.