Neuqua perseveres, outlasts WW South for 2nd
Under the weather? Everyone was at West Aurora's John Bell Invitational boys track meet on a brutal Saturday.
Naperville Central's Evan Thayer and Willowbrook's Jeff Stapleton were more than most -- Thayer on antiobiotics, Stapleton woozy with the flu.
Maladies matter little on the track, where Thayer won the 1,600-meter run and anchored a winning 3,200 relay and Stapleton held off state-class Wheaton Warrenville South runner Randall Babb to win the 800.
"Coach told me to run it, so I ran it," said Stapleton, clinging to a support pole at the runners' check-in tent.
"I just ran it. I hate losing. So I give my best effort every time."
In the 3,200 relay Thayer -- who just signed a letter of intent to run at Cedarville (Ohio) University -- recaptured a lead taken by Redhawks leadoff man Stephen O'Donnell but which fell to Downers Grove North's Michael Lifson and Jacob Brower.
Trojans anchor Aaron Silver looked good with 250 meters left, but Thayer's long gait gained until he joined Silver on the final turn. The two seniors ran shoulder-to-shoulder until Thayer's lean nipped Silver by .05 seconds.
"When I saw Aaron was a little bit ahead, I love to chase and I went to go and chase after him. You just kind of have to slowly reel a person in," said Thayer, who added the 1,600 win ahead of Neuqua Valley's Josh Budnik.
Budnik was among a Neuqua Valley distance corps depleted by four Wildcats in Arcadia, Calif., for a major invitational.
"This was an opportunity for me because I'm normally an 800 runner, but I've always loved the mile," said Budnik after only his second 1,600 of the year. "So my coach was like, 'You choose which one you want.' "
Neuqua Valley coach Mike Kennedy was the California escort, leaving assistant Steve Saul in charge.
Saul picked up a second-place finish in his first coaching assignment. The Wildcats' 77.5 points followed West Aurora (86) and were ahead of WW South (66).
The Wildcats scored in all but one track event, and Sam Wildeman took pole vault.
In high jump Naperville Central's Aaron Petty used his short, six-step approach to win it at 6 feet-4. He also placed third in long jump, which his brother Kalen equaled in triple jump.
Aaron's secret -- other than a power-generating approach? Keeping a sweat.
"My coach (Jared Macari) helped me out with his parka," Petty said. "He let me wear it so I was still warm throughout the jumps. Everybody else was getting cold."
The rise of the WW South 400 relay team was another heart-warmer.
Identical twins Will and Phil Traynor, Mack Tracey and Tomais Davis busted out of the second heat to win the relay over third-heat teams Neuqua and West Aurora.
"We didn't expect it," Will Traynor said. "We thought maybe third, second. We had no idea it was going to be first place. We were so happy, my brother, he was jumping up and down."