Wave relay team looking for big things

Members of the St. Edward boys' 400 relay team were not even born the last time a new school record in that event was established back in the mid 1980s.

But as the old saying goes, records were meant to be broken, and the Green Wave quartet of Eric Guerrero, Ryan Gilbert, Matt Ardiente and sophomore Nick Kerger did just that at Class A Genoa-Kingston sectional.

That foursome will try and re-break that record at this weekend's Class A state finals at Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Stadium in Charleston.

St. Edward, which also won a Suburban Catholic Conference championship in the event, is tied for the third seed in the 400 relay after clocking in at 43.64 at Genoa.

"I've grown up with a lot of them," said Guerrero. "I played football with Ryan and Matt. Our biggest strength is probably our unity. We don't want to let each other down. It's kind of cool that we are all going down as a team."

Guerrero, who said the 400 team is shooting to get into the 42s, will also compete in the 100 dash, where he is seeded 15th.

"I've done a lot of leg workouts and strides," said Guerrero. "I've really focused on using my hips."

Hampshire's Quinn Walker is a threat to win a Class A state title in both the 110 and 300 hurdles. Walker, who is headed to Downstate Lincoln College, finished third in the state in the 110s and eighth in the 300s as a junior.

Walker is seeded first in the 300s and third in the 110s.

"There are people asking me if I'm going to get first or not," said the always conversational Walker. "I tell them I'll do my best. I do have a shot I think. All I have to do is run my race and do the best I can and run my best."

But Walker couldn't fully hide his desire to close his high school career with a state title.

"I'm shooting for it. I want a state championship," said Walker. "Then, I'll get a banner up in the school. It's what I'm trying to get. I'm excited and pumped and ready to go. Let's run today (he said that earlier this week)."

Walker said last year's experience will come in handy.

"I know what it looks like and what the competition is going to be like," said Walker, a three-time state qualifier. "I know what's going on. I've been there before. I'm ready to go and take care of business."

Walker will also run on Hampshire's 400 relay team with Trace Teboda, Ryan Smialek and Junior Makinde. The team is seeded 14th.

"We're ready to go down there, too," said Walker. "We're looking good."

On the Class AA side, the area will be well-represented in both the shot put and discus competitions where Huntley's Marcus Popenfoose, Jacobs' Brad Foote and the Prairie Ridge duo of David Carbajal and Brett Ramirez will continue their season-long competition.

Popenfoose, who finished eighth in the state in the discus as a freshman, is the third seed behind Lake Park's Dan Block (196-9) and Waubonsie Valley's Brett Einbecker (190-7). Popenfoose uncorked a 182-8 throw at the sectional.

"We've been building up to this all season," said Popenfoose. "This is when I wanted to start peaking and wanted the adrenaline to start pumping."

Foote worked out with the Prairie Ridge duo in the off-season and looks forward to competing against them and Popenfoose once again. Foote is the seventh seed in the discus.

"At these meets we're always around each other," said Foote, who is headed to Southern Illinois University. "We're always talking and joking. It helps your nerves and helps clear your mind of everything."

The Marquette-bound Carbajal, the ninth seed in the discus, has rebounded from off-season shoulder surgery.

"I've learned technique this year," said Carbajal, whose teammate Ramirez is seeded 11th in the discus. "I went to a University of Kentucky camp and learned how to spin and how to properly throw. Last year I chucked it and hoped it would go far."

Prairie Ridge also qualified sectional champion Billy TenBusch in the 3,200.

Huntley also qualified its sectional champion 3,200 relay team of Justin Cassidy, Casey Popenfoose, Alex Beruscha and Western Illinois University recruit Todd Farbiak.

"We've been trying to get a relay down the last three years," said Farbiak, who will also compete in the open 800 (as the 12th seed) at state for the third straight season. "It's awesome to get to run with the guys."

In addition to Foote, Jacobs, which lost to Huntley by a point in a hotly contested Hononegah sectional, qualified JM Salcedo in the 100 and Tim Constant in the 400. Salcedo is the fourth seed in the 100 and will also anchor the Golden Eagles' 800 relay team that also features Darius Bowers, Mike Kneip and Mike Wallace.

Cary-Grove features an area-high four individual qualifiers. That group includes Ryan Psenka (discus), Phil Fairleigh (3,200) and the 300 hurdles duo of seniors Dan Bartz and Dan McCall. Bartz is seeded 12th, while McCall is seeded 15th.

"I've been able to take 15 steps between hurdles instead of ending up alternating legs on the last couple of hurdles," said Bartz.

"I've been attacking the race a little bit harder than I had been doing earlier in the season," said McCall, who won a FVC title in the 300s this year.

Crystal Lake South is the only area team to qualify multiple relays. South's 3200 relay features Steve Rogers, Phill Hernandez, Josh Uvodich and Matt Zaluckyj. Emmanuel Gamez, Rogers, Dan Pulvino and Zaluckyj comprise the 1,600 relay team (11th seed).

In addition to both relays, Rogers will also run in the 800 field.

"My ability to finish has gotten better," said Rogers, who is making his third state finals trip (3,200 relay member the previous two years). "I'm usually good going out hard. But my finish lacked my freshman and sophomore years. Now I'm coming back and finishing. That's what separates the best runners. I'm not saying I'm the best, but the people that continue to get better and move on are the ones who finish and come in hard."

Dundee-Crown qualified Matt Cutinello in the triple jump and long jump and freshman Anthony Manfrin in the 1,600.

"I've run against good competition in a lot of good races this year," said Manfrin.

Manfrin is also part of the D-C 3,200 relay state-qualifying team along with junior Dan Magnant and sophomores Nathan Prom and Jon Magnant.

"When someone is having a bad day, we all step up," said Jon Magnant. "We have each other's back."

All four D-C runners were part of the 2007 cross country team that took 10th in Class 3A.

"We had a lot of success coming off the fall season," said Dan Magnant. "Just like cross country, we're having fun and staying relaxed."

"We've worked hard in practice and have continued to get better as the season has gone on," said Prom.

Burlington Central's 1,600 relay team of Ryan Phebus, Dan Hagberg, Kyle Haselton and sophomore Mitch Plum qualified. Phebus also qualified in the 800, while Hagberg will run in both hurdle races. Pole vaulter Joe Manzie, a sectional runner-up, also qualified.

The Cornell-bound Hagberg is seeded third in the 110 high hurdles and 14th in the 300 hurdles.

"I'm ranked pretty high in the 110s. I'm excited," said Hagberg. "The state meet is much different. It's a lot more pressure and a lot more tough competitors."

Getting to the finals is paramount in Hagberg's mind.

"That's definitely the No. 1 goal," said Hagberg. "I don't care about times. I just want to make sure I get to the finals."

Phebus, who said his college choices are narrowed down to Illinois State, Wichita State and Eastern Illinois, is the fourth seed in the 800 after breaking Chris Wesson's school record at the Streamwood sectional.

"I'm ranked fourth at state and I finished third in the sectional," said Phebus. "We had a tough sectional. That helps. I want to try and get after those guys again and give one more shot at it. I'm happy I finally got the school record and I'm definitely happy I'm going Downstate."

Streamwood qualified David Shaw (400), Kyle Holder (200) and distance veteran Neal Klein (3,200), while Bartlett junior Dan Karys will compete in the triple jump.

At the state meet, the top 9 finishers in each individual and relay event receive medals.