Hersey's Havel, Palatine's Smoody capture state crowns
CHARLESTON -- On a bright and sunny Saturday afternoon, Kevin Havel proved again that it is okay to dream big.
Ever since he began his spectacular career at Hersey, Havel wanted to win the 3,200-meter run.
He had raced in the event every year, medaling as a freshman and a junior.
But this season was different. It was one final chance for the Stanford-bound Havel to win his dream race -- and he took full advantage of that chance at the Class AA state track and field championships at O'Brien Stadium on the Eastern Illinois University campus.
The race developed much like Havel thought. A slow, plodding pace turned into a breakaway group with Havel, Nick Holmes of Bartonville-Limestone and Nate Troester of Lincoln-Way East.
At the halfway point of the race, Havel broke away from the field. With each lap, his lead grew, leaving out any suspense for the end. When Havel hit the final 50 meters, a huge smile spread across his face. Soon his arms raised high in the air and fists pumping joined the smile as Havel won his first individual title at Hersey in his final 2-mile race.
"This is something that I have dreamed about for four years," Havel said. "For all the races and all the miles I have run, for it to come to an end like this is just awesome."
While one legend of the Mid Suburban League achieved his milestone, Mat Smoody of Palatine put his stamp on history.
Smoody made no secret about taking the pace out fast in the final of the 800-meter run, but as these things sometimes happen, the plan doesn't always work.
Smoody got boxed into the rail and couldn't break free for most of the race. Even so, the pace that was set by Sean Wiggan of Waubonsie Valley and Jeff Stapleton of Willowbrook was fast.
With 250 meters to go, Smoody finally got a chance to break free from the pack and stepped wide to make his final move.
With Stapleton still leading, Smoody passed him almost as if he were not moving. The Wisconsin-bound senior burst past the field and ran away to a personal-best time of 1:50.71 and another state championship. The effort is the third fastest in the nation this spring.
"I tried to keep cool when I got boxed in," Smoody said. "With 200 meters to go, I finally got a chance to step out and then I just let it all go."
Smoody became just the third Pirate in school history to win back-to-back state titles, and the first since Bill Bahnfleth in 1967.
"This all will likely not hit me until I am either back inside or on the way home," Smoody said. "But this is a great thing and it feels really good."
The team race came down to the final race, and East St. Louis earned the team title with 57 points. York took its first runner-up trophy in three years, followed by Springfield Lanphier.
Smoody and Havel closed their careers by racing the 1,600-meter relay and the 1,600-meter run, respectively.
Smoody teamed with Matt Wiggan, Tim Williams and Chris Norman to run 3:21.48 for a seventh-place finish.
Havel battled in a very competitive mile field to fourth place in 4:14.38.
Conant junior Jeff Thode led most of the race but was caught and passed by eventual winner Kyle Engnell of Lockport.
In the 800-meter field, Ryan Mangone of Barrington dropped over a second from his personal best to finish eighth in 1:55.29.
Elk Grove senior Jason Zerfahs finished his historical weekend at state in the 400-meter dash. His seventh-place finish of 49.50 is the highest finish for a Grenadier since Mike Powell took fifth in the 1,600-meter run in 1995.
"I think this just goes to show that all of the hard work we have put in has paid off," Zerfahs said. "Last year was hard because of injuries, but I have worked harder to get ready and stay healthy this year."
Prospect did what the Knights usually do in the 3,200-relay -- earn a medal. The Knights' team of Albert Ciolek, Chris Hayek, Mike Styzek and Blake Wolfe earned the school's fifth medal in six years in the event with a third place. The quartet ran its best time of the year, 7:50.32.
"This was all about the seniors and making sure they got their medals," said Hayek who brought the team back with a 1:53 anchor leg.
The Knights also earned medals in the shot put and discus events. Matt Babicz placed seventh in the discus, and Matt Kennedy wound up fourth in the shot -- just an inch out of the top three.
Rolling Meadows senior Ty Kirk competed for the final time and placed second in the triple jump for the second straight year.
Teammate Mick Viken battled long in the pole vault before finishing fifth at 15-3.
Conant junior Kyle Reid earned his first medal with a seventh-place finish in the pole vault.
Buffalo Grove junior Matt Newman repeated his success at state from a year ago. Newman cleared 6-6 in the high jump finals to repeat his third-place finish.