Dundee-Crown pleased with second
Jacobs, Dundee-Crown and Huntley all wanted to show a little preview of the outdoor season at Wednesday's Fox Valley Conference indoor boys track meet.
All three teams, as well as McHenry, gave promise to what could shape up to be a dogfight. McHenry (124) took the crown in the inagrual event at Dundee-Crown, but the Chargers, Golden Eagles and Red Raiders all had very strong individual showings. The Chargers used their relay teams to take second with 86 points, while Jacobs (69) placed third.
Dundee-Crown's 3,200 relay team set a field house record in taking first with an 8:20.51. Anthony Manfrin, John and Dan Magnant and Nathan Prom beat the record set by last year's squad (8:25.70). Manfrin and Dan Magnant were both on the 2008 relay team that previously held the record.
"I thought that they ran great," Chargers' coach Tom Smith said. "It's a great early-season battle. I'm pleased with where we are right now."
The Chargers kept strong in the relays taking second in the 4-lap relay (1:19.83) and 1,600 (3:40.91). Manfrin (4:33.16) added a second-place finish in the 1,600 and Prom (2:06.76) took first in the 800.
Jacobs' Mike Wallace was no stranger to first-place finishes Wednesday night. Wallace took home 3 medals, winning the 55-meter dash (6.81) and the 400 (54:52). Wallace also took third in the 200 (24.80).
"Our whole team did well," Wallace said. "We ran better times."
The Golden Eagles' Danny Trevor added first-place finishes in both the 55-meter high (8.12) and intermediate (7.8) hurdles. Jacobs also took first in the 1,600 relay to close the evening out on a high note.
"We just keep working to get outdoors," Jacobs' coach Jason Borhart said. "It's good to see where people are at."
Huntley's Ma rcus Popenfoose was definitely seen. Although he missed his indoor personal best of 58 feet, Poppenfoose went 56-4 in the shot put to breeze through the competition and take first.
"I'm happy with the place, but disappointed with the distance," said Poppenfoose, who set his personal high last week at D-C. "I have a lot of technique stuff I need to work on. It helps with my confidence to know that I'm throwing what I am with my technique."
Poppenfoose helped the Red Raiders (48), who are defending sectional champions after beating Jacobs by a single point last season, to a fifth-place showing in the 10-team meet. Teammate Alex Beruscha added a first-place finish in the 1,600 (4:32.09).
The senior said his 10-mile winter runs have helped him build endurance and shave 2 seconds off his old PR (4:35).
"We worked hard all winter and that helped my endurance," Beruscha said.