Conant's Thode tops Geneva's Nelson in thriller
BLOOMINGTON - Geneva senior Andrew Nelson was in a rather precarious position during the final heat of the 1,600-meter run at the 18th annual Illinois Prep Top Times meet at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington on Saturday.
Nelson was going step-for step with Conant senior Jeff Thode as the two runners turned for the final lap of the race.
Since Nelson was right behind Thode, the Northern Iowa-bound Nelson had to decide when he would make his move to pass Thode. Instead, the Iowa-bound Thode made the move. With every step, Thode pulled a little farther ahead of Nelson to win the race in a meet-record time of 4:09.94. Nelson's mark of 4:11.89 was equally impressive.
"I wanted to go and take (Thode) on the back stretch," Nelson said. "But he went instead and it's harder when you are behind and have to catch up."
Thode, who won the 2008 Class AAA state cross-country title, put up the second fastest time in the nation during this indoor season by winning the event Saturday.
"I just knew that I had to go before (Andrew) goes," Thode said. "I knew it was the last lap and that I needed to get going."
The record-breaking effort was one of several on the final day of the 2009 indoor season. Lake Park senior Dan Black, the defending outdoor champion in the shot put, put on one final display. On his first throw in the prelims, the Kentucky-bound Block broke the meet record set by Willowbrook's Colin Madison. Then, on his first throw of the finals, Block broke the mark again with a toss of 62-2.
Although Block was the only thrower over 60 feet, seniors Matt Babicz of Prospect and Alan Baxter of Buffalo Grove along with junior Erik Louis-Charles of Rolling Meadows made the most of the competition.
Baxter was consistent throughout, tossing the shot to a personal-best 57-8 for a second-place finish. Babicz also established a personal best on his final throw of 56-1. The effort was good enough to move Babicz into a tie for third with Marcus Popenfoose of Huntley.
Louis-Charles went right before Babicz and completed a solid afternoon with a personal-best 54-3 and fifth place.
"Today will certainly take and motivate me for the rest of the season," Louis-Charles said. "Each throw for me got me more pumped up and made me want to compete harder."
Dundee-Crown foursome of sophomore Anthony Manfrin, Nathan Prom, Dan Magnant and Keldrin Franz broke the meet record in the distance medley relay. Manfrin took the baton for the Chargers in fourth place and wasted little time catching the runners from Lane Tech and Lake Zurich that were leading the pack.
Manfrin closed strong, and the 10:42.60 clocking established a meet record.
One of the biggest surprises on the track came early in the meet from Hoffman Estates senior Matt Perez. In a well-respected field in the 3,200-meter run, Perez surprised by dropping a whopping 17 seconds from his seed time. With a little more than a lap to go, Perez broke away from Danny Pawola of Neuqua Valley and Cary-Grove's Phil Farleigh to win in an impressive 9:13.88. Aaron Beattie of Neuqua Valley finished second (9:18.04), followed by Farleigh (9:19.48) and Andrew Larsen of Marmion (9:24.62). Pawola finished fifth.
"I have been really working on my endurance and my speed," Perez said. "This definitely helps me build my confidence, but I know there is a lot more work to do."
Wisconsin-bound senior Mick Viken of Rolling Meadows battled through a tough afternoon and won the pole vault in 15-6.