Neuqua Valley breaks York's grip on invitational

Neuqua Valley boys track coach Mike Kennedy could have his cake and eat it, too - no regrets.

The dessert his team presented him at the end of Downers Grove South's 18th annual Bob Cohoon Invitational was sweet after the Wildcats snapped York's three-year hold on the meet, 152 points to 121.

Kennedy initially said his goal Friday was "to bring the team together." Later he added the kicker - to beat "the No. 1 team in the state."

Neuqua did by scoring in 17 of 18 events. It withstood York's Khara Williams winning the 100 dash and setting a meet record in the 200, of 21.57 seconds, by double scoring in nine events with a tasty 1-2 finish by Aryan Avant and Cale Brown in the 800 run.

It appeared Neuqua might go 1-2 in the 3,200. Then York sophomore Jack Driggs kicked past Downers Grove North's Ben Silver and Neuqua's Aaron Beattie to pressure Neuqua's Danny Pawola, who had enough to win in 9 minutes, 21.63 seconds.

"We were going to try to go 1-2," Pawola said. "It just wasn't going to happen today, so I figured I'd at least give it my all and go for No. 1."

Driggs noted, "I think I caught him a little bit off-guard because he didn't know what hit him for a little bit, but he's got a heck of a kick."

York's Steve Sulkin ran a crisp 4:17.71 in the 1,600 to beat Pawola and Co., but Neuqua's Kevin Long returned after losing the 110 hurdles by two-hundredths of a second to take the 300 hurdles, at 40.15. Downers Grove North 2008 state qualifier Mitch Witek ran second.

"I'm happy I did good in the 300s, but there's room for improvement in both," said Long, sporting red road rash after falling while leaning to catch Cellini in the 110s.

Neuqua also saw a sub-2-minute 800 from Brian Griffith; Thaddeus Johnson won high jump at 6 feet, 2 inches, then placed third in the 200.

Downers Grove South has shown speed this season headed by Jeremy and Marcus McNeal. On Friday the foursome of Spencer Zidarich, Chris Madison, Steve Husby and Kyle Enke got it done in the 3,200 relay.

At 45 feet, 3 inches, Hinsdale South's Devin Lee was an inch off the meet record in triple jump. Glenbard North's Tom Stacey Jr. added a foot to his own meet pole vault record with an inspired height of 15-6. It was "senior ditch day" at Glenbard North. Stacey thought better of it.

"I'm pretty happy how I did because in the warmups I was feeling pretty tired," he said. "I woke up to go to school and didn't want to. The only reason I did was come to this meet."