Huntley's Popenfoose shows he's ready
Bring on the challenge. Huntley standout weightman Marcus Popenfoose is ready.
Popenfoose over powered the field in both the discus and the shot put at the Fox Valley Conference boys track and field meet held at McHenry High School's McCracken Field Friday night.
Popenfoose, who was second at state in both events last year to Lake Park's graduated Dan Block, claimed the discus with a throw of 184 feet, 6 inches. Prairie Ridge's Sean O' Connor was a distant second with a throw of 151-7. It was Popenfoose's second straight FVC title in the event.
The Huntley senior won the shot put with a throw of 61-3, which was nearly 10 feet better than Jake Howe of McHenry's throw of 51-10 1/4.
"I have been really happy with my discus throws all season long," said the Auburn-bound Popenfoose, who gets to compete in sectionals next weekend on his home turf. "I need to tweak a few things. I have really struggled with the shot put all season. I slowed myself down and worked out some mechanical things. I was really encouraged by the way I threw the shot tonight."
Host McHenry won the meet with a score of 93, followed by Dundee-Crown with 73 points.
The Chargers got first place efforts from Patrick Livengood in the long jump (20-3) and Nathan Prom (800, 1:55.35). Prom edged Crystal Lake South's Matt Biederwolf, who was second with a clocking of 1:56.52.
"I felt pretty good the whole race," said Prom. "In, the end it just came down to me wanting it."
Jacobs was 3 points behind D-C in third place with 70 points.
Danny Trevor paced the Golden Eagles with a first-place effort in the 110 high hurdles in a time of 14.58. In the 300 hurdles, Trevor was clipped at the end in a photo finish by McHenry's Jon Schmitt. Schmitt won with a time of 39.664 while Trevor was second with a 39.669.
David Grady of Jacobs took top honors in the triple jump with a leap of 44-6.
Grayslake Central, which tied for fourth with Crystal Lake Central at 62 points, had the top individual in the meet in Jahard Nelson. Nelson won the 100 in 11.16 and the 200 in a time of 22.72. He was also on the Rams' winning 400 relay team, which was clocked in a time of 44.05. Nelson's running mates were Dan Hsu, Mike Katona and Vinnie Culhane. Grayslake Central also won the 800 relay, with the team consisting of Nelson, Culhane, Katona and Jordan Bustos, in a time of 1:30.90.
"My goal was to win four events," said Nelson. "I just want to help the team."
Grayslake Central also won the 1,600 relay in a time of 3:24.79. The Rams' quartet consisted of Bustos, William Reed, Matt Mohrfeld and Ryan Seiffert.
Huntley, with Popenfoose's two first-place efforts, was seventh with a score of 52 points.
Cary-Grove, which finished eighth with 41 points, got spectacular first-place efforts from high jumper Anthony Golowach and 1,600 runner Phillip Fairleigh.
Golowach, who has battled through a stress fracture in his left ankle, claimed top honors with a leap of 6-9.
"I am very excited with the way I jumped," said Golowach. "I had my hips and shoulders in the right place and I had a good kick."
Fairleigh, who will run next year at Duke, won the 1,600 in a time of 4:19.90. Prom was second with a time of 4:25.93.
Crystal Lake South placed ninth with 35 points. The Gators' lone first-place finish was in the 3,200 relay in a time of 8:01.52.