MSL title perfect for Palatine
The sport of track and field does not employ a pitcher or a ball, unless you consider the shot put a ball, nor are there innings or a relief pitcher.
But Friday night at the Mid-Suburban League Boys Track and Field Championships at Elk Grove, the Palatine Pirates seemingly pitched the perfect game.
It goes a little something like this - to win the conference meet a team has to have just about everything go its way and have a few unexpected things become expected.
In the same fashion, a perfect game needs all elements of the team game working in perfect harmony.
"Everything just kept rolling for us," said Palatine senior Alec Bollman. "It might as well have been the perfect game for us tonight."
Bollman and the Pirates were as close to perfect as possible, amassing 121 points in earning their second title in three years. MSL East champ Prospect was second with 103 followed by Fremd (93), Barrington (75.5) and defending MSL champ Conant (52).
"It was just an unbelievable night," said Palatine coach John Nalley. "The coaches, the athletes - all 26 guys that came here tonight gave everything they had and competed for us."
The Iowa State-bound Bollman was the brightest star for Palatine. His wins in the 800 meters and the 1,600 were the only two wins on the track for the Pirates.
"Coach (Chris) Quick told us before tonight that we needed to come out and drop the gauntlet," Bollman said after his 800 win. "From there everything kept rolling for us."
Bollman put up the second-fastest time in the state this spring in likely his last 800 of the season. His time of 1:52.5 sent a shock wave through the rest of the field as seven other runners ran under or right at state qualifying and 11 broke two minutes.
The mile, which is Bollman's signature event, was even better. His 4:17.1 is also one of the best marks in the state this spring and again sent a ripple through the rest of the field. Runner-up Photis Karkalis of Rolling Meadows ran a personal-best 4:20.0 and was one of eight to break 4:30.
"We were down after finishing ninth at the indoor conference, but these kids believed from the very beginning that we could do this," Nalley said. "We just stayed after it and got things done and it all worked out."
Palatine's other winners were Tyler Jones in the discus (168-11) and Shawn Anderson in the triple jump (42-6).
Sophomore Erik Peterson of Barrington stayed after it in the 3,200 even when he looked to be out of the race against Hoffman Estates' senior Kyle Gonzales.
As the runners rounded the final turn and headed for home, Peterson began to close the gap. He got closer and closer until he finally caught and passed - and stunned Gonzales to win the race in a personal-best 9:26.4.
"I didn't think I had that kick in me," Peterson said. "I normally don't have that kind of speed."
Speed is something that Prospect has relied on all season long and junior Nick Batcha has provided it. He did again Friday by capturing the 200 in 22.2 on a night the Knights hoped to end a 40-year MSL title drought. Batcha also won the long jump with a best effort of 21-10.25.
Disappointing was not a way to describe the night that Fremd had. The Vikings captured a pair of wins on the track, including a scintillating performance in the 1,600-relay. Mike Varela, Spiros Angelakos, Phil Cano and Christian Vail teamed for a season-best and conference best effort of 3:25.5.
"For three days we mentally prepared for this race tonight and you saw the results," Angelakos said. "We just believed we could get this done and we did it."
Varela also captured an individual title as he edged rival Ben Bowers of Conant to win the 300 hurdles in a personal-best 39.4. Bowers was just a step behind, but was a step better in the 110 high hurdles as he edged the field in a personal-best 14.2.
Weston Ross of Wheeling was also a double event winner, taking the high jump in a season best 6-7 and joining Kevin Koranda, Cameron DeCoursey and Matt Splon for a school record-tying 1:30.3 in the 800 relay.
Other individual conference champions included Or Gera and Ryan Darcy of Buffalo Grove in the pole vault and 100 respectively, David Goings of Conant in the 400 and Garrett Vick, Sam Zielke, Nate Knautz and Matt Cwiok from Hersey in the 3,200 relay. Their 7:55.0 matched the best time in the state this spring.