WW South keeps city streak intact
West Aurora was a strong contender for its first DuPage Valley Conference boys outdoor track title.
A first-time DVC indoor champion in March, the Blackhawks have depth, speed, distance, field events.
But on Friday they had prom. Lacking several impact seniors, the doors were flung wide to fellow favorites Wheaton Warrenville South and Wheaton North, who barged through with a 1-2 finish at Glenbard North's Weber Field. West Aurora finished seventh.
Keeping the DVC title in Wheaton a 20th straight year, WW South upended the two-time defending champion Falcons, 146 points to 127.
"We knew not to rule them out," said WW South's Brian Welker, who uncorked a personal-best and first-place discus throw of 156 feet, 7 inches. "We came into this meet fired up. Just because West Aurora wasn't competing (at full strength), we weren't going to back down at all. Any time we go against Wheaton North it's a big deal."
Hence the big numbers. Scoring in 17 of 18 events WW South cleaned up in field events, winning discus, pole vault (Lukas Looby) and triple jump (Kevin Piraino) and going 1-2 in long jump with Titus Davis and Charlie Pinedo. Phabian Clark, Digba Coker, Joe Krob and Dan Vitale combined for 28 points in the two hurdles races.
Coach Ken Helberg pointed out Piraino's yeoman effort - second in the 200 and lead legs of the second-place 400 and 800 relays - but also little things like Vitale and Krob picking up relay slots and Peter Karahalios doing the same when Davis strained a muscle.
"We've talked about 'team' this whole year, that we make decisions that are best for the team, not best for the individual. I think that's what showed through tonight," Helberg said.
Wheaton North's Jake Waterman and West Chicago's Matt Kubik also showed their stuff with two premier wins apiece.
Heading fourth-place West Chicago's first top-half DVC finish in nine years, Kubik won the 100 and 200 dashes in addition to a second-place pole vault. Wildcats high jumper Jeff Foreman cleared 6-foot-7 for the second time in two weeks, second behind West Aurora's Aviance King; and Gunnar Sterne took fifth in the 800, just ahead of Naperville Central sophomore Brad Kouchoukos. Deven Lopez was fourth in discus.
Similar Waterman rallies earned both the 800 title and the honorary Gil Dodds Mile.
"In those races I just ran it the way I always like to do it - I sat in the pack and then save as much as I can for the last 200 or so and just try to take it in the finish," said Waterman, whose twin brother, James, dissed a cold to place fifth in the 1,600. Falcon C.J. Jossell won the 110 hurdles over Coker, while Wheaton North's big Rafe Kiely held off Glenbard East's David Bean in shot put.
In the 3,200 third-place Naperville North's duo of Bob Guthrie and Tyler Jermann each finished nearly 11 seconds ahead of James Waterman to go 1-2.
Glenbard East's Luke Chvatal and Glenbard North's Malcolm Heard each ran great individually - second for Chvatal in the 400, first for Heard in the 300 hurdles - and anchored first-place 1,600 and 400 relays, respectively.
"That's the best I've ever run," Heard said of his time, 39.81 seconds.
Naperville North's Antonio Owens was busy. Third in both long jump and the 200, he won the 400 at 49.73 seconds, running down Chvatal and Wheaton North's duo of Anthony Rocco and Ivan Tamba.
"Never die easy, that's always my motto," said Owens, who hasn't lost a 400 since his freshman year. "Got to keep going."
Despite the prom that trimmed its talent, West Aurora enjoyed several highlights. Senior King tied his personal-best high jump of 6-9 - and, mainly, he simply showed up before attending the dance.
"The athletes, today's our day - the parents, overall, it just puts everybody in a bad position," he said of the choice to be made.
Fine second-place positions were had by juniors Matt Muth - running a quality 1,600 time of 4:22 - and Alex Chollet, at 153-4 in discus. Ryan Bartell placed fourth in the 800 as did George Malina in pole vault.
Patrick Shultz took fifth in the 300 hurdles, then helped Vontrell Hawkins, Chris Gapinske and Zach Woods reach fourth in the 1,600 relay.
The Blackhawks also got points from Matt Souvannasing in long jump and Demarlon Rayford in high jump.
In general the Blackhawks scored huge points with coach Cortney Lamb.
"On some levels," Lamb said, "I'm more proud of this night than I am of the Kane County wins and John Bell wins, because they came out and they didn't hang their heads and pout, they still competed."