State voyages at stake at Niles West
Last week was about points for Prospect.
This week, the newly crowned Mid-Suburban League champions focus on times.
Prospect will join Hersey, St. Viator and Maine West and 19 other teams for the Class 3A Niles West sectional in Skokie Thursday afternoon. Prelims and field events start at 2 p.m. with precious trips to the state championships next weekend at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on the line.
“This is the meet we really shoot for all year,” Prospect coach Mike Kamedula said. “We prepare for this meet to get as many kids downstate as we can.”
The Knights should come out of Niles West with its largest amount of qualifiers in history, and Ohio State-bound senior Nick Batcha figures to lead the way.
Batcha is the top seed in the 100- and 200-meter dashes as well as a top-two seed in the long jump. Batcha will also add to a Knights relay, likely the 800, which medaled at state a year ago.
The 3,200 relay, a Prospect signature event, is the top seed and the group of Mike Thill, Matt Ahston, Josh Campos and Kellen Strobel should comfortably qualify again.
Senior Anthony Babicz looks to earn his first trip downstate in the shot and the discus. Babicz is the second seed to Evanston senior Curtis Wideman in both events, but is coming off a night of personal bests in both events last weekend.
One of the best stories of this season for Prospect has been the rise of senior Ryan Ward. Having raced in the hurdles only a handful of times prior to this season, Ward has emerged as a potential qualifier in the 110 high hurdles. His seed time of 14.6 has Ward seeded second behind St. Viator senior and returning Class 2A medalist from last season Justin Johnson.
Johnson should also earn a spot downstate in the 200-meter dash for the Lions.
Hersey boasts the second seed in the 3,200-relay behind Prospect and the Huskies should also comfortably earn a trip to state. Senior Nate Knautz and Sophomore Robert Somary look to lead the Huskies back down state.
Junior Mark Balmes and senior Jason Olson look to get Hersey back to state in both throwing events.
Maine West’s best shot at earning qualifiers to state will come in the relays. The Warriors’ 3,200 relay team always rises to the occasion in the sectionals; the group will be led by junior Felipe Garcia.