Barnes, Prospect step up at sectional
All last summer, Prospect senior Andre Barnes had visions of what it would be like. The sensation of not getting to participate in the sectional a year ago was something that Barnes had carried with him all off-season and through this season.
Thursday afternoon at the Class 3A Niles West boys tack and field sectional, Barnes loved the way things turned out.
As the anchor leg on the Knights’ 1,600-meter relay, Barnes nearly pulled even with Maine South senior Michael Filipczak into the final turn. Barnes and the Knights settled for third overall in 3:22.50 but earned a trip to next week’s state meet at Eastern Illinois in Charleston.
“I knew I had to run hard because it was about getting to state,” Barnes said. “I didn’t get to experience this last year. This is just; I can’t put it into words.”
Prospect’s performance, meanwhile, spoke volumes. The Knights qualified three relays and six individuals for the state meet. Prospect finished second in the team race to Niles North with 95 points, but it was the performances on the track that made it a great day for the Knights.
“We got through today pretty much as expected,” Prospect coach Mike Kamedula said. “The kids came out and did what we knew they could.”
The busiest of all Knights was senior Nick Batcha. As the top seed in three events, Batcha was the hunted for most of the day — and he still hasn’t been caught.
The Ohio State-bound Batcha ran season-bests in winning the 100 and 200 dashes, but his anchor leg on the Knights’ school record-setting 800 relay might have been his most impressive effort of the day.
Batcha joined Ryan Ward, Vito Anzalone and Barnes to earn another trip to state in an event the Knights finished eighth in a year ago. When Batcha took the baton to anchor the relay he trailed Evanston’s Antonio Johnson, but it wasn’t long before that changed.
As the runners headed for home, Batcha overtook Johnson and won the relay for Prospect in an impressive 1:27.83.
“Today was different because I was pretty much the hunted today,” Batcha said. “But I felt strong all day and I’m looking forward to next week — maybe four medals.”
Batcha also qualified by winning the long jump with a season-best mark of 22 feet, 3 inches.
While he may not have been as hunted as Batcha, senior Anthony Babicz earned his way to the state meet with an impressive day in the shot and discus. His second-to-last throw in the discus of 160-1 allowed him to overtake Jason Olson of Hersey to win the event. Olson tossed the discus 157-7 to earn his first trip to the state meet.
Earlier, Babicz finished second in the shot put with a best mark of 53-7.25. Hersey junior Mark Balmes earned his second trip to state with a best mark of 52-11.75.
“Last night I was thinking about the disc and once I made it in the shot, it made the discus a lot less stressful,” Babicz said.
The Knights started the day by capturing the 3,200 relay in a season-best 7:51.47. Mike Thill, Josh Campos, Matt Ashton and Kellen Strobel made up the foursome that is headed back to state again.
“We ran real relaxed today because we really trust our coaches and how they get us prepared to race,” Strobel said. “We ran well; now it’s on to next week.”
Right on the heels of the Knights were the foursome of Robert Somary, Steve Tubergen, Nate Knautz and Sam O’Neil from Hersey. The group ran their best time of the season, finishing second in 7:52.57. Knautz earned a second spot downstate with a fourth-place finish in the 1,600 (4:21.80).
Hersey also earned qualifiers in the high jump from Austin Francis (6-1) and in the 3,200-run, where senior Ryan O’Donnell battled with Prospect senior Greg Netols to earn a spot with a seventh-place time of 9:28.98. Netols finished third for Prospect and returns downstate with a time of 9:26.14.
St. Viator senior Justin Johnson faced a different type of competition this year as the Lions moved up to Class 3A. Johnson, who medaled last year in the 110 high hurdles, buzzed the grandstand in a blistering 14.29 to win the 110’s this year and another trip to state. Ward also earned a spot, finishing third in 14.74.