Glenbard South going to state in numbers
Glenbard South senior Joe Boesso is returning to the Class 2A state meet, this time with his brother Nick going as a participant rather than as a spectator.
Raiders freshman phenom John Wold is going to Charleston with best friend and classmate, Joe Singleton.
And even if they get separated from each other down there, they won’t have to look far for a familiar face.
The Raiders qualified in 16 of 18 events, easily winning Friday night’s Glenbard South sectional with 216 points.
“It’s awesome,” said Wold, who placed second in the 800 meters, first in the 1,600. “It’s really exciting. Cross country was great, and track, we’ve got so many people going down, it’s like going down with your team. It’s great to go.”
“I like it,” Boesso said of having his brother join him this year. “It’s going to be fun, with the whole team. It’s a really cool experience. It’s probably one of the best I’ve had in high school. It’s just a lot of fun. Everyone’s psyched up because we’re down there, just having a good time. After that I’m done with school because senior year is basically over after that.”
Marmion was a distant second with 82 points, followed by Elmwood Park’s 53 and Aurora Central Catholic’s 44.5 points.
“To be second to Glenbard South, tremendous,” Marmion coach Dan Thorpe said. “Coming in we had five that we expected, and all five made it through. That’s what you want. Tonight’s just all about getting through and moving on and practicing another week.”
The Raiders were tremendous throughout, starting with the field events. Joe Boesso won the high jump and triple jump. Robert Cary and Tyler Benware went 1-2 in the long jump. Junior Nick Boesso won the shot put and took second in the discus, a good step in his recovery after tearing up his knee in football season.
The Raiders were just as tough on the track. Affan Khan beat teammate Elven Walker in the 110 hurdles, and each also qualified in the 300 hurdles.
Defending state 400-meter champion Garret Payne won the 100, 200 and 400 dashes, with teammate Wesley Sanders taking second in the 100 and 200. Payne also was on the winning 400 relay team.
Glenbard South also won the 800 and 1,600 relays.
“We’re hoping for a trophy at state,” Joe Boesso said. “That’s really all I can say about that. I think we can do it.”
Marmion’s Eddy Grahovec was one of the few athletes to get in Glenbard South’s way, winning the unusual double of the 800 run and the 300 hurdles.
“I was just coming off that 800, and it was tough,” Grahovec said of the 300 hurdles. “At the finish line I was still kind of breathing hard, but really once you get over that first hurdle you coast from then on. It’s really, you get your flow going.”
The 800 was a concern for him because of Wold.
“Right from the get-go I knew who the competition was,” said Grahovec, a senior. “He’s good competition. I went a bit fast on that first lap. I was up there, and my coach was kind of worried about me then, but I was able to keep that last 400 then, which was good. I had to dig deep for that one. That was tough.
“I wasn’t going to let a freshman beat me.”
The freshman hopes to turn the tables at state.
“I really want to go for the 800 title,” Wold said. “I want to try to run it. Hopefully, I’ll be able to run so hard I’ll pass out at the end. I just want to gun it, give it all I’ve got on that.”
Marmion also got a win in the 3,200 from Bennett Marsh, who outlasted fellow state qualifiers, Joe Giamberdino of St. Francis and Glenbard South’s Collin White and the freshman Singleton.