Prospect's Batcha has redemption as his goal
CHARLESTON — The way that Prospect senior Nick Batcha looks at it, the state finals today are his shot at redemption.
Usually when an athlete qualifies for three events in the state finals, redemption is not needed — nor considered. But the Ohio State-bound Batcha will be the first to admit that his performances during Friday's Class 3A preliminary session of the 117th IHSA state track and field championships at Eastern Illinois University and O'Brien Field were not pleasing one bit.
“This was not what I came down here and wanted to do,” Batcha said. “Tomorrow is a chance for redemption, especially in the long jump.”
Batcha qualified in the long jump by leaping 21-8, the 100 by winning his heat in 11.04 and the 200 with an effort of 21.93.
“Missing on the (800 meter relay) was the one that kind of stung,” Batcha said of the Knights' near miss in the 800 relay.
Prospect and three other Mid-Suburban League teams earned spots in the 3,200-relay final. The Knights' Kellen Strobel, Matt Ashton, Mike Thill and Josh Campos ran a season-best 7:50.47 and are seeded fifth in the finals. Prospect has won a medal in eight of the last nine years in this event — including the state title in 2003.
Barrington's Erik Peterson, Eric Schneider, Karl Eiring and Pat Mangan broke the school record for the second week in a row, running 7:49.19 and are seeded third into the finals.
Palatine and Hersey also earned spots, with the Huskies running a season-best 7:51.0. Robert Somary, Sam O'Neil, Nate Knautz and Steve Tubergen made up the very fast Huskies relay.
“We just stayed relaxed and ran the way we are capable,” Tubergen said. “We came down here to kick some butt and we have a chance to do that tomorrow.”
Palatine's Ryan McGough, Tim Johnson, Zach Gates and Erich Kuerschner combined to break the school record set in 1981 by running 7:51.50.
The Pirates also earned a finals spot from senior Nick LaRocca in the pole vault. LaRocca is among 11 vaulters who cleared the necessary 14-3.
Hersey senior Jason Olson got through in the discus, as his best effort of 159-1 was also a season best.
Conant senior Ben Bowers joins Batcha as the only other MSL runner who will compete in three finals. Bowers edged St. Viator senior Justin Johnson in his 110 high hurdles heat for the win and a trip to the finals. Johnson finished fifth overall in 14.56, earning a repeat trip to the finals — this time, in Class 3A. Johnson took sixth in Class 2A last year.
“I felt a little weird over the first hurdle and felt like I was getting high over the rest of the hurdles,” Bowers said. “It was more competitive in the hurdles races today than I expected.”
Bowers jumped the necessary 6-3 to qualify in the high jump and qualified with a season best in the 300 hurdles. Bowers ran 38.56 to finish eighth and earn a repeat trip to the finals in that event.
Friday turned out to be a record-setting day for the three Fremd Viking relays. Although only one earned a finals berth, the Vikings clearly had one of their best days on the track this season.
The team of Eric Wolski, Christian Vail, Justin Wallace and David Ferguson ran a school-best 1:28.13 to earn the ninth and last finals spot.
“It feels so great to get into the finals,” Wolski said. “We get to race one more time and maybe take down the record again.”
Wolski, Wallace, Ferguson and AJ McGhee set a school mark in the 400 relay, but narrowly missed the finals. Their time of 42.72 landed the Vikings in 11th place.
The 1,600-relay team of Wallace, Vail, Ferguson and Jarrell Lewis ran 3:22.84 to set a school mark in a very fast 1,600-relay event.
Senior Brian Bobek eclipsed the 60-foot mark again in the shot and is fourth headed into the finals. On his third throw, Bobek tossed the lead ball 60-3.75 for his best effort of the day.