Conant’s Schneider set the pace — to Mizzou
Running at the front of a loaded 1,600-meter field was just fine with Conant senior Tyler Schneider.
As he glanced to the runners behind, he saw a couple of familiar foes in Buffalo Grove senior Dan Roe and Palatine senior Tim Johnson. And while they are competitors now, the three will be teammates at Missouri in the fall.
With the race the three put on at the Jim Nagel Mid-Suburban League indoor meet at North Central College in Naperville on Saturday, Tiger fans are clearly in for a treat.
The three battled through the early stages of the race before Schneider slowly broke away from the pack. His 4:14.34 winning time is the fastest in the state during the indoor season and the fifth fastest in the country this year.
“My coach talked to me and wanted to me to go out in 2:07 and I didn’t know if I could do that,” Schneider said. “He knew better than I did and he knew I had the kick in the end to get it done.”
Roe shattered the Bison program’s indoor record with his second place time of 4:17.61. The previous record was held by Chris Mah, in 2002.
“I heard the time at the half and couldn’t believe it,” Roe said. “I still felt pretty good so I just hung with Tyler and let the race go from there.”
The 1,600 was a small slice of a surprisingly fast afternoon of races at North Central. Fremd was the best of the best, earning the indoor title with 86 points. Rolling Meadows (66), Conant (58) and Schaumburg (54) rounded out the top four spots.
“We told the guys today that the important thing was to try and get PR’s and good efforts and the places would take care of themselves,” Fremd coach Jim Aikens said. “We wanted to see who would compete for us today.”
Fremd found its fair share of competitors and it started with senior Davy Mellado. He earned only one top spot, taking the 55 intermediate hurdles in 7.76, but his third-place finish the pole vault (13-0) and third in the 55 high hurdles provided the Vikings with valuable points.
The Vikings’ team of Ken Bourgon, Tim Lehigh, Christian Vail and Nick Vucovich sealed the team title by winning the 1,600 relay in an indoor-best 3:31.45. Conner Pfister earned the Vikings only other individual win taking the long jump over Jeremy Frederick of Wheeling at 20-5.5.
The records in the distance events continued to fall as Barrington senior Erik Peterson took one down in the 3,200. His time of 9:17.66 set indoor and outdoor school marks for the Broncos.
“I wanted to go out fast because I knew a bunch of the guys in the field hadn’t run the 2-mile,” said the Butler-bound Peterson. “I didn’t let anyone take the lead, and the last 4-6 laps you can’t let anyone take it from you and expect to get it back.”
Palatine joined in the record-setting day in the first final of the meet, the 3,200 relay. Kendrick Cornelius, Tim Meincke, Tim Johnson and Andrew Clingerman ran 8:00.65, the fastest time in the state this year and in the process shattered the meet record and the indoor school record for the Pirates.
The only multiple event winner of the day was Conant senior Ben Bowers. The Penn-bound Bowers won the 55 high hurdles and the high jump.
Runner-up Rolling Meadows had event winners in the 800 (Brendan Thielsen), the 400 (Ryan Gundersen) and the pole vault (Kody Cagwin).
Prospect won the 800 relay. AJ Scarbrough of Barrington captured the triple jump. Juwaan Richard of Schaumburg took the 55. Cameron DeCoursey of Wheeling won the 200 and Mark Balmes of Hersey captured the shot put.