Scouting DuPage County boys track sectionals

By Dave Oberhelman

doberhelman@dailyherald.com

What to know: First- and second-place finishers in each event will advance to the state finals, as well as those who equal or surpass state qualifying standards. The state championships will be held starting with Class 1A semifinals on Thursday, May 24, at O’Brien Stadium at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

Class 1A Chicago University sectional

When: Thursday at Chicago Christian High School, Palos Heights.

Local teams participating: Immaculate Conception, Timothy Christian.

Outlook: A monster, 34-team sectional headed by defending 1A champion Leo, and Westmont. Aside from Leo, Francis Parker (1 point) was the only other Chicago team to score a point at the 2011 state meet, giving locals at least a fighting chance. Returning 300 hurdles state qualifier Jake Hooker of Timothy Christian hopes to add the 110 hurdles to his resume. The Trojans would seem a lock in both the 400- and 800-meter sprint relays, Hooker, Justin Washington, Rich Medina and Joel Brouwer going well under qualifying standards. IC’s high jumper Dan Vatch is a 2011 qualifier comfortably jumping at 6 feet, perhaps enough to return to Charleston. The Knights’ 1,600 relay of Robert Krajecki, Brian Anzures, Silvestre Saucedo and Patrick Kirby is their best bet on the track.

Class 2A Lisle sectional

When: Friday, Benedictine University, Lisle.

Local teams participating: Benet, Glenbard South, Lisle, Montini, St. Francis, Wheaton Academy.

Outlook: This may look like last year’s 2A Glenbard South sectional when on the way to second at state the Raiders nearly tripled the runner-up’s score. Field events are not a great strength aside from Nick Boesso — seventh in shot put, 11th in discus — but Glenbard South is tough on the track. Distance guys John Wold and Joe Singleton, sprinter Wesley Sanders and hurdler Walker all qualified in 2011, and in coach Andy Preuss’ final year the team looks to qualify in all four relays. Behind sprinter Anthony Taylor, sprint relays and Pat Barrett — fifth in pole vault last season — Montini looks for its biggest bounty since its third-place state finish in 2005. Wheaton Academy’s Matt Ruff, the Warriors’ new 400-meter record-setter, has already surpassed the 50.84 standard. Benet’s Anton Vershay is knocking on the door of the 3,200, cutting time repeatedly. The possibility that former power St. Francis may get shut out is almost inconceivable, while meet host Lisle, in coach Ken Jakalski’s final year, was hurt moving up to 2A.

Class 3A Lockport sectional

When: 4 p.m. Thursday, May 17.

Local teams participating: Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South, Hinsdale Central, Hinsdale South.

Outlook: It would be a shame if sprinters Jon Albin of Downers South, Hinsdale South’s Tavaris Binion and D.J. King or Downers North newcomer Jordan Munar would fail to get out of sectionals. The latter, a soccer player, is the most exciting newcomer of 2012; the others have battled for several years. Binion just won the 100 and 200 at the West Suburban Gold meet. The local teams could qualify relays at all distances, such as Hinsdale Central’s 3,200 relay that went 7:57 at the West Suburban Gold meet. Discus in particular will be compelling as Hinsdale Central’s Nick Piker has gone nearly 160 feet and Downers South’s Terrance Allen has a chance to be a repeat state qualifier after reaching 1A last year while with Lisle.

Class 3A Naperville North sectional

When: 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Local teams participating: Naperville Central, Naperville North, Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley.

Outlook: In March Neuqua Valley coach Mike Kennedy was optimistic about the Wildcats’ downstate chances. Falling to Lake Park at the Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division meet had him hoping it was a wakeup call. This sectional will offer more state-caliber competition with Minooka in the field. Neuqua didn’t run its full “A” lineup in everything last week, and Kennedy’s crack staff will have had time to mull over how to get all four relays downstate and where exactly to run Jake Bender, the 2011 runner-up in the 400. Waubonsie Valley could go 1-2 in both throwing events with Riley Kittridge and Jamal Bearden, but Naperville Central’s David Goodalis and Neuqua’s Carlos Varela-Hernandez, off a 167-4 discus last week, hope to crash that party. The Napervilles provided some surprises last week at the DuPage Valley Conference meet, one young, and one veteran. Central’s Sam Bransby won the DVC 200 dash and North’s James Kerns, sidelined with injuries the last two years outdoors, won the 100. Central also has a shot at qualifying two pole vaulters, Mike Juretschke and Kevin Rzepczynski. This meet will be fast, competitive and tense to the end when Waubonsie’s John Burke barrels down the home stretch in the 1,600 relay with a state berth on the line.

Class 3A St. Charles North sectional

When: 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Local teams participating: Metea Valley, West Chicago.

Outlook: Should Metea Valley get its relays together and do something from 100-800 meters, the Mustangs may well vie for a sectional title in their second year as a varsity program. The 15-team field is an open one that includes Upstate Eight River champion Geneva, but Metea trailed only Lake Park, Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley teams at the UEC Valley meet. Jarrell Ross and Will King are triple threats in sprints and jumps, while the twins Joe and Matt Stewart will challenge in both the 1,600 and 3,200. Matt won Metea’s first conference title last week in the 3,200, and Joe has run that distance in 9:11, well under the qualifying time of 9:29. West Chicago’s Nate Sudnick hopes to catch that 150-foot discus he had last year and will vie with good throwers from Bartlett and Geneva.

Class 3A Wheaton Warrenville South sectional

When: 4 p.m. Friday.

Local teams participating: Addison Trail, Fenton, Glenbard East, Glenbard North, Glenbard West, Lake Park, Wheaton North, Wheaton Warrenville South, Willowbrook, York.

Outlook: To include a list of top athletes here would take from now to the state meet. Suffice it to say that Lake Park is the two-time defending 3A state champ coming off the UEC Valley title with 86 points in field events headed by Kevin Spejcher, Scott Filip, Derrick Smith, Shawn Koch and others. Wheaton North amassed 192 points to win the DVC title behind great nights from Brett Kohler, Zach Gordon, Aidan Askin, Christian Hollinger, Alex Ryan, Marcus Charles and more. York is, well, York. A year away, the Dukes surprisingly are led by field-event athletes like 16-foot pole vaulter Nick Sgarbossa and 170-foot discus man Paul Golen. On top of this, the WW South sectional offers stars like Glenbard East’s Mike Fahey and Antwon James, Willowbrook’s Pat Niyork, WW South’s Phabian Clark, Glenbard West’s Mike Lederhouse, etc. This sectional has consistently produced state trophy teams and champions for years. It will be all that more rewarding for athletes such as Fenton’s Fabiel Urzua, Glenbard North’s Jordan Simmons or Addison Trail’s Phil Partipilo if they were to punch their ticket downstate.