It’s life in the fast lane for Grayslake Central’s Jennings
No way, “Tay-Tay.”
“What?! What?!” a stunned and excited Grayslake Central boys track and field coach Brent Pitt said as he ran/hopped/zig-zapped toward Davonta Jennings after the speedy junior captured a too-close-to-call 100-meter dash at Friday night’s Class 2A Richmond-Burton sectional.
Jennings, whose first name is pronounced “Da-VON-tay,” clocked a time of 11.199, edging Lakes’ Shaun Beutlich (11.232).
Jennings won from Lane 1.
The Ram had won his prelim heat, but a mistake put him in an outside lane for the 100 final.
It fueled him.
“Competition pushes me,” Jennings said. “I knew I had to go because I was in Lane 1.”
Considering that Grayslake Central had already received season-best and state-qualifying efforts from its 3,200 and 400 relays, and Joey Valdivia had PR’ed in winning both the shot put (55-2.5) and discus (144-7), it’s no wonder the head coach was jumping for joy.
“What’s going on with these kids?!” Pitt said to no one in particular, as he scurried around the infield.
Led by “Tay-Tay,” Grayslake Central had its way. All day. All night.
The Rams rang up 123 points, well ahead of runner-up Lakes (88), which edged Woodstock (86), which was led by a pair of former Lakes athletes — Donte Arnold and his half-brother Keeondae Benjamin. Arnold ran on the state-qualifying 1,600 (first, 3:25.117) and 400 (second, 43.645) relays, and won the 300 hurdles (39.276) and triple jump (43-9.5). Benjamin raced on three state-qualifying relays. Anchor Tyler Parsons and Alec Martys also ran on the 1,600 relay for the Blue Streaks.
Antioch was as excited as Woodstock following the 1,600 relay. The Sequoits clocked a school-record 3:25.20 in finishing second to qualify for state. Travis Gantz, who earlier earned a state berth by finishing second to Arnold in the 300 hurdles, led off. He was followed by Kyle Patrick, Nick Brito and Leroy Chapman (another former Lakes athlete), who anchored.
“It’s unbelievable,” Brito said. “I came down with a huge cold (Thursday). I was sick at school, came back here today, wasn’t sure I was going to run it, got some decongestants, and I was good to go.”
Gantz gave credit to Sequoits coach Chris Bailey.
“He just said, ‘Give it your all. It’ll come together. This is your one chance to take it,’ ” Gantz said.
Chapman took the 400 (49.901) ahead of Lakes’ Trevor Ray (50.107, second).
A thrilling 200 saw Vernon Hills’ Gabe Cotton win in 22.337, with Antioch’s Dan Lonski (23.004) second. All eight runners in the final broke 24 seconds.
The finals started nearly an hour late due to a malfunctioning timing device, but St. Viator provided some immediate drama, as sophomore Ryan Henry helped rally the Lions to a winning time of 8:12.654 in the 3,200 relay.
Henry, who ran in the frosh/soph East Suburban Catholic Conference meet last week, was running in the relay only because Tyler Sammons was out with an injury.
“Unfortunately, my teammate got injured,” Henry said, “and I was able to run.”
Henry was third when he grabbed the baton, but he was in first place when he handed off to anchor Jason Ziolkowski, who took it home. Elliott Hilgert and Will Biersdorf ran the first two legs for St. Viator.
Henry’s 2:02 split was easily a season best.
“I stayed with (the runner in first) until we got to the second lap, and at 300, my coach (assistant coach Wayne Edelman) told me to take it,” Henry said. “So I slingshot past him and then just kept going. Something took over me. I just felt great.”
Grayslake Central’s second-place 3,200 relay featured Kevin Orozco, Kevin Boyle, Jamie Lefevber and Steven Anderson. Carmel won the 400 relay in an unofficial 43.2 with Anthony Paul anchoring, but the Corsairs were disqualified because of an illegal handoff, which came about a foot outside the zone, coach Jim Halford said.
“The ‘4 by 1’ is really a tough pill to swallow,” Halford said.
Grayslake Central was awarded first in the 400 relay (43.628). The Rams’ foursome of Jourdan Swopes, Kacey Adams, Matt Weatherhead and Jennings then won the 800 relay (1:31.143). Jennings anchored, after Adams sped past a couple of runners to give the Rams the lead.
“He caught up to everybody else, which helped me get out,” Jennings said of Adams. “He just set me up.”
Grayslake Central’s Will Brewster dominated the 3,200 (9:35.539) and 1,600 (4:20.475) runs. He and Luke Zygmunt (4:26.883) went 1-2 in the 1,600. Zygmunt won the 800 in 1:56.725.
Carmel got runner-up (state-qualifying performances) from Brian Kadowski in the pole vault and former baseball player Brendan Zawaski in the long jump. Kadowski was also second in the 110 hurdles.
Wauconda’s Chris Bednarski took first in the long jump (21-2.5). Lakes’ Ty Summers earned a state berth in the shot put (second), and Troy Swindel of the Eagles advance in the high jump (second).