Another triumph for Hertz, Lakes in Lake County meet
It's becoming almost commonplace to see Lakes senior Corey Hertz put up mind-blowing numbers on the track, week in and week out. So much so that the races themselves are starting to look easier for the Northern Iowa-bound Hertz.
Well, not exactly.
With weather delays Friday forcing the Lake County Invite to run Saturday at Grayslake Central, the change in venue and date had no effect on Hertz or his Lakes teammates.
The Eagles impressed for the second week in a row, winning the team title over Barrington by scoring 93.5 points. Barrington (78) ran second followed by Deerfield (59) and Warren (58).
Lakes won the championship for the second straight year.
"I wouldn't say this was easy, at all," said Hertz, who won two individual titles. "The 400 felt better than last week, and I had more energy in my legs for the 200."
About that 400-meters race, Hertz took the field out quickly and ran away, winning in a state-best 47.80. His effort pulled Octavian Wells of Grant to a school-record 48.91 second-place finish and a personal-best third-place finish from Stevenson's Tim Vestuto (49.73).
Hertz won the 200 in 21.57.
"The race didn't feel as hard as it did last week," Hertz said. "I came in (Friday) night ready to run, but today I came back ready to work, and I liked the weather today a bit better than yesterday."
The Eagles, who will look to successfully defend their North Suburban Conference title at home on Thursday, earned individual wins in two field events. Ryan Mullen took top honors in the shot put with a personal-best 56-3.5. His bested the personal-best 54-0.5 throw from Warren's Matt Sladek, who finished second.
Mullen also earned the individual title in the discus with a modest toss of 156-6.5.
The runner-up Broncos battled through a tough day, but what made the day brightest were the efforts from senior Scotty Miller, who won two events, and Scott Jonske.
Miller ran the second-fastest time in the state in winning the 100 dash in 10.53. He then anchored the Broncos' winning 400 relay team (42.90), which also included Griffin Claes, Brendan Melynchuk and Logan Moews.
Jonske continued to impress, placing second in the triple jump. His leap of 44-0.5 was a personal best by greater than 2 feet.
Chasing the Broncos was a young and quick group from Warren. The Blue Devils started the day with an impressive effort in taking the 3,200 relay. Jakob Martinez, Jeff Abbott, Nathan Campbell and Alex Delgado ran a season-best 8:00.60.
But the most impressive effort of the afternoon came when the Blue Devils earned the win in the 800 relay. The team of Isaac Walker, Dante Johnson, Hugo Flores and Joe Haight ran 1:28.48 - just .01 off the school record set last season.
"The two sophomores are really adding to that relay," Warren coach Bill Dawson said. "Dante (Johnson) and Hugo (Flores) have been terrific, and of course Joe and Isaac have been great as well."
Though he finished third in the 200, Haight broke the school record set by Dante Daniels with a run of 21.74.
All continues to be well at Grant, as the last of the Wells brothers trio, Octavian, showed off his talents again. After his blazing school-record effort in the 400, Wells led the 1,600 relay team. Wells, Jeremy Bredwood, Timmy Brundidge and Kemar Miller clocked a winning and season-best 3:23.99.
"Things are starting to feel better, and it's getting down to the end of the season where we need to start clicking," Wells said.
Other individual champions included Grayslake Central's Jack Aho (1,600 run, 4:20.03) and Jared Borowsky (3,200 run, personal-best 9:16.61). Sam Oh of Stevenson completed the 1-2 finish in the 3,200 run in 9:20.63. Cam Denison took top honors for the host Rams in the long jump (21-8).