WW South goes to work at Best 4 invite
Wheaton North's Best Four boys track and field meet rewards depth, a strength of Wheaton Warrenville South.
"Proud of the kids, they came to work," new Tigers coach Chris Arthurs said after his first major outdoor victory since succeeding the retired Ken Helberg.
WW South's 199.333 points surpassed Glenbard West (172.333), Wheaton North (162.5) and tightly bunched Lake Park, Naperville Central and Plainfield South. Willowbrook also competed.
"Finishing with the four-by-four, with a first place, was nice," Arthurs said. "They were really focused and it was a good way to start the season."
The 1,600-meter relay is a Tigers tradition continued Saturday by Danny Shricker, Nate Guerrero, Kyle Thompson and Joe Zubak.
Cedric Rowzee anchored the Tigers' 400 relay win, led off the top 800 relay and ran the 100 dash at 10.97 seconds, among the day's top times along with Glenbard West's Vince Divenere winning the 300 hurdles in 39.88 seconds.
WW South's Erik Stubner dueled Glenbard West's Ethan Larson in high jump, each claiming personal-best marks of 6 feet, 5 inches with Stubner winning by fewer misses. Bearing three screws in his left knee after 2016 surgery, Stubner also ran on the 400 relay.
"I ran for the first time and that had my confidence up, and then I kind of just wanted to finish the day strong on high jump," Stubner said.
Larson cleared both 6-3 and 6-5 on his third and final attempts to gain a 4-inch PR.
Larson credited "concentration and the enthusiasm from my (jumps) coach (Rob Nero), just pumping me up. It really gave me the extra oomph I needed."
Wind gusts threatened to zap distance runners' oomph, but Glenbard West's Cam Benes won the open 1,600 and led off its winning 3,200 relay.
Naperville Central's Tommy Chavez outmanuevered WW South's Maison brothers, Scott and Sean, to win the 3,200 at 9 minutes, 44.78 seconds.
"Usually when you're hanging on to someone you would make a move like maybe with 400 left to go, maybe just above that," Chavez said. "But I did it with two laps to go. It might have been a little bit too early, but it worked out."
Lake Park's Alexander Caines protein-loaded earlier with six fish tacos yet won the 400 by a neck over Wheaton North's Andrew Lauber.
"I guess it's not entirely what you eat that dictates how you race. Part of it's your head," Caines said.
Wheaton North's Joey Simon can relate. He drafted WW South's Thompson and Naperville Central's Thomas Shilgalis, then kicked to win in 1:58.00, all three under 1:59.
"The last 100 just comes down to how hard you want it, or how bad you want it," Simon said.