Boys track: DiVenere clocks big sectional victory
The 300-meter hurdles were a hit at the Class 3A Lake Park Boys Track & Field sectional.
After high jump, where York's Obi Nnam and Wheaton Warrenville South's Erik Stubner reached 6 feet, 4 inches and Glenbard West's Ethan Larson qualified at 6-3, the next 11 events on and off the track Friday in Roselle advanced the minimum first- and second-place finishers into next week's state finals in Charleston.
Then came the 300s, a bounty. Glenbard West's Vince DiVenere, Glenbard North's Jace James, Rolling Meadows' Tym Szylak, Glenbard North's Paris Miller and Wheaton Warrenville South's Joe Zubak all bounded below the qualifying standard of 39.69 seconds.
Clocking in at 38.46, DiVenere dealt James his first defeat this season, while Zubak and Szylak outran the disappointment of missed 110-meter hurdles bids.
"It just adds fuel to the fire. It just gives me more motivation to come out and do better," said James, the Northwestern football recruit who won the 110s with Miller qualifying in second, a familiar pattern this spring.
In 2016 Miller was ousted "by a step" in the 300s by Addison Trail's Jordyn Carr-Jones, unable to race Friday due to a reaggravated hamstring.
"This year coach (Mark Karwowski) said, you're a senior, this is your year, you're going to go downstate for sure," Miller said.
Zubak and DiVenere both hit hurdles but regained momentum.
"It just boosts my morale, I really needed that," said Zubak, in at 39.69. "Next week I've really got to get after it, and at state I've got to run like I never have before."
DiVenere, who qualified in third place last year at sectional, hit the first hurdle.
"Maybe spectators would think I was out of it, but no," said the senior, who also ran on qualifying Hilltoppers 400, 800 and 1,600 relays, as Tyquan Cox, Corey Graham and 400 winner Brady Heller each ran on two. Cox also finished second to WW South's Cedric Rowzee in the 100 dash.
"This year being in the top five in state in the 300s, and I'm sure we're in the top 10 in each of the relays, we're just excited about what we can do on the next day (in the state finals)," DiVenere said.
In the 800 York's Charlie Kern found another gear to stave off a late challenge by Wheaton North's Joey Simon, and Kern returned to win the 1,600 as well. WW South's Kyle Thompson, redeemed after falling short in the 800, qualified in the 1,600.
"I was very comfortable out there," said Kern, whose freshman brother, Ethan, was just off the pace in third in the 1,600.
Glenbard North's D'myreo Mitchell became the Panthers' first discus qualifier since Ryan Diehm in 1997, while Lake Park's Chago Basso spun a whopping 184-2 to win the event. Basso then threw 59-2 to win shot put with York's Cal Widener and Wheaton North's Tyler Johnson also advancing.
A junior, Johnson enjoys the two seniors he'll join downstate.
"We say, what's up, and good luck, and how's it going," Johnson said. "And, 'Good throw.'"
The team champion had yet to be decided, water on the pole vault runway forcing a move indoors at Rolling Meadows at noon Saturday. After 17 events York held an 83-82 lead over WW South, ahead of Glenbard West (80) and Lake Park (72). WW South has the vault's top seed in returning all-stater Tom Ansiel.