Boys track and field: Neuqua Valley dominates relays to win Red Ribbon Classic
The athletes from 10 high school boys track and field teams obviously got a workout at Saturday's Red Ribbon Classic at Waubonsie Valley. The timing equipment also got plenty of exercise.
It was a meet with times that were among the state's best in the rankings. A piece of notebook paper might fit between the winning time and the second-place mark.
Neuqua Valley won the meet with 147 points followed by Wheaton Warrenville South (107.5), Yorkville (102.5), York (97.5), Moline (87.5), Waubonsie (79), Marmion Academy (30), Metea Valley (25), Chicago Taft (20) and Oswego East (5).
The Wildcats won eight events including sweeping all four relays.
The afternoon started off with the Neuqua 4x800-meter relay of Robert Glenn, Jack Cole, Jacob Lane and Ryan Adamski prevailing in 8 minutes, 15.73 seconds.
The Wildcats' 400 relay of Tanner Bill Friess, Joseph Lubib, Miles Miskel and Daniel Robinson edged out the York entry 43.38 to 43.67.
The 800 relay of Daniel Mason Jr., Eric Wu, Miles Miskel and Rajan Anthony earned a winning time of 1:31.12.
The meet ended with the Wildcats winning the 1,600 relay in 3:28.86 courtesy of Madhan Manikandaswamy, Miskel, Anthony and Edward Mason.
The wind was definitely present on Saturday blowing from the south at approximately 19 mph according to an announcement before the running events began.
Neuqua's Zac Close won the 3,200 in 9:31.94, almost 23 seconds faster than the second-place finisher. Close said his time was not his season best.
"If you go out too fast like I did, it kills you on the backstretch. I don't think it especially helps," he said.
Close said putting out the best possible effort has been key to his season.
"I'm right on track. I'm excited about the sectional," he said.
The other three Neuqua individual winners were Manikandaswamy in the 400 (50.60), Nick Pennigton in the pole vault (14 feet, 2 inches) and Robinson in the long jump (21-0 1/2).
The tightest race of the meet was the 100. York's Cash Langley won in 10.70. That time is fifth best in the state. The times from second place through fifth place were 10.80, 10.86, 10.90 and 10.92.
"He's been working on starting. He started better today than last week. He's getting out of the blocks," said York coach Charlie Kern.
The Dukes' Luke DeSimone won the 110 hurdles in 15.13. WW South's Amari Williams was right on his heels in 15.36.
Later, Williams won the 300 hurdles in 39.42 and has the sixth-fastest mark in the state.
"I feel like I started this season well and am trying to build up for later in the season," Williams said. "I feel like I am getting faster."
York would also go home with a victory in the 800 thanks to Brady Golomb in 1:57.49.