Mangone, Barrington capture Relays

This weekend was supposed to be a dress rehearsal for Barrington of what a state meet weekend would be like. First the Broncos used the Knights Wanner Invite at Prospect on Friday night to simulate the first day preliminaries of the state meet.

Saturday, at the 77th Palatine Relays, Barrington used the environment even more to its advantage. The Broncos won just two events, but loaded up on seconds, thirds and fourth places to capture their first ever Relays crown. Barrington had 99 points to outscore the two-time defending champion host Pirates, who finished with 84.

"We really wanted to try and simulate the state meet situation," Barrington coach Todd Kuklinski said. "We doubled up some people and the kids really responded."

One Bronco who really responded was senior Ryan Mangone. After destroying a loaded field at Prospect in the 800-meter run, Mangone turned the field in the same event at Palatine into his own personal workout.

Mangone coasted to the win in 1:58.7, but it was the leg on the Broncos' 1,600-meter relay to end the meet that had everyone at Chic Anderson Stadium buzzing.

Trailing Buffalo Grove by more than five seconds into the final lap, Mangone wasn't about to concede the race. As Mangone and Buffalo Grove's Sam Alfano headed for home, Mangone kept closing and closing, but ultimately came a whisker short as Alfano and the Bison completed the victory in 3:25.8. Kevin Crowley, Eric Schneider and Kurt Stanke joined Mangone in the season-best effort.

Buffalo Grove, which ran Friday at Rolling Meadows, had James Blackmon, Mike Cornely and Kevin Mulligan team with Alfano in the impressive effort.

That victory was the only event win for the Bison, but it hardly overshadowed the record-setting effort by senior Matt Newman. In what turned out to be a spirited high jump event, Newman stole the show by clearing a meet record 6-10 and nearly clearing 6-11.

"After I cleared 6-9 I was so pumped up," Newman said. "Since last year getting over 6-9 has been such a big goal of mine."

Newman won the individual event, but Wheeling won the team relay led by Weston Ross. Ross, who had only cleared 6-2 as his personal best, jumped 6-7 to shatter the Wildcats' school record and help win the event with Mike Barton (6-2) and Jarrett Austin (6-2).

The best performer at the 2009 Relays and the G.A. McElroy Award winner came as no surprise to anyone in attendance. Senior Jeff Thode of Conant accounted for three event wins, including a meet record in the 1,600-meter run.

After running the mile and 800 last night, Thode contributed a leg on the Cougars' distance medley relay and a leg on the 3,200-meter relay. Pablo Ramirez, Tyler Fuchs and Kevin Reddington joined Thode on both relays for the win.

Shortly after the anchor leg on the relay, Thode took on a good field in his signature event, the 1,600.

After letting the field lead through the first 800-meters, Thode took the race over and raced to a 4:14.1 clocking top eclipse the record set by Evan Jager of Jacobs in 2006.

"The slow pace helped me get fresh and get into the race," Thode said. "To me, I still have a few things to work on."

Kyle Reid provided Conant's only other event win, taking the 300 hurdles to open the meet in 39.0.

Conant's cross-town rival Hoffman Estates got a great day out of senior Cory Smith. Smith had the best long jump (23-1) of the meet and helped the Hawks capture the triple jump relay with a 43-foot leap. Sean Lascelles earned the Hawks' other event win, taking the 400 in a season best 51.1.

Palatine earned just one event win, taking the pole vault behind a season-best effort from senior Dan LaRocca. He battled with Schaumburg senior Dan Bandurski, as both cleared 13-3. But LaRocca and the Pirates' combined height was good enough for the win.

Success that seniors like Mark Kachmer had during the fall is translating onto the track for the St. Francis Spartans. Kachmer was an all-state football player and a state champion in the fall for the football team, and now he is a key member of the sprint relays. Kachmer, along with Mark Schmidt, Ryan O'Donnell and David Safranski, captured the 400 and 800-meter relays in impressive fashion Saturday.

"This was a good chance for us today to get to race against good competition," Kachmer said. "We have a lot of guys back from last year so we are pretty confident and excited about this year."

Huntley senior Marcus Popenfoose was in the spotlight in the throwing events. Though he did not achieve his best marks of the season, Popenfoose tossed the disc 177 feet and the shot put 56-10. His two throws were by far the best marks, as the Red Raiders' throwing relays finished second behind Fremd in the discus and just out of the medal contention in the shot put. Fremd also captured the shot put relay.