Fab 400 relay for Wave
Indications didn't predict it -- but that's why they run the race.
St. Edward's 400-meter relay came into Monday's Suburban Catholic Conference boys track meet with a seed time that ranked fourth among the eight entries.
After circling the track at Marmion Academy's Fichtel Field, however, the quartet of seniors Matt Ardiente, Eric Guerrero and Ryan Gilbert and sophomore Nick Kerger took first place in 44.2 seconds.
Gilbert's anchor leg brought it in just fast enough to offset a kick by Immaculate Conception's Nick DiBrito to put the Green Wave close to their school-record time of 43.9, set in 1984.
Immaculate Conception, as well as top seed St. Francis and No. 2 seed Marmion, all had the tables turned by the upstart Green Wave.
"That was going to be our motivation to push us," Guerrero said of battling the higher seeds. "It was either do our best or tie, or make the person in front of us break the school record, so we knew that we're right behind them."
Kerger, the sophomore on this group of football players, had to win a challenge for that third leg of the relay.
Guerrero said: "We all play football together and it was kind of like the love -- not letting each other down -- is what's going to push us through the race. So we had to take first or there was nothing at all."
Guerrero placed fourth in the 100-meter dash, at 11.1 seconds. Josh Scholly and Jimmy Mathisen placed third and fourth, respectively, in the long jump.
Sophomore Shane Finane, strong like bull, took third in shot put at 43 feet, 4 inches.
The three-sport athlete heads into the Class A Genoa-Kingston sectional feeling good about his performance. Still, he obviously has something to shoot for.
"I'm pretty confident about it," he said, but there's a kid from Winnebago who is very good. He threw a 56 (-footer) last week for a PR (personal record) -- and my PR is only 46-5."
He'll go to Genoa-Kingston looking to advance. On the heels of a dynamite 400 relay, so will Ardiente, Guerrero, Kerger and Gilbert.
"Obviously, the sprints is a strong point for St. Edward, and we are looking to go into the sectionals with our 4-by-1 team," said St. Edward coach Bill Lucas, who also noted the possible top-3 prospect of 400 runner David Bailey.
"They're going to be in the hunt to not only go downstate but to possibly break the school record. They're looking to take first in the sectional."
Marmion, for a third straight year, won the SCC meet, with 177 points. St. Francis came in second at 130.5. Marian Central and Aurora Central were third and fourth, with a respective 58 and 54 points. St. Edward finished seventh.