Benet earns ESCC '3-peat'

Chris Reyes and his Benet boys track and field teammates soaked up every moment at meet's end, chanting "three-peat" after their dramatic team title and proudly holding three fingers in the air while posing for a group picture.

Reyes' ear-to-ear smile was proof that he appreciated every snapshot moment, even if he couldn't appreciate every sight.

The speedy senior has 20/450 vision, which makes him legally blind.

"I compare my life to track, actually," Reyes said. "I take my vision as a hurdle, because I love hurdling."

He loves competing. Which was evident as he gave Benet the lead for good on the second lap of the 1,600-meter relay during Thursday's East Suburban Catholic Conference meet at Carmel in Mundelein.

When Redwings anchor David Gorenz crossed the finish line, more than two seconds ahead of runner-up St. Patrick, Benet had held on for its third straight ESCC championship.

The Redwings finished with 115 points, 3 more than St. Pat's, while Carmel was third with 97 points. St. Viator -- ninth in the 10-team field last year -- finished fourth with 68.5 points.

"I knew it was going to be this close," Carmel coach Jim Halford said. "It's not a total surprise that we didn't win. It's just kind of one of those things where, especially in a meet like this, so much depends on what other teams do."

Benet took a 1-point lead over St. Pat's into the 1,600 relay, the final event. John McLaughlin, Reyes, Alex Gasick and Gorenz were jacked, clocking a season-best 3:28.

"I love the 4 by 4 for that reason," Benet coach Patrick Marshall said. "Sometimes it just comes down to the end. You got four guys that are nothing but tired and they put it all on the line."

Few runners could have been more fatigued than Reyes, who had a busy second half of the meet.

After finishing second to St. Viator's Tom Temmerman in the 110 hurdles, Reyes ran the 800 relay and then the 300 hurdles, finishing fourth.

When he grabbed the baton in the 1,600 relay, Benet was in second place behind Carmel, with St. Patrick right on Reyes' heels.

"I was thinking to myself that I could not let St. Pat's pass me," Reyes said.

Within the first 100 meters, however, St. Pat's took the lead. So Reyes changed his strategy.

"I usually don't kick until the last 150 (meters), but I had to kick the last 200 to regain the lead," he said. "All I was thinking about was conference champion."

Benet boasted individual conference champs, as well. Gasick successfully defended his title in the 800 run (1:58.63, which was nearly the exact time he ran last year). Gorenz captured the 300 hurdles.