Boys track and field: Prospect cruises to championship at own Wanner invite

A huge field of 22 boys track teams were assembled for the 58th annual Wanner Knights' Invitational Friday night at Prospect.

The very chilly temperatures for the May 1 meet did not stop the host Knights from rolling to the championship with 173 points. Naperville Central (86.25 points) took second followed by Hersey (71 points) in fifth, and Barrington (47.5 points) in ninth.

Harvard-bound Prospect senior Nate Cichy won the 110-hurdles in 14.65 seconds, and the 200-meter dash in 22.35 seconds. The 4x200 squad of Cichy, Alonzo Deleon, Oliver Koczaj, and Andrew Moreth won in 1:29.19.

The Knights also got a first place from senior Jude Guagliardo (6.73 meters) in the long jump while Barrington's Lamar Osterhues placed second. Lakes' William Mercure took second in the pole vault. Prospect's Jack Kruger (4.65 meters) was the pole vault champion while teammates Luke Robinson (3,200), and Guagliardo (triple jump) took second.

"He (Cichy) is an all-state athlete in two sports (football and track), he's an amazingly talented kid, he's a great leader, and he's an extremely hard worker," said Prospect coach Jeff Collier. "It's really cold out here so it's really tough for a sprinter to get PRs in this kind of weather."

Cichy has high hopes looking ahead to the state meet in four weeks. "I want to medal at state in the 110's," said Cichy. "And we want to medal in the 4x1, 4x2, and 4x4."

Naperville Central senior Lukas Probst won the 800-meter run in 1:57.79 while Palatine's James O'Sullivan (1:58.79) took third.

"Lukas is a senior captain who has worked really hard, and he looked really great in the 800," said Naperville Central coach Steve Stack, whose team took second in the 4x200 and 4x400. "Kyle (Clark) and Chad (Earl) were on our 4x200 team that went to state last year, and our relay teams have worked really hard."

Hersey junior Gabe Gronski took second in the 1,600 while the Huskies' 4x800 team took third.

"Gabe is one of the best miler's in the state, and he's a very steady, consistent kid who has to stay healthy," said Hersey coach Jim Voyles. "They (4x800 team) were right there, they were only a second off from winning it, and it was just off our school record."

Downers Grove South's 4x800 team of Chris Janota, Sam Axelson, John Clinton, and Conrad Saner took first place in 7:48.78.

Maine East senior Micah Rotter continued to soar in the high jump with a winning mark of 1.93 meters. Lakes' Jordan Phelan (18.2 meters) won the shot put over Prospect runner-up Shea Lewis.

Barrington's Adam Lyon (400), Lakes' Cooper Summy (1,600), Prospect's Cameron Polley (300 hurdles), and Prospect's Caden Moran (high jump) all took third.

"As soon as it got to a real feel of 37 degrees we pulled out our sprinters," said Barrington coach Todd Kuklinski. "Adam Lyon looked good in the 400 and Lamar took second in the long jump, but we had kind of an average day."