Benet wins fifth straight ESCC title

The seniors on Benet's boys track team entered Thursday's conference meet not knowing how it felt to lose the East Suburban Catholic Conference.

They left still not knowing that feeling after the Redwings claimed a fifth straight league championship by piling up 135 points to easily hold off runner-up Carmel (82) and third-place Marian Catholic (62).

Benet dominated the throws, the distance events and 400-meter runner John Kawka set a school record while winning in 49.64. St. Patrick's Kiante Green had to settle for second with a 50.31.

"It was definitely motivation," said Benet's two-time repeat champion Jerry Olp of his team's desire to extend the school's title string to five years. "It's good to see everyone happy after another win."

Olp himself was happy after a pair of wins as he defended his ESCC distance titles by winning the 3,200 in 10:01.19, and then outracing teammate Paul Clifford to take the 1,600 run, 4:32.49 to 4:33.38.

Benet also went 1-2 in the shot put as John Cannova won the shot in 47-10 and teammate Tom O'Sullivan was second at 46-7. In the discus Redwings Pat Flavin and David Arquette each recorded PRs while finishing first and third, respectively.

"We've had a lot of success as of late. It's been a good tradition," Flavin said. "It's been a good day for us."

The Redwings couldn't have asked for too much more, although a dropped baton in the final event kept them from competing with Carmel's 1,600 relay in the night's final event. Clifford not only was a close second in the 1,600, but the Benet senior won the 800 with a time of 1:58.21.

Carmel's quartet of A.J. Gawin, Jack Schoen, Tommy Miller and Ryan Ruddell won the 1,600 relay in 3:26.59 to shatter Benet's previous ESCC record time of 3:26.8 set in 1992.

"It was a wonderful performance," Carmel coach Jim Halford said. "It was by far their best (time) this season."

Carmel also won the 3,200 in 8:29.93 - where Benet was second at 8:33.78 - and John Thumel was first in the pole vault at 13-3. Halford had no complaints even if his squad could not top the Redwings.

"I told (Benet coach Patrick) Marshall we did as well as we could," he said. "We had a lot of kids have a remarkable day."

St. Viator, sixth in the team standings at 46 points, had a big day from its 800 relay and from Justin Johnson, who ran on that winning relay and also was second in both hurdle events, fourth in the long jump and was on the school's fifth-place 400 relay.

"We've had good performances. I just wish we had more people out," said St. Viator coach Rodero Warren, who watched John Balas, Mike Sroka, Johnson and Patrick O'Malley win the 800 relay with a state-qualifying time of 1:31.78. "We don't have enough kids to compete (for the ESCC)."

While St. Patrick's Patrick Nelson was setting a meet record with a winning time of 38.93 in the 300 hurdles, Johnson was setting a school record while taking second with a clocking of 40.71. The high hurdles were even closer when Marian Catholic's Erick Gavin won in 14.75 and Johnson was edged out with a time of 14.77.