Motivation keys MSL qualifiers at Bartlett

Ben Bowers, Ryan Gundersen and Evan Prizy had a variety of motivators in Friday night’s Class 3A Bartlett boys track and field sectional.

Bowers, a Conant senior, was trying to pull off a state-qualifying triple play in the high jump and both hurdle races.

Gundersen, a Rolling Meadows junior and ex-baseball player, was trying in the 400 meters to continue the program’s streak of having a state qualifier since 1993.

And Prizy, a Schaumburg sophomore, was trying to atone for a disappointing conference meet in the 3,200 by getting to state for the first time.

All three of them accomplished their missions to advance from Streamwood’s Millennium Field to next weekend’s state meet at Eastern Illinois in Charleston.

Bowers won the high jump at 6-7, took second in the 110 hurdles (14.29) and had to hustle to get the sixth and final qualifying spot in the 300 hurdles (39.75).

“The whole week the pressure has been on me,” Bowers said. “Everyone has been looking to me to qualify and to lead the team to state, to triple qualify.”

Gundersen took third in the 400 in 49.86 to beat the qualifying standard by eight-10ths of a second in his first year of high school track.

“It was important to get someone to state,” Gundersen said. “We have to keep that streak going.”

Prizy dropped 21 seconds off his time at the Mid-Suburban League meet to win a competitive race in 9:35.53.

“I felt this was a good day for me and the race was tough,” Prizy said. “I’ve been working hard for this and I really wanted this.”

Bowers thought his night had come to a disappointing end in the 300 hurdles since it was an event he finished seventh in last year. But then the announcement came he had made it in an event that Batavia’s Rob Mohr won in 37.58.

“My mind was not set on racing, it was set on trying to run for time,” said Bowers, who felt some discomfort in his hip after the high jump. “At the starting line I felt something was wrong and I didn’t feel the competitive edge I normally have.

“Then it kicked in, ‘Oh man, if I don’t kick it in, I’m going to regret it.’ It would be disappointing to place in that event and not qualify for it (this) year.”

Gundersen had run the qualifying time twice this season and said he was helped by being in Lane 3 with winner Russell Acton of Geneva (49.21) and runner-up Brandon Baymon of St. Charles North (49.35) in Lanes 4 and 5.

“Coach (assistant Jim) Voyles knew I had the potential to do this and pushed me in practice,” Gundersen said.

Prizy rebounded from a hip injury suffered late in the indoor season and finished ahead of St. Charles North’s Ryan Senci (9:38.07) for the sectional title.

“I used (last week) as motivation and I was going to come back this week,” Prizy said. “I just wasn’t in the zone (last week) and after I finished I was angry with myself.”

Conant won the 3,200 relay as James Weaver, Bobby Iatomasi, Nikhil Byanna and Troy Cunningham ran 8:00.20. Schaumburg qualified in second (8:05.83) with Connor Prizy, Travis Morrison, Pat Swiech and Ben Gallis.