Similar finish for St. Charles North, East
As coaches will say, this is the championship part of the boys track season.
In other words, it's every man for himself.
At the Upstate Eight Conference Meet on Thursday at Streamwood's Millennium Field, St. Charles North's Ryan Senci did his part to serve as windbreak for the lead pack of 3,200-meter runners.
First the pack was six runners, then four. Then one, as Senci's teammate Kyle Zankowski kicked it in over the last lap to win at 9 minutes, 40.34 seconds.
"We were just going for PR's (personal records) and that's really all that we wanted to get," said Zankowski, St. Charles North's lone conference champion in a fifth-place team finish. Neuqua Valley repeated as UEC champ with 149 points to 111 for Waubonsie Valley. St. Charles East placed right behind North.
"Ryan kind of blocked the wind for everybody the first few laps. Then it was kind of like the big finishers took over from there," said Zankowski, a senior who missed nearly the entire 2009 outdoor season with an injury.
"It's not like you have to save anything for the last 400, it's just get up and go," he said.
Zankowski and Senci taking first and second in the 3,200, and Peter Johnson's sixth in the 1,600 were among St. Charles North's highlights.
Known for their distance, these North Stars have speed. Christian Ilunga false-started out of the 100, but returned to finish third in the 200. Jeff Stolzenburg placed fourth in the 100 and sixth in the 400.
A record-setting football receiver last fall, Stolzenburg hopes to walk on at Oregon, where he hails from. Track has increased his chances.
"I was going to do it last year and then I got an injury in my left quad so I thought this year would be good to do it," he said. "I think it's bettering myself a lot. I can tell my speed's increased a little bit. That's what I was thinking it would do, so it's helped a lot."
The North Stars did well in the field, Aaron Sanchez second in pole vault at 13 feet, 3 inches, and Daniel Washington fourth in both triple jump and long jump.
Plug sophomore jumper Oshay Hodges into next week's sectional, and St. Charles North coach Kevin Harrington hopes sparks fly.
"We're close in a lot of things, so certainly we're hoping for good weather and our kids to really step up," Harrington said.
St. Charles East coach Ben Provencher hopes for the same thing, and seemed encouraged by what he saw Thursday.
"I don't think a lot of guys had off nights," he said. "I think a lot of our guys ran really well, and I think they're right on pace for next week."
One who just needs the slightest bump to gain state qualification is Dillon Mugge, who finished third in the 400 at 51.24 seconds. With Saints junior sprinter Mike Brown still out with a foot injury, Mugge was the main sprinter on a night East featured distance.
The group of Tim Johnson, Jake Zahn, Steven Decker and Jared Eads took second in the 3,200, and Johnson and Zahn came back to go four-five in the 1,600.
Following his plan, Johnson lowered his personal-best to a time of 4:27.00, closer to state qualification.
"My only goal here was to stick with leaders, not really kick it at the end. Next week, I know I can, now I've just got to kick," he said.
Anders Johnson, no relation, finished third in the 300-meter hurdles, and the two Johnsons, Mugge and Eads combined for a fifth-place 1,600 relay.
Pole vaulter Rob Davidsen tied for third at 12 feet, 9 inches, just shy of his 13-0 mark on May 4.
"I had a good day," the junior said. "The weather was pretty nice - a little bit of tail wind, but it was nice. My vaults were pretty good. I mean, I wish I could have had a personal best today, 13-3, but you can't win every day."