Boys track and field: Jackson's gold medal wait is over
CHARLESTON - As Fremd senior Jaden Jackson waited and waited to run the final 300-meter intermediate hurdles race of his high school career, his mind raced.
A fast guy needed his mind to slow down.
"Just sitting in the field house, voices start getting in your head, you start getting antsy and nervous, and you just keep checking the clock," Jackson said Saturday at Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Field. "But you just got to pull yourself together, calm yourself down and then focus on the task at hand."
The state veteran did just that.
Jackson, the 2017 state runner-up in the 300 hurdles, did himself one spot better. After finally getting to race at around 3:30 p.m., he won the Class 3A 300 hurdles in 37.73, as Homewood-Flossmoor's Matthew Lewis-Banks took second in 38.08.
"It feels really nice," the Illinois-bound Jackson said. "I've been working since freshman year to achieve this goal, and to finally achieve it my senior year - graduated, going into U of I - is a great feeling."
Jackson's time broke the school record he set last year.
"My start was strong," said Jackson, whose 38.26 on Friday was also the fastest of the day. "I went my strong lead for all but the second hurdle. I went right lead, but it didn't really bother me because it's happened to me before in a race. It just came naturally, and I just kept on going."
Jackson also earned a state medal in the 400 relay, as Fremd placed eighth (43.84). Zach Balis, Ben Konopka and Justin King joined Jackson.
Jackson's future Illinois teammate Declan Rustay of Hoffman Estates sought to repeat his state championships in the 100 and 200 dashes, but the senior couldn't pull off the double again, though he did pocket four medals.
Hoffman Estates started by placing third in the 400 relay (41.79) with Malik Whitehead, Conner Kiley, Rustay and Anijel Jones. The Hawks then took second in the 800 relay (1:26.47) to Plainfield North (1:26.17), as sophomore Marcellus Moore edged Rustay at the finish. Again Hoffman Estates featured Jones, Kiley and Whitehead with Rustay.
Rustay then moved on to the 100. He settled for fifth (10.66) with Moore's 10.31 setting the state record.
"Disappointing," Rustay said. "I stumbled out of the blocks, and if it was conference, sectionals or any other meet, I maybe would have been able to get up there. But these guys are studs. That's the thing about the 100. One slip-up can ruin the whole race for you."
Rustay settled for fourth (21.81) in the 200, as Moore won in 21.30.
"I was tired," Rustay said. "It was my eighth race of the weekend, and it was just brutal. I didn't feel right. It was just not a good way to end my career."
It was quite the career, however. Despite nagging injuries to his hamstrings and ankle during the spring, he walked off the track after his last race with his head held high.
"This year was just crazy," Rustay said. "I had a slow start (to the season), and it was not a good year to have a slow start. I just couldn't get into my groove. I'm disappointed, but I can't hang my head on the career I've had."
Seeded third in the 800 relay after going 1:26.95 on Friday, Barrington settled for fourth (1:27.76).
"That's all right," Broncos senior Ray Niro said. "We gave it our all. Coach K (head coach Todd Kuklinski) did a really good job preparing us for it."
Niro, the Northwestern-bound football player, showed his typical all-out effort when he fed the baton to EJ Darlington. Niro did a full dive and crashed to the track after a successful handoff.
Alex Andrea and anchor Luis Cossio ran the other two legs for Barrington.
"We always want to take off as fast as we can, and we want our best time," Niro said. "(Darlington) took off pretty fast, and the only way I could get (the baton) to him was if I dived."
Barrington also grabbed sixth in the 400 relay (42.49) with Michael Dreiling, Niro, Andrea and Cossio. Barrington senior Brad Warman medaled in the shot put for the second year in a row, finishing second (62-2¾), as he was beaten by only state-record holder and Michigan-bound John Meyer of Lockport (68-8).
Fremd senior Matt Bilek earned the ninth-place medal in the shot put (56-0).
Hersey sophomore Josh Methner finished fourth in the 3,200 run. It was his second state medal after placing seventh in cross country last fall. He also ran the 3,200 at state track as a freshman.
"I was just hoping for a high finish, a good race, and that I could finish strong," Methner said. "Everyone had to deal with the heat, so I just wanted to stay as close to the leaders as I could the whole race."
Barrington senior Nick Laning earned the ninth-place medal in the 3,200 (9:15.33) but fell just short in the 1,600 (11th, 4:27.26).
Prospect junior Michael Shafis tied for eighth in the high jump (6-5).
Neuqua Valley won the Class 3A championship with 52 points, edging runner-up Homewood-Flossmoor (48). Moore's four championships paced third-place Plainfield North (43). Rock Island (27) and Hoffman Estates (26) were fourth and fifth, respectively. Barrington and Glenbard West (19 each) tied for ninth.