Boys track and field: Batavia relay, Saints' Wilson race to state titles
CHARLESTON - Batavia's Scot Parker was in the zone and then out of the zone on Saturday afternoon.
As he was preparing for the start of the 800-meter relay at the Class 3A boys state track and field championships, Parker focused on getting off to a strong start.
"I got into those blocks and was in the zone from the start," Parker said. "That was definitely one of the best starts for me."
Parker's strong opening leg helped guide the Bulldogs to a new heights. The 800 relay team of Parker, Jacob Hohmann, Anthony Bradley and Reese Wheatley ran a first-place time of 1:27.80 to notch the program's second relay state championship.
Parker said he received an unexpected in-race jolt that pushed him to finish his leg on a strong note.
"I rarely hear anything over the speakers, but for some reason, I heard my name and I was gone after that," Parker said. "I ran so hard."
Behind two solid showings in the relays, the Bulldogs claimed seventh place in the team standings with 24 points. Neuqua Valley won the team championship with 36 points.
Hohmann credited Parker for running a solid leg to set the relay up for a historic showing.
"I felt Scot got the first leg to me in a pretty good spot," he said. "I got the first handoff in a good position and just focused on running hard. I felt good with the way I ran."
Wheatley closed out the race putting every ounce of energy and effort in the final 200 to stave off a late charge by Homewood-Flossmoor's Jalen Brown.
"I just kept running hard, and didn't worry about (Brown)," Wheatley said. "I wanted to win a state title for our team. We've been wanting this for a long time, so it's a special (moment) for all of us."
Batavia's 1,600 relay nearly doubled the first-place medal count, but Hinsdale Central pulled ahead in the final 250 meters to win the state title. The Bulldogs' relay unit if Hohmann, Tyler Piron, Jonah Fallon and Bradley clocked a time of 3:20.04. Fallon added a fifth-place medal in the 400.
St. Charles East's Micah Wilson etched his name into program history, winning the first state title in any event. Wilson blazed to a first-place time of 9:11.71 to win the 3,200.
"I'm just so happy to win this because the competition was very good and it was good weather," Wilson said.
St. Charles East Luke Schildmeyer, a Notre Dame recruit, capped a memorable career with a second-place medal in the 1,600 (4:12.10).
"It was a super fun race, so I scratched out of the (3,200) race," he said. "It was a tough competition, and I knew everyone was with me and I didn't look back and just tried to give everything I had."
Geneva's Tim Archibald opened up a few eyes with his showing in the 800, earning a sixth-place medal in a time of 1:56.12.
St. Charles North had a number of outstanding showings, led by the 400 relay team of Cameron Conforti, Joshua Duncan, Lucas Makishima and Joshua DiNatale that took fourth (42.33). Paolo Gennarelli, a star football player, collected a third-place medal in the shot put (17.57). Senior Joshua Kolodzieg, who's headed to the Navy, placed fourth in the pole vault (4.47 meters).
"I've had some injuries this year, from busting up my hand," Kolodzieg said. "This was a good way to end my career. I didn't let other people's jumps or the crowd distract me ... I no heighted the first time I came (to state). I couldn't gone higher, but I'm happy with my performance."