Boys track and field: Warren's Levy looking to cap career in style
CHARLESTON - Warren's Caleb Levy turned some heads in last season's Class 3A state track and field meet.
As a junior, Levy displayed his next-level talent by earning a third-place medal in the 800-meter run to score seven points for the Blue Devils. He also ran the final leg in Warren's eighth-place 1,600-meter relay.
Now a senior, Levy is ready to add some more highlights to his track resume.
On Friday, he ran a preliminary time of 1 minute, 55.87 seconds to just make the cut to the finals on Saturday.
"I feel good," Levy said. "I wasn't going for the win, just going for a good time. I did go little slow, but know I can do better. I feel I'm more fit than last year and can do even better because I'm in a better place."
Glenbrook South senior Ryan Schaefer easily clocked the top time in the 300-meter hurdles, running a personal-record of 37.79 seconds to blow past the rest of the field. He won a talented field with a personal record. The Illinois State recruit also is headed to the finals in the long jump (6.83 meters) and the high jump (1.90 meters). His long jump marked the top showing in the event.
Schaefer, speaking after the 300 hurdles, said he was happy with his day.
"I have confidence knowing that I'm a senior and this is the last time for me to have fun with my friends," Schaefer said. "I think I used the (400 relay) as fuel to my fire. I felt good and even in the home stretch of the 300. I knew I was going to go fast, but not this fast."
Warren senior Jaden Turner placed second among the final-day qualifiers in the long jump (6.80), just behind Schaefer.
Prospect senior Dominik Balenda, a Grand Valley State recruit, made a late surge near the finish line to be among the finalists in the 400 in a time of 49.61. The 1,600 run included several area qualifiers, including Hinsdale Central's Aden Bandukwala, Grayslake Central's Trey Sato and Downers Grove North's Caden Weber.
"It wasn't my best race of the season, but I knew my teammates helped me along this journey and I knew I had to do something for them," Balenda said. "This was me repaying them. I was thinking about my teammates and coaches at the 200 mark. I didn't want my season to end. I knew I had to finish it strong."
Hersey sophomore Logan Farrell, who has several Power Five football offers, made a splash in the shot put with a personal-record heave of 16.34 meters.
In the 2A meet, Lakes junior Payton Whitehead clocked the second-fastest time in the 800 (1:55.81) to stamp a trip to the finals. Whitehead said he's motivated to eclipse last season's fifth-place showing in the 800, when he ran a school-record time of 1:54.95.
"I got a little cut-in on the second lap and got bumped but I took the straight to kind of collect myself," Whitehead said. "I pushed it and am happy with it. On Saturday, I'm going to pull myself into it and see what I can do and go get it. I feel pretty good and have been consistent this year, so I'm excited about the finals."
Lakes junior Paul Migas continued his state dominance by advancing to the finals in the 2A pole vault (4.05).