2013 highlights

Follow along as the great high school track journalist Bill Stone chronicle's the Devil's track season!

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State Recap-By Bill Stone

After completing the indoor boys track season, Hinsdale Central senior Grady Tomlinson nearly missed out on what turned out to a memorable finish outdoors.

“I kind of had to decide if I was going to keep doing this or I was going to kind of just let it go and stop competing, but I chose to stick with the team, and I’m really, really glad that I made that decision,” Tomlinson said.

Tomlinson’s outdoor season climaxed with his first trip to the Class 3A state meet at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston as part of the Red Devils’ five state entries. Nine Red Devils, including five seniors, made their state debuts, and many just missed advancing to Saturday’s finals out of Friday’s preliminaries.

Senior Nick Piker finished 13th in shot put (51 feet-9 1/2 inches), missing the 12-thrower finals by just 2 1/2 inches. He then fouled all three of his attempts in discus, an event in which his school-record 182 feet-8 inches May 3 was farther than anyone threw at state other than the Class 3A and 2A state champions.

The 3,200 relay of junior Kevin Huang and seniors Dylan Palo, Ryan Somerfield and Mike Korompilas finished 17th (7:57.90), just 1.77 seconds from a return to the 12-team finals.

The 800 relay of Tomlinson, senior Gideon Ticho and juniors Kyle Stiff and Derek Roberts also was 17th (1:30.98), only .34 from the nine-team finals.

Junior Billy Magnesen was 27th in the 3,200 (9:26.02), which only is run in two heats Saturday.

Tomlinson, Piker, Palo, Somerfield and Ticho all made their state debuts as seniors.

“It’s definitely something different (at state). But during the race, it’s the same old thing. You’ve just got to go out there and execute and try your hardest,” Somerfield said.

“Unfortunately, we just weren’t on today and we didn’t execute like we know you have to at the state meet so we didn’t make it through. We still gave it our all. There’s not one person to blame. We all went out there and tried our hardest, and that’s all you can ask.”

The disappointment was greatest for Piker and the 3,200 relay. They had achieved results during the regular season that, if replicated Friday or even significantly close, would have advanced them to finals, if not a top-nine, all-state finish.

Korompilas was the Red Devils’ only athlete with previous state track experience. He anchored the 3,200 relay in the 2012 state finals with the Red Devils finishing 11th.

“All one second faster, that’s all it is,” Korompilas said. “I feel like we had a successful year, besides today. We just didn’t show up on the day. That kind of hurts.”

“(It’s hard), especially when you know the kids can do it,” Hinsdale Central head coach Jim Kupres said. “With the 4-by-800, they can run 7:56, 7:55. And I just felt terrible for Nick. It’s hard to take it when you don’t perform on the day of. A lot of teams don’t, but a lot of teams do. I don’t know what the magic potion is.”

Piker’s throwing certainly wasn’t helped by spending the week battling congestion and fever, which began as he came home from the Downers Grove North Sectional May 20.

Piker not only battled illness but also new throwing areas as part of the renovation of O’Brien Stadium since the 2012 state meet. Several coaches and throwers noted that slipperiness of the rings, which were somewhat increased by rains throughout Friday and Saturday.

“Plus, I’m a big guy. Not that all of the other guys aren’t as big, but especially in disc, I’m 287 pounds. Spinning around is a lot harder to stop than a guy that’s 210 or 230,” Piker said.

In Friday’s 3A discus prelims, two of Piker’s throws went into or stuck the poles or netting around the ring. His second throw was in bounds, but his momentum carried him forward and he stepped out of the ring to constitute a foul.

“I was feeling pretty dizzy and pretty bad when I was throwing disc with the sun and everything. I’m on medicine. I was throwing well in warmups, even on my slips, but I think just being sick and then a little tired and feeling dizzy, I think that just kind of added up.”

When competing at state cross country Nov. 3, Somerfield was in position to run how we wanted after two miles but struggled during his final mile.

Somerfield did everything possible to be ready for this state trip. He and Palo even joked somewhat at the Downers North Sectional about how they were regularly going to bed early in addition to the usual stretching and icing to try and be at their best.

“Definitely this season I’m leaving with no regrets,” Somerfield said. “I feel like I’ve done everything that I could to get myself in the best position to run well. I guess just the uncontrollable things are sometimes too much to overcome.

“Unfortunately, the toughest times are the toughest to take but you also learn the most from them. I hope that in coming years, they learn that it’s not about how you feel or where you’re supposed to run or how you’re ranked. Hopefully in coming years, they’ll be able to just put themselves in the race and be able to compete and they’ll bring home some nice hardware in the future.”

Piker’s 182-8 at Hinsdale Central’s McCarthy Invitational broke a 24-year-old school record.

The 182-8 also was the No. 6 reported season-best throw among all Illinois discus throwers this season and second among 3A throwers to Grant senior Brandon Lombardino, the eventual state champion. Three of the other top-six 3A state finishers exceeded their distance from sectionals.

“I just felt really bad for Nick. I just wanted to see him get in the finals and get a medal. He had a great year. He had a phenomenal year,” Kupres said.

“It’s just unfair to the kids that they’re throwing in a ring that is slippery and something that they’re not accustomed to. It’s just a shame because the throwers that are good throwers didn’t have the chance to do what they should have done.”

Lombardino still won state with a 191-0 after being the lone thrower to break 200 feet this season with a 201-7 May 9 and 201-6 at the Huntley Sectional. Lombardino still won comfortably over Neuqua Valley senior Carlos Varela-Hernandez’s season-best 166-10. This season, Piker threw beyond 170 feet in four meets and was undefeated in the event until Friday.

“I’m disappointed with today, and I would have liked to win because I know that I’m pretty sure I could have,” Piker said. “I just look back at everything that I’ve done over the past four years and I’m happy how it went. I’m discouraged, but I also have the opportunity to throw again in college (at Holy Cross). I’ll probably take up that offer, along with football.”

After the sectional, Piker was excited because he threw 175-1 in discus and a lifetime-best 54-8 in shot, and he would feel stronger at state without a week of weightlifting. Piker said he began feeling sick that night. He missed his usual Sunday throwing on his own and stayed home from school Monday. The congestion moved to his chest and was joined by Piker’s outdoor allergies.

On Friday, Piker still achieved his goal of winning the third-seeded of four flights and nearly advanced to the finals. Six of the eight throwers from the fourth flight advanced with five from the second flight and one from the first.

“I won my flight, which was my goal (to advance), because I thought everybody was going to throw a lot farther than they did,” Piker said.

The finals cutoff was 52-0, nine inches under the state-qualifying standard Piker needed at sectionals on his final throw just to advance. With discus left, Hinsdale Central throws coach Brian Griffin didn’t tell Piker how close he came to the shot finals, but Piker said he had a feeling.

“I think I had known already when I was done with shot that I wasn’t going to be in finals,” Piker said. “I’m not going to say I was OK with it, but it wasn’t like the end of the world for me. I know that I’ve done well in shot and I just think it wasn’t my day. Three inches (from finals) with a 51-9, that’s pretty crazy but that’s a testament to the rings. You know how bad they are when everyone’s throwing that bad.”

An already long day was exacerbated by a bright mid-afternoon sun and slightly warm temperatures for discus. Two more of the 36 discus qualifiers in 3A fouled on all three preliminary throws, and the finals cutoff was only 150-11, well under the 155-0 state-qualifying standard that Piker surpassed in the last five major events of the season.

“I was just sitting under the tree and then I walked into the sun for disc and I was like, ‘Whoa, this is beaming on me.’ I took off all of my stuff, too, I drank a bottle of water, took some Tylenol and I was still feeling just kind of exhausted like the sun was beating on me, right in front of my face, starting to feel pretty dizzy.

“I gave it all I had. I wasn’t just going to stop. I think if I just wasn’t sick (that would have helped), but I’m not going to blame it on that (entirely).”

The 3,200 relay ran its third-fastest time of the season but missed the finals cutoff of 7:56.13. The Red Devils ran a season-best 7:54.31 for third at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet and 7:56.80 for second at sectionals.

“It was close, but each guy was a titch off and when you’re a titch off, you run the risk of not running well, and that’s what happened,” Hinsdale Central assistant coach Jim Westphal said. “That’s the heartbreak of sports, and you can’t explain it. Why were we off a little bit today? You don’t know.

“(Our senior 3,200 relay guys) have come a long away and they’re guys that have been with our program for four years. They’re a great group of kids and you were hoping that they would experience the finals, with 3,000 people, but they’ll probably look back and feel good about the year, their senior year. The disappointment of today will be erased eventually and they’ll just think of the good stuff.”

The Red Devils may have had a slight advantage being in the third of three heats, but they did not have an exact idea of what had happened before them. As it turned out, rival Lyons Township (7:56.13), third in the second heat, was the last team to advance.

“I remember seeing that LT had run (7:56.13) and we knew that was well within our range,” said Huang, who ran the first leg. “As we always say, one race doesn’t define the season. It was really heartbreaking not making finals, but we gave it our all.”

The Red Devils (7:57.90) ended up seventh in their heat, just behind defending state champion Lane (7:57.25). In the finals, LT moved up significantly to finish sixth in the finals (7:52.23). Silver rival York also reached the finals and was 10th (7:54.90), .05 from ninth.

Korompilas was the anchor with three seniors in last year’s state finals, when the Red Devils were 11th (7:55.41), 1.95 seconds from ninth after running a season-best 7:51.83 in the prelims. He wanted another chance in the state finals partly because the 2012 Red Devils put their faster splits earlier in the race, leaving Korompilas to battle many of the state’s fastest 800 runners.

Korompilas ran the third leg at sectionals, but he and Somerfield agreed that Korompilas should return to the anchor spot for state.

“After last year, I kind of wanted to make this year something special. “I kind of had the expectation going into this year that we’d do something big. Obviously, I hoped to get to finals and place higher in state,” Korompilas said.

“We looked at all of the teams (coming into 2013) and there wasn’t a standout team so we felt like we could compete with the best. We were one of the top 4-by-800 teams. We didn’t get it done (Friday).”

This was the second year in a row in which the 3,200 relay advanced to state with only one returning competitor.

The pre-season preparation for a return trip included a meeting with assistant coach Noah Lawrence with present and even future candidates. He showed them the video of the 2012 state finals, highlighting an early part of the race when then-senior Neil Pedersen had the Red Devils in the lead.

As athletes listed their season goals regarding personal expectations and times, they quickly realized not only another state trip but berth in the state finals was a reality.

Someone not at that meeting was Palo, who at the time was still focused on longer distances. He didn’t seriously enter the relay picture until the last month of the season.

“I guess my advice would be don’t count yourself out of different events,” Palo said. “Some people, like freshman year, will call themselves an 800 guy or a 3,200 guy. Just try everything out, don’t stick to one thing too much, because you’ll never know if you could be better at one thing than another.”

Huang also was among last year’s four state alternates in what was his first season of track. This year’s alternates were seniors Jack Keller and Alec Wohlever, freshman Tyshaun Hamilton and Magnesen. Hamilton took advantage of the trip to compete Friday night in the annual Under the Lights Meet at O’Brien Stadium in the 800.

“My teammates have been great all year long and they’ve provided great leadership,” Huang said. “This is our third year in a row that our 4-by-800 team has made it down to state so we’ll just keep on keeping up that tradition of showing that Hinsdale Central is one of the best teams in state. Hopefully, as a senior I’ll be able to keep that tradition alive.”

By contrast, the 800 relay entered the season with little, if any, expectations for grandiose success. At state, they ran their second-fastest time of the season (1:30.98) to their winning 1:30.70 at sectionals, which was the 23rd seed out of 26 qualifiers.

The Red Devils moved up in the standings, but their ultimate goal was to break 1:30. A 1:29.66 was needed to reach the nine-team finals.

“We all just wanted to run our best races and if that meant we made it to finals, then that would have been awesome,” Ticho said.

“I think we ended on a great note, coming in being one of the fourth-slowest seeds and finishing (17th),” Roberts said. “Looking at the beginning of the outdoor season, we didn’t even have a 4-by-200 relay. Just everything kind of came together. We started running better and better.”

The Red Devils hadn’t reached state in the event since 2008. This year was filled with injuries and sprinters who didn’t continue competing outdoors.

Tomlinson was among those seniors who chose to keep going under first-year sprints coach and 2004 graduate Alex Perkowski.

“Coach Perkowski ran great practices for us. I know he made me and Stiff 10 times faster than we were in indoor season,” Tomlinson said.

“It was kind of a tough decision because senior year, second semester, you want to have fun, you want to be with your friends, but I’m really glad I made the decision to stick with the team. I guess I just kind of wanted to finish the year, just kind of have some closure. I’m really glad that I stuck with these guys and came out strong in the end and finished pretty well.”

The 800 relay also caught and made its own breaks. Stiff was a transfer student from Nazareth who previously never ran track. He became a strong 200 runner who made the sectional finals in the open event.

“It was a good experience for me,” Stiff said. “I honestly never would have thought we would be here (at state). It’s kind of a surprising experience but at the same time it was fun. I like it. I’m hoping to have it happen next year, too.”

Ticho has been a mainstay of the Red Devils’ lineup but his focus was on the 400 and 1,600 relay. Towards the end of the season, he and Kupres began envisioning him switching to the open 200, the event before the 1,600 relay, or the 800 relay, the event before the 400.

“Basically before conference, I hadn’t run a 200 in my career,” Ticho said. “Coach Kupres set up the time trial to try and allow a couple of guys to get in the 4-by-200 and have a spot on one of the short-distance relays.

“I was pretty happy that I got the opportunity at something like (state). Obviously, it’s just great to compete on such a big-time atmosphere, just the fact that I got the opportunity.”

Roberts was among three underclassmen who ran at sectionals in 2012 with the 800 relay but the only one back. He’s already excited about being among the leaders for next year’s lineup.

The relay qualifying allowed the Red Devils to bring four more underclassmen as official alternates, sophomores Antonio Diaz, Zach Hedayat and James Reilly and freshman Kareem Muhammad.

“(This experience) was good, and Stiff and I have one more year so hopefully we can make it back here next year and make that all-state run,” Roberts said. “I think actually both of us can make it here in the 200. That’s what I want to do.”

Magnesen also feels as though he continued to set the foundation for a great senior year. In his first state meet, he was in the first of two heats of the 3,200, which is held prior to the 3,200 relay.

“Really today is all about the experience, not so much the time but it’s all about learning what it’s like to be here. It’s learning about how to run in this event next year,” Magnesen said. “I think it was a positive experience for me, even though the time wasn’t what I wanted it to be.”

Although Magnesen missed his ultimate goal of sub-9:20, he ran his second fastest time ever (27th, 9:26.02), just missing his second-place 9:25.27 at sectionals. A sub-9:20 would have put Magnesen among the top 14 finishers overall. Downers North senior Ben Eaton, who beat Magnesen at sectionals, earned the last all-state spot in a ninth-place 9:10.76.

“(My heat) went out fast, faster than I’ve ever gone out, and I knew it was going to be like that,” Magnesen said. “I was feeling a little iffy, but I feel like I held on respectably.”

Magnesen was just 2.01 seconds from beating six more runners in his heat and moving up to 19th overall. Among the runners to pass him down the stretch was LT senior Michael Matusiak (20th, 9:24.20), who also had many close battles with Magnesen during the cross country season.

“(Matusiak) did have a good last kick. I thought I had a chance to get a bunch of people, but once you get to the state meet, everybody has a good kick,” Magnesen said.

What the Red Devils will take from their experiences should set the tone for their cross country and 2014 track seasons. Last November, the cross country team made an unprecedented third consecutive trip to the state meet as a team.

“It’s just like making the playoffs (in pro sports),” Westphal said. “You keep getting down, keep getting down, eventually you’re going to get to the next level. You’re going to get the all-state. You’re going to get the top five. That’s still our goal, even though (this weekend) was disappointing.

“If you want to be a better program, you have to get relays down. You have to get individuals down. I think the younger guys are starting to see that.”

Magnesen and Huang not only are among four cross country returnees from the seven-runner state lineup but they were the Red Devils’ top two finishers in 32nd and 46th, respectively. Magnesen missed all-state honors by seven places and five seconds.

“We’ll be hoping to place in the top three (as a team) for the first time ever,” Huang said.

“Our goals are pretty high (as a team). I want to be top 15 in state for me,” Magnesen said.

Piker has set a standard for the throwers, not only in the work ethic that generated his success, especially considering he didn’t become interested in discus until sophomore year. Piker set the freshman school records for shot outdoors (45-10) and indoors (42-7 1/2).

Piker also showed great composure and maturity in handling the disappointments such as Friday and the 2012 sectional, when he failed to advance in discus after throwing the necessary distance during the season.

He will get one last chance to out-throw Lombardino as Team Illinois teammates against athletes from Iowa and Wisconsin at the annual Senior All-Star Spotlight Track & Field Meet June 8 at the University of St. Francis in Joliet.

“What I learned last year is you shouldn’t take it too seriously. I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform well,” Piker said. “This year, I just kind of took it day by day, enjoyed it, tried to make the best of every single day, and I think that was a much better approach.

“What you put into it is what you’re going to get out of it. I put in four years of hard work and this (state meet), obviously, wasn’t the result, but you’re going to have those good days where you can go for the record, you can win conference, you can win sectionals. I think (our younger throwers will) learn to know when to joke around and when it starts getting close, how to focus and how to finish and not get discouraged if they have a bad throw.”

Sectional recap-by Bill Stone

Hinsdale Central senior Gideon Ticho nearly lost his chance at trying for a Class 3A boys track state berth because of Ultimate disc.

On May 2, the day before the Red Devils’ annual home McCarthy Invitational, Ticho collided with another student in gym class and suffered a mild concussion, forcing him to sit out the invite.

“It was just kind of a freak accident. Neither of us was really to blame,” Ticho said. “Yeah, it’s a little embarrassing. I guess just the lesson is take it easy in gym. You never know what’s going to happen.”

Ticho was flying high Friday. He had just helped the 800-meter relay automatically qualify for state by winning the Downers Grove North Sectional.

Senior Grady Tomlinson, Ticho and juniors Kyle Stiff and Derek Roberts ran a season-best 1:30.70 fully-automatic time to finish second in the race, but winner Sandburg was disqualified afterwards for a handoff outside of the permitted zone.

“This is probably the proudest moment of my life. It’s a dream come true,” Ticho said. “I’m really happy. If you asked me at the beginning of last year if I would be not only just going to state in the 4-by-200, but not even as an alternate, actually running it, I would have never believed you. This is just awesome.”

The Red Devils earned five entries to the state meet at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston with event preliminaries Friday and finals Saturday. Entries qualify for state automatically with top-two sectional finishes or by achieving state-qualifying standards in the sectional, regardless of place.

Senior Nick Piker advanced in both of his events for the first time by winning discus (175 feet-1 inch) and taking second on shot put thanks to a dramatic lifetime-best 54-8 on his final throw that both lifted him into second and beyond the 52-11 state-qualifying standard.

Junior Billy Magnesen (lifetime-best 9:25.27 in 3,200) and the 3,200 relay of junior Kevin Huang and seniors Dylan Palo, Ryan Somerfield and Mike Korompilas (7:56.80) both advanced with second-place finishes but also were under their respective state cuts of 9:29.04 and 8:00.04.

The Red Devils (55 points) finished fourth behind Sandburg (97), Lockport (71) and Downers Grove South (59) and just ahead of fifth-place Downers North (54).

Korompilas is the only returnee from last year’s state lineup. Ticho and Palo were not even in last year’s sectional lineup, and Stiff is a first-year transfer student from Nazareth Academy.

Until the McCarthy Invite, Palo had never competed on the Red Devils’ primary 3,200 relay, 11th in the state finals in 2012.

“This is just, all of a sudden the past three meets, I’ve been like just trying to get that state spot and it just came out of nowhere,” Palo said. “It’s a great feeling that I have. I don’t really know how to describe it. There’s nothing like it. I really didn’t see this coming, but it’s also a great feeling.”

Heat winners and other entries among the top nine preliminary performances advance to the state finals in the 800 relay, and 12 entries advance in the 3,200 relay, shot and discus. The 3,200 only is run in two heats Saturday.

Only the top-nine finishers in all events receive all-state medals. Based on sectional performances, Piker is seeded third in discus and 14th in shot, the 3,200 relay and Magnesen are 19th and the 800 relay is 23rd.

“I’d love to win discus, at least come in the top two. For shot, I’d just like to get to finals and be all-state in that,” Piker said. “If you talk to me next week and I’m on the (medals) podium for both of them or either one, I’m going to be a lot happier. Four years is for what happens (at state). I’m excited and I know there’s still more to do.”

Piker’s school-record 182-8 is the second-longest reported season-best distance for 3A. Grant senior Brandon Lombardino has thrown 201-7 and 201-6 the past two meets after finishing second in state last year (170-4) as the only non-senior to place among the top six.

“I’ve been lifting hard. I’m not doing anything next week. In my mind, I’m the best discus thrower in the state of Illinois right now, in 3A at least,” Piker said. “I know that might be bold because (Lombardino is) rated so highly, but I believe in myself. I know what I can do.”

Last year, the Red Devils were seeded 37th in the 3,200 relay (8:01.03) but reached the state finals and were 11th (7:55.41), 1.95 seconds from ninth, after a season-best 7:51.83 in prelims.

They’ve already run faster than last year’s state finals, a third-place 7:54.31 with four then-personal-record splits May 11 at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet to York and Lyons Township. It’s the 15th reported season-best time in the state for 3A.

“We’re thinking top three. We’ve got to make it to finals, though, because that’s always tough,” Korompilas said. “You’ve got to run well in prelims. It always slows down in finals so prelims is when we’ve got to do it.”

Most of the Red Devils’ state-qualifying athletes bring stories of perseverance, especially the seniors. Some seemed destined for state, and Somerfield even qualified during last year’s Lockport Sectional, but they didn’t get the opportunity in 2012.

In discus, Piker had thrown beyond the qualifying distance once during the regular season and came close another meet. During the postseason, he struggled with keeping his throws in bounds.

At Lockport, he finished seventh at 144-4. His last sectional throw appeared to surpass 155-0, but it barely landed out of bounds to the right.

“There are worse things that happen in life. I took it pretty hard at the time, but sometimes you’ve just got to lose to understand what it means to actually win something, too,” Piker said.

“It’s not that I ever really doubted myself (for sectionals Friday). It was just that I knew that I had to be a lot more focused. I was still a little immature (as a junior). It was my first full year of throwing discus, too. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to perfect shot and disc. They’re never going to be perfect, but I’m going to try.”

On Friday, there was a brief tinge of déjà vu when Piker’s first throw went out of bounds to the right. He took off his warmup top and confidently threw the 175-1 on his next attempt, even though Piker initially thought it was a bad throw too low to the ground.

“My whole motto has been mark the first throw. I got a little scared and (throws coach Brian Griffin) was like, ‘Just calm down. You’re fine. Take it easy, keep your left arm up,’ ” Piker said.

The rest of his throws were out of bounds or intentional scratches. Piker said his second throw of finals might have been another school record, but it landed just out of bounds. 2012 graduate Ryan Callen, an all-state fifth in shot last year, was among those there to congratulate Piker Friday.

In his final home throw at the McCarthy Invite, Piker delivered the school-record 182-8, breaking a 24-year old record set by senior Jim Zajicek in 1989.

Sectional shot provided similar drama, but this was with a state berth on the line.

Entering the last round of finals, Piker was in second and in position to advance on place. Oak Lawn senior James Lenihan then ended with a 52-0, bumping Piker to third.

Before his final throw, Piker had never thrown beyond than the 52-9 qualifying standard in competition. His previous best of 52-2 was as a junior.

The 54-8 earned second to Brother Rice senior Marcus Cheatom (56-5 1/2), 12th at state last year behind eight seniors.

“I was like, ‘Well, my battles with the shot are coming to an end here on this throw possibly,’ ” Piker said. “I’ve put too much time into shot my whole life not to go downstate in it in high school so I just kind of took it easy and let it happen and then it marked and I was just like, ‘Whoa. I didn’t know it was that far.’ ” Piker said.

No Hinsdale Central or even Hinsdale High School athlete has earned all-state in both shot and discus. Zajicek’s 1989 season that concluded with a third-place Class AA finish in discus is the last time the Red Devils’ have had an all-stater in the event.

“Piker is definitely capable of placing downstate in both the shot and disc, but he just hadn’t put it all together. And then he finally threw one (in shot to qualify),” Griffin said.

“A lot of his disappointment and frustration last year motivated him. You can let that crumble you, or you can set some personal goals for yourself. And his goals were to be nothing but the best. He has done nothing but work hard, go throw on his own on Sundays and do all of the little things right to be successful and when you do that, you’re successful or at least you put yourself in a position to be. So he’s earned everything. It’s been fun to watch as a coach. Those are the great moments as a coach. With track, the rest of the season means nothing (state wise) so to have it happen tonight is really exciting. It’s a great feeling for me and for him, too.”

Korompilas and Somerfield were part of last year’s 3,200 relay that advanced by pulling off second at last year’s Lockport Sectional in 8:01.03, .25 ahead of third-place Downers South. The next morning, the four runners had a time trial along with then-senior Neil Pedersen, who had run well in the open 800.

Somerfield finished last in the trial. The following Monday, during the team’s workout, he found out that Pedersen would run instead with the relay at state.

“It just shows that you’ve got to give your 100 percent all of the time,” Somerfield said. “It’s something that, at the time it happened, I was really upset about it, but then the team did really well and I was really happy for them. Admittedly, I don’t think I would have been able to do as well as they did. But definitely this year, as (assistant coach Noah Lawrence) likes to say, the narrative is not over.”

Somerfield is determined to be ready for his state chance. He even showed his moves heading into the final straightaway Friday as he had to maneuver around Bolingbrook’s anchor and another runner being lapped.

While Sandburg won in 7:53.84, Somerfield kicked the Red Devils to a comfortable second in 7:56.80. Third-place Bolingbrook also advanced in 7:58.32.

“It’s definitely a better feeling this year because it’s our senior year and it’s going to be something special,” Somerfield said.

“Taking an ice bath, elevating, the sleep, it’s really important stuff and it’s more of a thing where I don’t want to have any one factor affect the race. I’m just trying to do everything I can. I don’t want to leave anything up to chance or regret anything I’ve done here.”

Korompilas often relives running the anchor at last year’s state finals against many of the fastest 800 legs around. He’s been anchoring often this season but Somerfield switched after he had the fastest of the personal-best splits at the Silver Meet. Korompilas said the relay members voted on last year’s order, but he’ll be satisfied with whichever leg he’s running.

“Last year, I didn’t realize how important or fun it would be to go downstate so this year makes it a lot more special,” Korompilas said. “I think it’s just the whole experience. That meet is just completely different than any other meet that you’ll experience throughout the season. There’s so many good teams, so many good relays, so many good individuals. It’s just that experience that’s going to help me this year.”

This is the 3,200 relay’s third consecutive trip to state. Huang joined Somerfield among last year’s relay alternates. They, Palo and Magnesen gained additional state-meet experience in the fall when the Red Devils’ cross country team qualified for state for an unprecedented third year in a row.

Palo competed at state cross country with what was later diagnosed as a stress fracture in his right foot. Missing most of winter running makes his state berth even more improbable.

When he wrote his season goals for Lawrence during indoor season, Palo wanted to qualify for state in the 3,200 and get a personal record.

“I wouldn’t have even thought that I’d be running the 800,” Palo said. “In the beginning of the season, I thought I was going to be focusing more on the 3,200 and then I did one 3,200 race and it just did not go to my liking. I started running the 800 more often and just my PRs were going down.”

Palo began to get more middle-distance training, and the results began to show. Palo first gained attention when he filled in for Korompilas in the 1,600 relay at Downers South’s Bud Mohns Invitational April 13 and ran a personal-best 54.7 split. His 800 prospects gained a boost April 26 with a 2:04 split at the Lincoln-Way West Invite while the Red Devils’ top 3,200 relay competed at the Prospect Invite.

The past three races, Palo’s 800 split has dropped to 2:01 at the McCarthy Invite, 1:59 at the Silver Meet and 1:58.2 Friday. Huang’s 1:58.9 also was a personal record by a slight amount.

“Dylan’s always been a great kid but up to this point spring season, he’s never shown he could run 2:00. I think his PR freshman year was like 2:20,” Hinsdale Central assistant coach Jim Westphal said. “He had a great split, running by himself (in first at the McCarthy Invite). It turned out that it was kind of a blessing. I think it coincides with confidence and good training and I think the sense of urgency that I’m a senior.”

Huang, who competed in the 3,200 at last year’s sectional, remembered seeing senior anchor Ted Owens pull out second to reach state. This year, he feels this senior group’s commitment to finish on a strong note.

“They were just that close from being all-state last year. I know we’ve been fighting it all year long and we’ve always had that in the back of our minds. We made our dream goal this season to be first in state,” Huang said.

“Just running terrific (at the Silver Meet), PRs for everyone, we had sky-high confidence going into (Friday). We just ran our race so it was fine. We’ve been running against great competition all year, especially LT and York. We’ve been fighting them off, so we know we can compete with the best and we’ll just see how it goes.”

Magnesen had little trouble continuing his breakthrough season in which he was the Red Devils’ top individual finisher (32nd, 14:53 for 3.0 miles) at his first state cross country meet, just seven places and five seconds from top-25, all-state honors.

As expected, Magnesen (9:25.27) easily held his No. 2 seed to Downers North senior Ben Eaton (9:23.17) and was nearly seven seconds ahead of third place. Magnesen, however, also beat his previous personal best of 9:28.29 from indoor conference and closed on Eaton after spending most of the second half of the race running alone. Last year’s ninth-place time at state was 9:25.98.

“It’s really a good feeling to kind of accomplish a goal of mine, make it down to state, and I think the best part of the season is still to come,” Magnesen said. “I’m excited to go down to state, excited that I have another chance to PR.

“I would like break 9:20 (at state). It would be great to try and end in the top nine for all-state. I’ll probably have to go out fast like I did in this race. I’m definitely going to need a good full week of running and then go down with the right mentality that I’m there with the best of the runners in the state and that I can compete with them.”

Magnesen has made the big step from being a 3,200 conference champ in 2012 on the sophomore level thanks primarily to consistent training after knee problems altered his training schedule as a sophomore.

Lately, however, he has been affected by a slight Achilles irritation, and that’s part of the reason this was his first 3,200 since the Prospect Invite April 26. He’s run the past two meets in nothing longer than a 1,600, which he also ran at the 2012 sectional. Magnesen also ran the 1,600 Friday and was ninth (4:35.27) while Somerfield was seventh (4:30.64).

Heading into sectionals, Magnesen said he was able to train on the stress day, unlike recently, as well as the regular full week of training.

“Probably in the last two weeks, the Achilles (has bothered him), and he’s looked overall tired. He responded well (Friday). I think he’s feeling confident and good,” Westphal said. “The last two laps, he looked good. He perked up and really attacked. To me, that was a nice highlight.”

The 800 relay also came to sectionals as the No. 2 seed (1:31.24) but with little room to spare. The Red Devils probably weren’t going to reach the 1:29.64 state cut, so they were going to have to finish top-two to advance.

Stiff ran a strong third leg to put the Red Devils (1:30.70) in contention for the victory. Roberts held off Shepard (1:31.19) by .49 for second place at the time before top-seeded Sandburg was disqualified.

“Coming down that final straightaway and only one guy in front of me, I felt good,” Roberts said. “We took second, (Sandburg) got DQed, we took first. It was a good day.”

It’s been a season of adversity for the sprinters between injuries and underclassmen not returning this season. Last year’s 800 relay felt it had a chance but ran 1:31.22 and finished seventh in the fast heat. Roberts was among three underclassmen on that relay but the only one to compete Friday.

“You keep on working, you can get your goal. My goal was to get to state and look. I’m at state now. You can always strive to do better,” Roberts said. “I thought at the beginning of outdoors, we weren’t really solid with the 4-by-200 but then Stiff when third and I went anchor and we threw it Grady and every week, we just got better and better.”

Tomlinson competed at last year’s sectional but only in the 100. On Friday, he was moved into the leadoff position for the first time since the relay was formed for the McCarthy Invite.

“It’s a great feeling, especially for my senior year to end like this. It’s awesome,” Tomlinson said.

“I wouldn’t have believed (I’d qualify after last year) myself, especially as a guy that wasn’t at the top. It’s so cool because we’ve all worked so hard for this and it’s really cool that we get to go downstate and get the cool experience. My hard work in the offseason, just training and kind of getting my mind right for my last year of track, it’s so awesome.”

Stiff also reached the finals of the 200 and was fourth (23.01), 1.08 seconds behind defending 100 state champion Tavaris Binion of Hinsdale South for second place. This is Stiff’s first season of high-school track.

“I’m really optimistic about what we did today, what I can do in the future, what we can do at state, everything,” Stiff said.

“I didn’t know the track program much, but I came in and realized we had some pretty good guys. I’ve always liked the 4-by-200 more than the straight 200 just because I kind of get a build-up start and I can just take off. I definitely felt like that was a good leg.”

Ticho went into the season primarily as a 400 runner, but that changed when he switched the 800 relay, the preceding event. On Friday, he did run a 400 to lead off the 1,600 relay with sophomore James Reilly, junior Trent Hyland and Roberts. The Red Devils finished fourth (3:26.89), 1.96 seconds behind second-place Hinsdale South and shy of the 3:23.74 state cut.

“Just the fact that I’m doing (state) finally in my senior year is just something that really is a goal for me and something that I can always tell my grandkids about or something like that,” Ticho said. “It really was something to just motivate me to work hard all season and just keep pushing away, even when it seemed like I was just on the edge.”

Among other non-state qualifiers, senior Phil Pielet was fifth in the 300 intermediate hurdles (40.70) and eighth in the 110 high hurdles final (15.87), both personal bests.

“That’s all you can ask for at sectionals (a personal record). A place will come if it comes,” Pielet said. “(The season) was just fun. I had some great meets, I had some poor meets, but overall it was just a great time to be out here.”

Pielet went into the season expecting to focus on the 110 hurdles, but he ended up usually adding the 300 hurdles when senior Alex Conte pulled his hamstring warming up for the first invite of the outdoor season.

On Friday, Pielet won the third of four heats of the 300s and actually came within a second of the 39.84 state cut. Pielet ran a clean race and conquered the hurdle coming into the final turn that had taken him down the past two races.

“I was able to come out and fix that today,” Pielet said. “(And) working off the curve, it’s really dark. The lighting’s not good there.”

“In retrospect, I think he really should have been in the fast heat, who knows what could have happened, but he ran the best he could,” hurdles coach Ryan Daleen said. “I would have been happy if he went right under 41.00. To go that close to state qualifying, I’m more than happy for him.”

Conte, who ran 40.62 in the 300 hurdles at sectionals last year, competed in the fast heat. He was 10th overall (42.60) in just his second race back.

“It wasn’t so much a problem with his sprinting. It was just whenever he went into the hurdling motion, he couldn’t get his leg up (because of the injury),” Daleen said. “It was a gamble. If it was a week (later), it would have been different. He ran his heart out, though.”

Senior Jack Keller, the first alternate for the 3,200 relay, was eighth in the open 800 in 2:01.07.

Sophomore Kealon Burke (53.82) with freshman Matt Cherry (54.02) were sixth and eighth in the 400, and junior TJ Caveney was seventh in the 3,200 (9:46.70). An all-underclassmen 400 relay lineup of sophomores Jack Breslin, Antonio Diaz and Zach Hedayat and freshman Kareem Muhammad was ninth (45.73).

Sophomore Steven Chun was 10th in pole vault by clearing a lifetime-best 11-3 after reaching 11-0 the past two meets.

On his final long jump, senior Ryan Smith moved up to 10th in long jump with 19-11 – a lifetime best by 10 inches. Smith jumped 18-10 on his second attempt even though jumps coach Bill Glasner noticed that Smith hardly got any height off the ground.

“I just kind of thought to myself, ‘It’s my last jump,’ and something was different. I jumped a lot farther than normal and that’s a pretty big gain,” Smith said.

“I felt I had to do well because it was my last jump, kind of go out with a bang and all of a sudden, I did. I thought before I ran, ‘Look at the (U.S.) flag at the end of the runway right past the pit.’ Right as I jumped, I looked right up at the flag, which kind of carried me up and I guess that worked.”

The Red Devils’ other long jumper, Hedayat (19-2), broke 19 feet for the first time on his first attempt after a then personal-best 18-6 3/4 at the sophomore Silver Meet.

“Your first jump’s usually your best. You’ve got your nerves and you just jump,” Hedayat said. “I improved a lot (this season) and I feel like I worked hard. I just want to continue that, try to get better.”

Taking 11th were senior Matt Strand-Jordan (46-2 in shot) with his second-best distance and junior James Benak (39-9 in triple jump).

In discus, senior Chris Syregelas threw 117-3, about four feet shy of his best, during constant rain in the first flight. Sophomore Tristan Nevotne, second in discus at the sophomore Silver Meet, had a slightly longer distance for the season, but he agreed with Griffin that a senior should represent the team with the event’s second sectional spot.

“It was really nice of (Nevotne),” Griffin said. “Tristan didn’t really have a chance to qualify so it’s a good experience for the seniors. They’ve worked hard for it and committed four years to this and I feel should be rewarded for this.”

“I never even expected to come to sectionals so I’m just happy to come here, just to have met all of the throwers and stuff like that,” Syregelas said. “Honestly, (Nevotne is) going to be really good the next couple of years, Josh (Mysliwiec) is, too.”

This also was the final sectional for Glasner, a volunteer assistant with the Red Devils the past two seasons who is moving out of the area. Glasner was the longtime Proviso West head coach who retired from teaching and coaching at the school in 2011.

“He’s awesome. He has so much experience, but when you talk to him, you wouldn’t think that he’s been a head coach or taken people to the Olympic trials or won so many state championships because he’s so down to Earth,” Smith said.

“He can really connect with one person, no matter their skill level. I’m sure he’s coached people who have jumped 22, 23 feet. In comparison to me, I’m not as good as them, obviously, but he doesn’t care. He’ll put just as much effort into me or a freshman who can jump 15 feet as anyone. He’s such a good coach. He knows so much.”

Congrats to HC Sophomore team: CONFERENCE CHAMPS!

Individual Conference Champions were:

Nick Piker (Varsity Discus)

Tristan Nevotne (Sophomore Shot Put)

James Reilly (Sophomore 200)

Anthony Diaz, Kealon Burke, Tyshaun Hamilton, Matt Cherry (Sophomore 4*4)

Sophomore Outdoor Conference

May 11, 2013

By Bill Stone

During last year’s Hinsdale Central boys track season, sophomore Tristan Nevotne contributed to history at the outdoor West Suburban Conference Silver Meet. Competing on the sophomore level as a freshman, Nevotne was disappointed with his performance in shot put, taking 10th. Then in discus, he pulled out fifth place to earn two team points. He was 19 inches ahead of sixth-place, which would have cost the team one point.

The final team results were even closer.

By one-half point, the 2012 sophomore Red Devils secured their first outdoor West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet in program history by edging York 155 to 154.5 points. “We needed to wait for the scores to be counted, but the coaches had their speeches. Then the points were finally totaled, and it was announced we won by half a point, and just to contribute to that was a great feeling,” Nevotne said. “We hadn’t won conference ever as sophomores so that was just great. And for me, to feel that you contributed and you can say, ‘I was there when it happened,’ it was a great feeling.”

The Red Devils pulled off another surprise Saturday at Concordia University in River Forest but in a different way. They didn’t just defend the sophomore title. The Red Devils repeated convincingly by 18 points over York (133 to 115 points). Downers Grove North (108) was third, followed by Oak Park-River Forest (78), Glenbard West (74) and Lyons Township (50). York regained the outdoor varsity title 162-141 over LT.

Nevotne and sophomore James Reilly each contributed 18 points with individual event titles and second-place finishes. The Red Devils then capped the meet with sophomores Jack Breslin and Antonio Diaz and freshmen Tyshaun Hamilton and Matt Cherry easily winning the 1,600-meter relay in 3:37.82 fully-automatic time.

While the Red Devils may have won just three events, they also took or shared second in eight events. With 84 points in track events alone, the Red Devils outscored three Silver teams’ final totals and added 49 points in field events. “When it came time to total up the scores, we actually didn’t think that we had won. It’s not like we didn’t think we could win. We just didn’t know,” Nevotne said. “The fact that we won by a significant score was shocking. I’d have to say last year, when we won last year by half a point, it was a cool experience. It was like we had just won the state championship. The first time was the greatest, the second time is kind of shocking.”

There was no disappointment for Nevotne in shot this year. He threw a lifetime-best 43 feet-8 inches to win by 2-3 and also finished 2-3 in discus with sophomore teammate Josh Mysliwiec, both with personal bests (132-1 and 117-5).

Reilly was the indoor Silver champion in the 400 with an indoor school record 53.43. He ended up second (53.54) in his favorite event, by just .43 Saturday. He responded by later winning the 200 (24.05) by .08. “I was really disappointed that I didn’t get that (400). I really needed to win that 200 to be happy,” Reilly said. “We didn’t expect (to win as a team) last year. It was more of a surprise so it kind of felt more important. This felt pretty good. Altogether it came together for us to win.”

Sophomore first-year track runner Griffin Gartner used a strong kick for second in the 800 (2:06.93). Freshman Kareem Muhammad was second in the 100 (11.86), and freshman Matt Hillock jumped a personal-best 5-10 for the third time in high jump for second to Downers North’s Zack Hogan (6-0).

The 400 relay (sophomore Zach Hedayat, Cherry, Breslin, Muhammad in 46.46) and 800 relay (Breslin, Diaz, Cherry, Hedayat in 1:35.81) were second to OPRF’s 45.01 and 1:34.98. Sophomore Steven Chun tied for second in pole vault by clearing his personal best of 11-0 for the second meet in a row.

Like most sophomore teams, the Red Devils had to say goodbye to most of their big-time point scorers last year as they became juniors. Nevotne was the only individual to score last year as a freshman. The Red Devils did get freshman help from Breslin, Burke and Reilly on the third-place 800 and 1,600 relays Hedayat with the fourth-place 400 relay.

Reilly moved into the individual sprint role where current juniors Derek Roberts and Pat Callahan combined for 28 points in the 400 and 200. Reilly now may join Roberts on the 1,600 relay at Friday’s Downers Grove North Sectional. “I’m pretty happy, kind of took on the role of Derek and Pat last year,” Reilly said. “I was pretty happy that I was able to win individually and do pretty well, but still the indoor 400 (title) was more important to me with the (indoor) school record and everything.”

Reilly hoped to save some energy from the 400 for the 200. But while holding off LT’s Matt Hogan (3rd, 53.55) in the lane right next to him, Glenbard West’s Andrew Lindstrom (53.11) pulled out the victory from an outside lane. “I think I could have done better. I thought I could just beat (Hogan) to win it, and then (Lindstrom) came out of nowhere,” Reilly said.

Nevotne and Mysliwiec are excited that they are among the strongest sophomore throwing group that current coach and alumnus Brian Griffin has ever had. Nevotne said three throwing mentors for him have been Griffin, 2012 graduate Ryan Callen, an all-stater last year in shot, and senior Nick Piker, one of the state’s top-ranked discus throwers.

“If they just keep working and getting stronger and stuff like, that, they’re the future of the program,” Piker said. “I think (Nevotne) can be a double qualifier (for state in shot and discus). Josh could definitely qualify in disc because he’s not as massive as everybody else, but he’s got that finesse. I’m looking forward to good things from them when I’m gone.” Nevotne’s 43-8 came on his first throw Saturday to beat his top-seeded previous best of 42-5. He also had a 45-footer in finals, but he fouled at the last moment.

“I was so mad. You’re supposed to not look at it as you (release), but, of course, I did,” Nevotne said. “It was fun, but I know if I keep my foot in next year, I’ll be throwing 50s. Since last year I threw 35 and that’s a 10-foot PR, if I do that again (as a junior), to 55 feet, that would be great.”

In discus, Nevotne improved upon his second-seeded 125-8, but Downers North’s Max Sale won with a personal-best 137-8.

With a little help from Piker, Mysliwiec moved up from a seventh-seeded 107-8 to pull out third by more than three feet. “Over the past week, he helped me a lot with my spin, which helped me improve. I came out here and threw 117 because he helped me just fix two little things,” Mysliwiec said. “(Piker) keeps us going because he’s always there to congratulate us. He’s only two years ahead of us. It gives us kind of a hope to be able to reach what he’s reached.”

The 1,600 relay had a different celebration from the indoor Silver Meet. In that race, they ran an indoor school-record 3:42.16 but were second in the race to LT’s 3:39.54. While there was no record time Saturday, the Red Devils won by 2.66 seconds over LT. Hamilton and Cherry also were part of both relay lineups. “It depends on how you look at it. We beat LT, but we didn’t get the record, and then for indoor, we set the record but lost to LT. Half and half. It feels good, though,” Cherry said.

Breslin was supposed to run the 1,600 relay indoors, but he became dehydrated after the 600 and was replaced by Gartner at the last minute. On Saturday, Breslin took his disappointment from being fourth in the 400 (54.65) into a great leadoff leg that gave the Red Devils the lead from the start. “I was kind of mad in my 400. I felt like I could have done better,” Burke said. “I wanted to help out the team a lot so I just got mad and did my best, which was put us in first place. “Last year, I was on the sophomore team when they won conference. That was a good feeling. Just with the 4-by-400 (winning), that felt great to help my team out even more.”

Gartner had another dramatic race Saturday, but it turned out to be the 800. The third-seeded Gartner made a strong finish to pull out second place (2:06.93), .79 ahead of the fourth-place finisher, after being fifth with 200 meters to go. “I wasn’t coming in with the best seed time, but I was really happy to get second and a PR by like 3 1/2 seconds,” Gartner said. “Everyone was giving up. I knew I had to push myself if I wanted to get a better place. I was honestly just hoping to get in the top six and get some points for my team.”

Diaz made big relay contributions. He was a late sub in the 800 relay after Muhammad could not continue competing with his ankle injury. For the 1,600 relay, Diaz contributed a personal-best split of 53 seconds manual time. “It felt amazing. LT was the big one coming in. Everyone kept on saying no, we weren’t going to win it. I didn’t feel that way. Coming in first makes it so much better,” Diaz said. “I love the 200. I was so happy. I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it (the 800 relay).’ It’s my best (overall meet) so far.”

Before his injury worsened, Muhammad finished just .28 from first in the 100 and pulled the Red Devils into second for the 400 relay.

“(The injury) probably made me run slower. In the 100, I probably have maybe won that,” Muhammad said. “It was bothering me last week a bit but I kept icing it and still ran with it.”

In pole vault, Chun continued his momentum from clearing 11-0 at Hinsdale Central’s McCarthy Invitational May 3. Chun was part of a three-way tie for second Saturday behind Downers North’s Nate Powell (11-6). Chun overcame transitioning between poles as he takes on new heights and a crosswind that periodically accompanied Saturday’s cloudy then sunny conditions. “I ended up vaulting pretty well so I’m happy with today. I nearly cleared 11-6,” Chun said. “In a couple of weeks, I’ll be able to finalize which pole I’ll be able to use and then I’ll be able to get 11-6 maybe.”

Freshman Gavin Hoch had perhaps the craziest event combination. Hoch finished third in the 110 high hurdles (18.59) in just his second time running the event. After the varsity 110 hurdles final, Hoch was back at the starting line for the 100 with Muhammad. Hoch pulled out fourth in that race (11.98), .02 from third. Hoch later was eighth in the 300 intermediate hurdles (49.35), the hurdles race he regularly has competed in this season.

“I just wanted to run the 100 today so I told my coach (Alex Perkowski) if it was OK,” Hoch said. Hoch was the only athlete on the sophomore or varsity level to compete in both the 110 hurdles and 100 finals. “It was just tiring back-to-back to run,” Hoch said. “It was unusual. I’ve never really done back-to-back events like that, but I thought I did pretty well. (I did) just a lot of warming up beforehand.”

In long jump, sophomore Alex Wang (18-9) and Hedayat (18-6 3/4) finished third and fourth with personal bests. Wang later was sixth in triple jump (36-7). Wang, who was battling a hip injury, had his best long jump on his first attempt, a personal record by 10 inches. The 3,200 relay of Hamilton, freshman Nathan Hill and sophomores Matt Tobia and Matt McBrien was third (8:32.20), only one second behind second-place York. Sophomores Josh Feldman (10:27.14) and Nick Tandle (10:27.90) were fifth and sixth in the 3,200, McBrien was sixth in the 1,600 (4:51.10) and sophomore Sean O’Flaherty was eighth in the 400 (2:13.57).

The meet was a little bittersweet for Wang and the long and triple jumpers because this was his last meet with jumps coach Bill Glasner. The longtime teacher and coach at Proviso West joined the Red Devils as a volunteer assistant last season but retired from teaching in 2011 and now will be moving from the area. “We’re going to miss him next year, phenomenal (coach),” Wang said. “The jumping form just really clicked this season. One meet, I finally understood how to pop up and really reach in long jump. Then in triple jump, cycling my legs and driving my knees has been much better this year.”

Varsity Outdoor Conference

May 11, 2013

By Bill Stone

Returning to the Hinsdale Central boys track lineup hasn’t been easy for senior Alex Conte in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles. While recovered from his injured left hamstring that occurred during warmups for the Hinsdale Relays April 6, Conte made his competition debut at Saturday’s West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet after another set of setbacks. “Six weeks, no running, strained hamstring, I had a 102 fever on Wednesday. I stepped on glass Sunday, cut my right foot,” Conte said. “It felt good. I’m just happy I made it through after being sick.”

It’s the kind of determination the Red Devils hope to take with them to the Class 3A Downers Grove North Sectional Friday. While they finished sixth against another strong Silver field at Concordia University in River Forest, many Red Devils are in contention for advancing to the state meet May 24-25 at Eastern Illinois University. York, which finished second to Oak Park-River Forest in 2012, regained the title (162 points), followed by Lyons Township (141), OPRF (90), Glenbard West (66), Downers Grove North (56), Hinsdale Central (42) and Proviso West (1). The Red Devils won the sophomore meet for the second year in a row by 18 points over York (133 to 115 points).

Entries qualify for state either automatically with top-two finishes or by achieving state-qualifying standards at the sectional. The only state returnee who competed Saturday was senior Mike Korompilas, anchor of last year’s 11th-place 3,200 relay that reached the state finals.

Coming off his school-record 182 feet-8 inches in discus at the home McCarthy Invitational May 3, senior Nick Piker was Hinsdale Central’s lone varsity Silver champion. Piker won discus with a 177-3 and had three other throws past the 155-0 state-qualifying standard out of his six attempts for preliminaries and finals.

The third-place 3,200 relay of junior Kevin Huang and seniors Dylan Palo, Ryan Somerfield and Korompilas (7:54.31 fully-automatic time) passed the 8:00.04 state-qualifying standard for the first time this season in a strong finish behind York (7:52.33) and Lyons Township (7:52.61).

Junior Billy Magnesen was fourth in the 1,600 (4:31.90) but will focus at sectionals on the 3,200, in which he has run under the 9:29.04 state cut once indoors.“I’m tired, too, (from our training plan) so I’m just ready to be fresh for sectionals and even fresher for state,” Piker said. “A 177 is a good throw and if I can consistently be hitting that, even when I’m tired and it’s cold, then I’m definitely fine.”

Other entries are in contention for advancing to state on place. Conte is the No. 5 seed in the 300 hurdles (40.44) but just .13 from the No. 2 seed. At the 2012 Lockport Sectional, Conte finished third in the 300 hurdles (40.62), missing second place by .55. On Saturday, Conte was in the slower of the two heats and ran somewhat conservatively. His 42.83 still earned sixth overall and a team point. “I went probably 85 percent. I didn’t want to go 100 percent, just so I could come back into things,” Conte said. “I kind of set the tone of the pace at the beginning, just cruising. I wanted to cruise throughout, hoping I’d make it.

“I’m just preparing for (sectionals). That’s the goal. It’s an underdog story. It’s not looking good from what I have, but I’m making it work. I’m hoping to make it work.”

Piker, who will play football at Holy Cross, is on his way to erasing some disappointing 2012 postseason memories after throwing beyond the state-qualifying standard during the regular season. Piker’s 182-8 is the second-best reported distance among Class 3A throwers to Arkansas State-bound Grant senior Brandon Lombardino, who threw 201-7 Friday and has three other reported meet bests beyond 186 feet. Piker won discus Saturday by 5-4 over LT’s Nick Demes with the 177-3 on his final throw. He also had a 171 on his fifth throw that also would have won and distances of 164 and 161 feet. “It was probably the best series I ever had. It was my plan of attack to just get one in (145 first throw) and keep building so that was fun,” Piker said. Piker also is contention to advance to state in shot put. He was third Saturday (50-7), just one-half inch behind second-place Demes. That distance is the No. 2 seed behind Brother Rice senior Marcus Cheatom (56-8) with the No. 3-5 seed distances within 10 inches of Piker. Piker was a contender for last year’s Silver Meet discus title, but he had three scratches in the preliminaries and no mark to even advance to finals. At the sectional, his longest throw was 144-4. He appeared to surpass 155-0 on his last attempt, but it landed out of bounds to the right of the sector. “This whole season, I’ve been working on fixing that. I’ve fixed it now, obviously, and staying in every time,” Piker said. “I was just excited in general just to be at conference and compete with everybody. It’s exciting (what I’m throwing), but I’m not going to get too excited because I know there’s still more.”

The 3,200 relay enjoyed quite a breakthrough. Huang (1:59.2), Palo (1:59.4), Somerfield (1:57.2) and Korompilas (1:57.2) all enjoyed personal-best splits to provide an emotional lift as the relay tries to return to the 12-team state finals and contend for a top-nine all-state finish. This was the first time this lineup ran together. Huang, Somerfield, newcomer Palo and Magnesen ran a season-best 8:05.8 manual time and won the McCarthy Invite but did not have the kind of competition like Saturday. The Silver race produced the No. 3, 5 and 6 fastest reported times in the state this season, all within range of Palatine’s state-best 1:50.00 May 4. The Red Devils enter sectionals as the No. 1 seed with Sandburg (7:56.82) and Bolingbrook (8:03.20) second and third. “It was definitely a great opportunity being the anchor leg. (But) it wasn’t the result that I wanted,” Korompilas said. “Those (York and LT) guys really ran a fast race, like 1:55 (splits). I guess it’s a little reassuring, but still it’s not the best (finishing third). I tried my hardest, and I couldn’t outkick them. They kind of got me in the last 200.” For the Red Devils, it’s actually faster than their 7:55.41 that was 11th in last year’s state finals, 1.95 seconds from ninth, after a season-best 7:51.83 in the state prelims. Korompilas was the anchor and only non-senior of last year’s state finals relay. “It was definitely a breakthrough, what we were looking for. Going into sectionals, it’ll give us some confidence,” Korompilas said. “I think we’re putting it together at the right time.” Last year, Somerfield helped the Red Devils win the Silver Meet by .66 over York (7:57.10) to 7:57.76). At sectionals, the top-seeded Red Devils needed a great anchor leg by Ted Owens to advance on place, pulling out second (8:01.03) by .25 over Downers Grove South. “We went into (this race) hoping to compete with the other two teams that have been top-quality in the state, and it ended up coming down to the final straightaway so we’re really happy with how we did and just excited, looking forward to sectionals and what we can do there,” Somerfield said. “Definitely, there’s nothing that can compare to winning conference against such a good team, but the races came down comparably to where we were running right with the other teams, kind of switching off legs and it always came down to the kick. It definitely shows the potential that we have this year.”

For the 3,200, Magnesen (9:28.23) is a solid No. 2 sectional seed to Downers North senior Ben Eaton (9:23.66). Magnesen got a glimpse of his sectional race Saturday since Eaton also ran the 1,600 and won in 4:25.61. “Possibly I can try and go with (Eaton at sectionals) and I know he’ll be able to take me through to the time,” Magnesen said. “I’ve run the state-qualifying time. I know I can do it again. I know I can get down to state, which has really been my goal all season, and I think it’s definitely possible.” Magnesen showed aggressiveness Saturday and took the lead at the halfway point before Eaton pulled ahead in the third lap. Magnesen finished just behind York’s Scott Milling (4:28.23) and Alex Mimlitz (4:31.25) and just ahead of Glenbard West’s Brandon Bonifer (4:31.90). “I was just kind of sick of races going out slow so I decided I would try and take it. I wouldn’t say it really backfired on me, but it didn’t really work to my advantage either,” Magnesen said.

Senior Phil Pielet was fifth in the 110 high hurdles (16.00) in a talented field dominated by LT senior standout Matthew Harris (14.90). Even with a couple of clipped hurdles, Pielet was .27 from fourth and .79 from third. “(Saturday) wasn’t my best race. I know I can get better. I clipped some hurdles, but I felt like I ran a pretty solid race,” Pielet said. “I would have been happy with something other than fifth, but you’ve got to walk away pretty positive from that. I was thinking third or fourth. It’s just when you clip a couple of hurdles, you’re kind of off rhythm.” Pielet generally doesn’t follow times nor know his personal bests. He is excited about entering sectionals sharing the No. 5 seed.

“I’m right in the mix of it. I’m on the outside looking in, but I think I have a pretty good shot at the top two and be competitive,” Pielet said. “All I know is I’m in the mix and that makes me excited because if I have a chance, all I need is a chance.”

The Red Devils’ determined sprinting crew also has a chance at state on place against comparable seed times as the No. 2 seed to Sandburg in the 800 relay (1:31.24 to 1:28.54) and the 1,600 relay (3:27.74 to 3:23.33). On Saturday, were fourth in the 800 relay (junior Kyle Stiff, seniors Gideon Ticho and Grady Tomlinson and junior Derek Roberts in 1:32.98) and fifth in the 1,600 relay (Ticho, junior Trent Hyland, Korompilas, Roberts in 3:31.48). “We have a decent sectional so I think we have an outside shot of getting to state. If not, it’ll just be a great event to run with the competition,” Ticho said. The Red Devils have dealt with numerous injuries to the sprint lineup, but they’ve received a big lift from transfer students Stiff and Hyland.

Stiff was fourth in the 200 (23.08), .01 from third, and Hyland was eighth in 400 (52.24). For the 1,600 relay, the Red Devils may promote sophomore James Reilly, the top 400 runners on the frosh-soph level. “I think we can definitely place (top two at sectionals),” Ticho said. “There are a lot of good short sprinting teams, but again, you can never really predict it.”

Junior James Benak (41-1 in triple jump), senior Matt Strand-Jordan was sixth in shot put (43-0) and the 400 relay (senior Rich Licata, Benak, Tomlinson, senior Teddy Kwasigroch in 46.10) were sixth.

Strand-Jordan, whose season best is 47-5, felt the fatigue of hard training like Piker but hopes it pays off at sectionals. “We’ll be fresh. If we come fresh, we usually do well so I’m excited with that,” Strand-Jordan said. “I’m really disappointed with myself actually. But you’ve got to fall sometimes to get back up.”

Ticho was just thankful to compete. The day before the McCarthy Invite, he collided with another student in gym class and received a slight concussion, forcing him to sit out. He returned to practice Monday. “I felt a little bit off Monday (at practice), but the rest of the week I started to feel better and just getting back into the swing of things,” Ticho said. “It was really exciting, actually (to compete). I felt good going into both of my races. There are a lot of guys that I’ve gotten to know over the years on some other teams. It’s just great to run against them for the last time.”

Sophomore Conference Meet - By Bill Stone

During last year's Hinsdale Central boys track season, sophomore Tristan Nevotne contributed to history at the outdoor West Suburban Conference Silver Meet.

Competing on the sophomore level as a freshman, Nevotne was disappointed with his performance in shot put, taking 10th. Then in discus, he pulled out fifth place to earn two team points. He was 19 inches ahead of sixth-place, which would have cost the team one point.

The final team results were even closer.

By one-half point, the 2012 sophomore Red Devils secured their first outdoor West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet in program history by edging York 155 to 154.5 points.

“We needed to wait for the scores to be counted, but the coaches had their speeches. Then the points were finally totaled, and it was announced we won by half a point, and just to contribute to that was a great feeling,” Nevotne said. “We hadn’t won conference ever as sophomores so that was just great. And for me, to feel that you contributed and you can say, ‘I was there when it happened,’ it was a great feeling.”

The Red Devils pulled off another surprise Saturday at Concordia University in River Forest but in a different way.

They didn’t just defend the sophomore title. The Red Devils repeated convincingly by 18 points over York (133 to 115 points). Downers Grove North (108) was third, followed by Oak Park-River Forest (78), Glenbard West (74) and Lyons Township (50). York regained the outdoor varsity title 162-141 over LT.

“When it came time to total up the scores, we actually didn’t think that we had won. It’s not like we didn’t think we could win. We just didn’t know,” Nevotne said. “The fact that we won by a significant score was shocking. I’d have to say last year, when we won last year by half a point, it was a cool experience. It was like we had just won the state championship. The first time was the greatest, the second time is kind of shocking.”

“I was really disappointed that I didn’t get that (400). I really needed to win that 200 to be happy,” Reilly said. “We didn’t expect (to win as a team) last year. It was more of a surprise so it kind of felt more important. This felt pretty good. Altogether it came together for us to win.”

Like most sophomore teams, the Red Devils had to say goodbye to most of their big-time point scorers last year as they became juniors.

Nevotne was the only individual to score last year as a freshman. The Red Devils did get freshman help from Breslin, Burke and Reilly on the third-place 800 and 1,600 relays Hedayat with the fourth-place 400 relay.

“I’m pretty happy, kind of took on the role of Derek and Pat last year,” Reilly said. “I was pretty happy that I was able to win individually and do pretty well, but still the indoor 400 (title) was more important to me with the (indoor) school record and everything.”

“I think I could have done better. I thought I could just beat (Hogan) to win it, and then (Lindstrom) came out of nowhere,” Reilly said.

Nevotne and Mysliwiec are excited that they are among the strongest sophomore throwing group that current coach and alumnus Brian Griffin has ever had.

Nevotne said three throwing mentors for him have been Griffin, 2012 graduate Ryan Callen, an all-stater last year in shot, and senior Nick Piker, one of the state’s top-ranked discus throwers.

“If they just keep working and getting stronger and stuff like, that, they’re the future of the program,” Piker said.

“I think (Nevotne) can be a double qualifier (for state in shot and discus). Josh could definitely qualify in disc because he’s not as massive as everybody else, but he’s got that finesse. I’m looking forward to good things from them when I’m gone.”

Nevotne’s 43-8 came on his first throw Saturday to beat his top-seeded previous best of 42-5. He also had a 45-footer in finals, but he fouled at the last moment.

In discus, Nevotne improved upon his second-seeded 125-8, but Downers North’s Max Sale won with a personal-best 137-8.

With a little help from Piker, Mysliwiec moved up from a seventh-seeded 107-8 to pull out third by more than three feet.

“Over the past week, he helped me a lot with my spin, which helped me improve. I came out here and threw 117 because he helped me just fix two little things,”Mysliwiec said. “(Piker) keeps us going because he’s always there to congratulate us. He’s only two years ahead of us. It gives us kind of a hope to be able to reach what he’s reached.”

The 1,600 relay had a different celebration from the indoor Silver Meet. In that race, they ran an indoor school-record 3:42.16 but were second in the race to LT’s 3:39.54.

While there was no record time Saturday, the Red Devils won by 2.66 seconds over LT. Hamilton and Cherry also were part of both relay lineups.

“It depends on how you look at it. We beat LT, but we didn’t get the record, and then for indoor, we set the record but lost to LT. Half and half. It feels good, though,” Cherry said.

“I was kind of mad in my 400. I felt like I could have done better,” Burke said. “I wanted to help out the team a lot so I just got mad and did my best, which was put us in first place.

“Last year, I was on the sophomore team when they won conference. That was a good feeling. Just with the 4-by-400 (winning), that felt great to help my team out even more.”

“I wasn’t coming in with the best seed time, but I was really happy to get second and a PR by like 3 1/2 seconds,” Gartner said. “Everyone was giving up. I knew I had to push myself if I wanted to get a better place. I was honestly just hoping to get in the top six and get some points for my team.”

“It felt amazing. LT was the big one coming in. Everyone kept on saying no, we weren’t going to win it. I didn’t feel that way. Coming in first makes it so much better,” Diaz said. “I love the 200. I was so happy. I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it (the 800 relay).’ It’s my best (overall meet) so far.”

Before his injury worsened, Muhammad finished just .28 from first in the 100 and pulled the Red Devils into second for the 400 relay.

“(The injury) probably made me run slower. In the 100, I probably have maybe won that,” Muhammad said. “It was bothering me last week a bit but I kept icing it and still ran with it.”

Chun overcame transitioning between poles as he takes on new heights and a crosswind that periodically accompanied Saturday’s cloudy then sunny conditions.

“I ended up vaulting pretty well so I’m happy with today. I nearly cleared 11-6,” Chun said. “In a couple of weeks, I’ll be able to finalize which pole I’ll be able to use and then I’ll be able to get 11-6 maybe.”

Freshman Gavin Hoch had perhaps the craziest event combination. Hoch finished third in the 110 high hurdles (18.59) in just his second time running the event.

After the varsity 110 hurdles final, Hoch was back at the starting line for the 100 with Muhammad. Hoch pulled out fourth in that race (11.98), .02 from third. Hoch later was eighth in the 300 intermediate hurdles (49.35), the hurdles race he regularly has competed in this season.

“I just wanted to run the 100 today so I told my coach (Alex Perkowski) if it was OK,” Hoch said.

Hoch was the only athlete on the sophomore or varsity level to compete in both the 110 hurdles and 100 finals.

“It was just tiring back-to-back to run,” Hoch said. “It was unusual. I’ve never really done back-to-back events like that, but I thought I did pretty well. (I did) just a lot of warming up beforehand.”

In long jump, sophomore Alex Wang (18-9) and Hedayat (18-6 3/4) finished third and fourth with personal bests. Wang later was sixth in triple jump (36-7).

Wang, who was battling a hip injury, had his best long jump on his first attempt, a personal record by 10 inches.

The 3,200 relay of Hamilton, freshman Nathan Hill and sophomores Matt Tobia and Matt McBrien was third (8:32.20), only one second behind second-place York. Sophomores Josh Feldman (10:27.14) and Nick Tandle (10:27.90) were fifth and sixth in the 3,200, McBrien was sixth in the 1,600 (4:51.10) and sophomore Sean O’Flaherty was eighth in the 400 (2:13.57).

“We’re going to miss him next year, phenomenal (coach),” Wang said. “The jumping form just really clicked this season. One meet, I finally understood how to pop up and really reach in long jump. Then in triple jump, cycling my legs and driving my knees has been much better this year.”

McCarthy Invitational

May 3, 2013

By Bill Stone

Senior Nick Piker’s final throw in his final meet in the Hinsdale Central discus ring finally had arrived Friday.

With the title of the Red Devils’ 63rd annual McCarthy Invitational already in hand, Piker had the freedom to unleash a memorable throw. As those around the ring began a slow clap, Piker delivered.

What Piker accomplished won’t be forgotten for a while, hopefully for at least for 24 years.

Piker threw 182 feet-8 inches to break the school record of 181-9 set by Jim Zajieck in 1989.

“It’s something I’ve been looking forward to for a few years now, since sophomore year when I started throwing. I’m glad it happened and there’s still room for improvement there,” Piker said.

“I’ve kind of envisioned my last throw at Central during the week, my last ever throw her, breaking the record, and then it happened so it was really cool.”

Perhaps it was meant to be. Piker broke Zajicek’s record 24 years later after Zajicek broke the previous record from 24 years before.

“I think that’s kind of cool. Hopefully mine lasts a little longer than 24 years,” Piker said smiling.

The Red Devils also won two relays with seniors Grady Tomlinson and Teddy Kwasigroch and juniors Kyle Stiff and senior Derek Roberts in the 800-meter relay (1:32.5 manual time) and the 3,200 relay of junior Kevin Huang, seniors Dylan Palo and Ryan Somerfield and junior Billy Magnesen (8:05.8).

“(Winning) was good closure because it was a really nice way to remember that track, all of the miles I’ve ran on it,” said Palo of his final home meet. “To finish it off with a good 800 (personal-best split) was a good way to end the career there.”

Hinsdale Central (55 points) finished sixth in the nine-team field, five points behind fifth-place Oak Park-River Forest, which had won the previous six invites.

Palatine edged Lincoln-Way Central 90-88 to win the invite for the first time. Downers Grove South (3rd, 74 points), Downers Grove North (4th, 65) and Hinsdale South (7th, 53) will be among the Red Devils’ opponents at the Downers North Sectional May 17.

Piker, going for his first state trip in discus, now ranks No. 5 in reported state bests this season. On Friday, Piker also broke the McCarthy Invite of 178-0 by East Moline’s Rich Girt in 1972, the invite’s second-oldest standing record.

One of his first congratulations came from Zajicek, one of only two all-state discus throwers in school history and uncle of current Hinsdale Central junior and individual state wrestling champion Brian Allen. At state, Zajicek was fifth in Class AA in 1988 and third in 1989 (171-4).

“Brian actually told me that he said congrats and everything and hopefully that I get the state title now, too,” Piker said.

“He sent (throws coach Brian Griffin) a nice text. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ve only heard good things. I met him last year and was working with him a little bit. He just said that he hoped that I would break it and stuff like that. I’ve worked pretty hard and I’m glad that I broke it.”

Piker, who also was third in shot put (46-5), was coming off a competition-best 172-0 April 26 at Lincoln-Way West’s Warrior Invitational. He beat that mark with a 175 on his second throw of preliminaries Friday. It also gave him a 20-foot cushion from the rest of the competition and a clearer sight on the school record.

“He came up to me and was like, ‘I’m going for it.’ I was like, ‘Go for it. Why not? It’s your last home meet,’ ” Griffin said. “It wasn’t that warm, and it wasn’t that cold, but it wasn’t great (conditions). It’s exciting. I think there are still a lot of good things still to come and there’s time, too, so we have a couple of weeks to get it ironed out.”

The historic throw had an extra bit of built-in drama. Griffin said a distance line in the throwing area is supposed to be at 180 feet, but it’s really closer to 175.

“That’s what he hit the first time (for his 175). It was right on the line,”Griffin said.

On Piker’s record throw, the discus went beyond the line, but how far it measured nobody really knew. Piker saw the crew celebrating but waited to hear the distance.

“I didn’t want to celebrate too early because I didn’t want a false alarm. I heard the mark and the rest is history,” Piker said.

“I’ve known that it’s there. It’s just a matter of getting it in a meet and I did it in pretty bad conditions, too. When I was going in the ring, they started to slow clap. That got me going. And all I knew was I had to stay down in the ring and I knew I was going to break it.”

The Red Devils’ winning relays also dominated their races but mainly because other teams didn’t run their complete best lineups. The 800 relay won by a remarkable 3.5 seconds while the 3,200 relay prevailed by 4.5 seconds.

Hinsdale South was second in the 800 relay (1:36.0). OPRF, which has run as fast as a No. 7-ranked 1:29.11 fully-automatic time, was seventh in 1:40.1.

“It was hard because no one was there with me,” said Roberts, who ran the anchor. “Other teams weren’t running their best guys. Of course, we’re running our best guys so we had a little bit more of a lead. Kyle Stiff gave me a big lead so I just had to not drop the baton and carry it to the end.”

The Red Devils’ relays still have lineup questions as well, especially because the sprinting crew has endured a series of nagging injuries. They had hoped to evaluate their 1,600 relay, but senior 400 standout Gideon Ticho was injured in gym class and had to sit out the meet.

The previous week, Roberts rejoined the 1,600 relay for the first time and was moved from anchor to leading off Friday in place of Ticho. The relay with Roberts, junior Trent Hyland and sophomores Kealon Burke and James Reilly, however, was disqualified.

“Last year, I was a big 400 guy (on the sophomore level). This year, not so much, I’ve been doing 200s,” Roberts said.

“(The McCarthy Invite) shows a little bit what’s going on into sectionals, too. The 4-by-200 is getting better so it’s exciting. If you asked me like four weeks ago if we were going to state, it didn’t really seem like it, but I think our 4-by-200 and maybe even our 4-by-400 can now get down there because everything’s starting to fall into place.”

The 3,200 relay, a 2012 Class 3A state finalist, once again mixed up the lineup and had great results. The Red Devils posted a season-best time and finally are within range of the 8:00.04 state-qualifying standard.

“We definitely feel better than we did a week ago (8:14.30 FAT at Prospect Invite April 30),” Hinsdale Central distance coach Jim Westphal said. “We’re still going to have to run the time (at sectionals). I still think they can get under 8:00.”

Downers North (8:10.3), which ran 8:08.41 indoors, turned out to be the biggest competition since Lyons Township (season-best 7:57.48) used most of its lineup for another weekend meet.

Magnesen, who usually runs the open 3,200 and 1,600, received the baton with a sizeable lead, but Downers North countered with a familiar face, junior Zach Smith, the indoor conference champion in the 1,600.

“It was enough of a lead so I could hold on. It was in the back of my mind he was coming for sure. I definitely went out as hard as I could,” said Magnesen, who had a sub-2:04 split.

“To get those wins with those guys was a good feeling and a nice team effort. I think they’re well on their way to working into the state meet for sure.”

Huang (1:59.5) recorded the first sub-2:00 split of the season. Somerfield, the other relay regular, ran 2:00.7.

In his first 3,200 relay in a while with the top lineup, Palo distinguished himself with a 2:01.1 split, a personal best by two seconds.

“(Being on the relay) was very exciting. They’re some of my closer friends on the team. Seeing Billy beat Zach Smith, hanging onto that lead, was enjoyable,”Palo said.

“I’ve been doing a lot of open 800s. That was my best race so far. Training’s been good recently. We’re doing more speed workouts and it’s just been paying off. Every meet I’ve been cutting it down a few seconds, a second or two.”

A cross country runner mostly in the 1,600 or 3,200 in years past, Palo this season has focused on speed workouts. One of his most memorable races this season was at Downers South’s Bud Mohns Invitational April 13, where he was a last-minute sub in the 1,600 relay and anchored the team to third with a personal-best 54.7 split.

In a recent weekday meet, Palo competed in the 3,200 relay, 400 and 200 with several of the distance runners.

“It was a fun day. The 200 I’ve never run it in my entire life,” Palo said.

Junior TJ Caveney (9:39.7) and sophomore Matt McBrien (9:50.7) finished third and fifth in the 1,600 to follow up their 4-5 finish in the 3,200 at Lincoln-Way West.

Senior Phil Pielet was fourth in the 110 high hurdles (15.22), freshman Tyshaun Hamilton was fifth in the 800 (2:06.4) and the 400 relay of junior James Benak, Tomlinson, Kwasigroch and Stiff was fifth (45.6).

A steady but short rain came during the 1,600, when Somerfield (4:29.9) and Magnesen (4:32.5) came back to run and finished fifth and sixth. Palatine’s Zach Stella won in 4:26.35, and the Red Devils certainly were within range of Lincoln-Way Central’s second-place Dru Rozewicki (4:28.0).

“I think personally it was the best double that I’ve done in a long time so that bodes well for future, but we were kind of a little disappointed with the race because it ended up being sort of a kickers’ race and Billy and I thought we should have been able to stay with the front guys,” Somerfield said.

Magnesen said the race began to pick up with two laps left, but he just didn’t make a strong enough move and his shoe became untied.

“After the race, I kind of regretted not going with them. With one lap left, I was still in there,” Magnesen said. “Overall, that mile was not the race that I looked back upon after the meet. I just focused on my PR in the 4-by-800 and getting that win much more for building confidence and our team overall.”

Lincoln Way-West Invitational

April 26, 2013

By: Bill Stone

Hinsdale Central senior Rajan Khanna worked his way into competing for the boys cross country team’s seven-runner state lineup for the first time in November. While that alone is a great accomplishment, something else still was eluding Khanna on the track. He took care of that Friday when he won the 3,200-meter run at the Lincoln-Way West Invitational in a personal-best 10:12.8 manual time. “I’ve actually never won a race in high school, or even middle school (before),” said Khanna, who won by by .9 over Lincoln-Way North’s Ian Mayster after leading most of the way. “I’ve won a couple of time trials against my teammates, but the highest I’d ever finished was second in 3,200 sophomore race. My race strategy a lot of times, especially in cross country, is get the next guy and keep looking forward. When I was leading the race, I was thinking, ‘I’ve got to separtte more and not let those guys catch me.’ It was definitely a different mentality than what I’m used to.”

Khanna was among three champions for the second-place Red Devils at the 11-team meet.

Senior Nick Piker won discus with a high-school lifetime-best of 172 feet even, the No. 7-best throw reported in the state after the weekend’s competition. The invite also had frosh-soph events for all four relays, and the 1,600 relay of sophomore Kealon Burke, freshman Tyshaun Hamilton and sophomores Griffin Gartner and James Reilly (3:37.6) won by 4.1 seconds.

The Red Devils finished a close second with 122.5 points, just 2.0 behind champion Thornton (124.5) but also just .5 ahead of third-place Lincoln-Way Central (122). Homewood-Flossmoor (91.5), Crete-Monee (86), Lincoln-Way North (82), Providence (68), Bradley-Bourbonnais (60.5), Romeoville (41), Lincoln-Way West (36) and Lincoln-Way West (0) were the rest of the field. Hinsdale Central probably would have won had five of its top middle-distance and distance runners traveled to Prospect’s Wanner Invite to face state-level competition, especially since teams were allowed three entries per event for individual events as opposed to the usual two.

The Red Devils play host to their annual McCarthy Invitational Friday.

“We had some of the other guys at Prospect so if they were there, that might have put us over the top,” Hinsdale Central coach Jim Kupres said. “Overall, I didn’t expect us to be second. That was hard (coming so close to winning), but half a point ahead of third so we’ll take that, too. It would have been nice to beat Thornton.” The Lincoln-Way West Invite event has the added rewards of T-shirts being given to event champions. Despite being 6-2 1/2, Khanna not only managed to receive a large-size white T-shirt that fit well. He also wore it to practice Saturday, partly to continue the tradition among the current distance runners that goes back to 2010.

“It was kind of a joke among the team because four of the guys won the sophomore 4-by-800 two years ago. For a long time after, they’d wear it around in school,” Khanna said. “Mine was fairly common size. I’m hoping Nick (6-4 1/2, 285 pounds) got his right size, but I don’t know if they make them that big.” Piker had more on his mind than the T-shirt or even his breakthrough distance. Friday marked the one-year anniversary of the death of his cousin, Kelly. “I dedicated the win to her passing,” Piker said. “My mom and I were talking in the morning. It was like it happened the other day. I thought about it a little bit (during the invite). I know I was going to win, but I wanted to kind of do something for her, and I didn’t do too well last year when it happened. I think it played a part on me.”

Piker finally surpassed his competition-best of 159-11 set more than a year ago at Downers Grove South’s Bud Mohns Invitational. With so much time between discus and shot put, he came into prelims warmed up well and launched the 172-0 on his second of three attempts.

His second- best throw was 159, nine feet ahead of second place and past the 155-0 state-qualifying standard that would automatically get him to his first state meet if he can achieve the distance at the Downers Grove North Sectional. “I’ve been hitting high-160s, low 170s in practice consistently. I was just waiting for one of those days where I’d get it in the meet,” Piker said. “It was due to happen, and it finally did. I wasn’t really that surprised. Hopefully, it continues and it leads to bigger things.” One of those distances on the horizon continues to be the school record of 181-9 set by Jim Zajicek in 1989. The perfect scenario would be for Piker to break it in his final home meet at the McCarthy Invite. “That would be really cool,” Piker said. “Hopefully I can keep doing that (170s) and I have my eyes on the record if the conditions are right. I’ve just got to pop one and stay in (the ring). It’s just good to know I can pop one and be up with the top guys in the state.”

The frosh-soph 1,600 relay victory came also was pure motivation courtesy of a different source. The same four runners had high expectations in the frosh-soph 3,200 relay, but their 8:52.7 ended up second to Lincoln-Way Central’s 8:48.4. “I kind of gave them a little boost of encouragement after that 4-by-800 and they ran really well (in the 1,600 relay),” Kupres said.

“(Kupres) kind of got mad at us so we were saying ‘We’re going to win this 4-by-400,’ ”Burke said. “He kind of scared us that, ‘You guys better do well in this (1,600 relay.’ I started and I was like, ‘I’m going to try and do my best.’ ”

Burke set the tone with a 55.1-second opening split comparable to his season best. He handed off to Hamilton, more of an 800 runner who had a personal-best 54.8 and put the Red Devils ahead to stay, followed by Gartner (55.0) and Reilly (52.7). “James got the baton and then just started going all out. At that point, I was like ‘(We’re going to win),’ which was great,” Breslin said. “Our coach kind of told us,‘You’ve got to get the T-shirt.’ That’s what we wanted so we did our best and that’s how we did it.”

Sophomores Zach Hedayat and Jack Breslin and freshmen Kareem Muhammad and Matt Cherry formed the other frosh-soph relay lineups. They were second in the 800 relay (1:37.9) to H-F’s 1:33.3 and third in the 400 relay (46.5).

Also taking third was senior Matt Strand-Jordan in shot with a personal-best 47-6 and the varsity 3,200 relay of Trent Hyland, Dylan Palo, Gideon Ticho and Jake Hall (8:29.6).

In shot, Piker twice threw at least a foot beyond the winning distance of 50-0 in prelims, but he scratched all three attempts and did not place. “They were all good throws. I just couldn’t get my left foot back down to stay in the ring,”Piker said.

Juniors Derek Roberts (22.6) and Kyle Stiff (22.7) were third and fourth in the 200 after they joined Grady Tomlinson and James Benak in taking fourth in the 800 relay (1:33.8), just .4 from second. Ticho, Hall, Alec Wohlever and Hyland were fifth in the varsity 1,600 relay (3:37.4). “Kyle and Derek each meet get faster and faster. Both of those guys and the upperlcass sprinters did a really nice job,” Kupres said.

Senior Phil Pielet was fourth in the 110 high hurdles (15.1) and tied for fourth in the 300 intermediate hurdles (41.7).

In the 1,600, junior TJ Caveney (4:32.5) and sophomore Matt McBrien (4:36.9) both race personal bests for fourth and fifth behind Lincoln-Way Central champion Chris Kaminski (4:27.0). “I was leading going the third lap (of four), but then I got passed and I couldn’t keep up,” Caveney said. “I think I need to work on my speed more. I was happy with how it went overall, but I wasn’t very happy with my last lap.” Caveney, another member of the Red Devils’state cross country lineup, ran a personal best by nine seconds. McBrien overcame losing a shoe during the second lap and leaving it behind.

“He did well for that and just kept going. We were working together for the first half, but then we kind of separated,” Caveney said. “It was a great confidence booster for me. Everything came together really well and we ran under the lights and the wind died down when the 1,600 started. The conditions were great so I knew I was going to PR probably. “

Sophomore Tristan Nevotne was fifth in discus with a personal-best 132-5, six inches from fourth, just two days after winning the Hinsdale Central Sophomore Invite with a then personal-best 117-8.

Freshman Matt Hillock, another sophomore invite champion, was fifth in high jump by clearing a personal-best 5-10 for the second meet in three days.

Wohlever was fifth in the 800 (2:05.3) with Aria Darbandi seventh (2:08.5) and Sam MacKenzie 10th (2:10.2).

Benak was sixth in triple jump (40-9 3/4). Junior and 2012 state qualifier Nkemjika Nwosu returned to the lineup but did not get a mark in the event.

Even with his personal best, Khanna wanted more from his first 3,200 race outdoors this season. Junior Emmett Scully also ran a personal-best (10:21.9) that would have contended for fourth, but he was disqualified for a step on the inside of the track during the race. Sophomore Nick Tandle was seventh (10:28.8).Khanna had hoped to break 10:00, but track conditions were quite windy. Taking the lead for good after a 4:56 mile split, Khanna also felt that he became too conservative once he felt that the race was his to lose. “I felt I had a little too much in the tank towards the end of the race. I didn’t push it enough when I needed to go to get the right time, but I was thinking during the race more of what I needed to do to get the victory,” Khanna said. “It was kind of nice to get back to the 3,200 for the first time since indoors and see what I can do.”

Hinsdale Central Prospect Invitational

April 26, 2013

By: Bill Stone

While the Hinsdale Central boys track team’s 3,200-meter relay members are striving to return to the Class 3A state meet finals, they didn’t want to repeat the steps in getting there.

Seniors Mike Korompilas, Ryan Somerfield and Jack Keller and junior Kevin Huang competed for the first time at Prospect’s Wanner Invitational Friday to judge themselves against some of the state’s best competition. Hoping to break 8:00, they finished 10th in 8:14.30 fully-automatic time. Junior Billy Magnesen also competed in the 3,200 and was fifth in 9:33.76.

“Last year we thought we’d be under 8:00 (by now) and we never put the pieces together (until conference),” Somerfield said. “This season is very similar to last season and I’m hoping we have a similar outcome and we’ll be able to get some big confidence from the races coming up.”

The Red Devils were 11th at state in 3,200 relay finals (7:55.31), .95 from ninth and the final all-state spot, after running a season-best 7:51.83 in the state prelims. Korompilas is the lone returnee from the state lineup while Somerfield competed at the Lockport Sectional.

Two of the teams that beat the Red Devils at state finished ahead of them Friday, including defending state champion Lane Tech, which was second to York Friday (7:56.89 to 7:57.00). Prospect, third at state in 2012, was fourth (7:57.94), just behind third-place Lyons Township (7:57.48). Assistant track coach and boys cross country head coach Jim Westphal accompanied the Red Devils to Prospect while most of the team competed at the Lincoln-Way West Invitational. Billy Fayette and Zach Withall raced at Prospect as seniors in 2011 en route to individual all-state honors in the 3,200 and 1,600, respectively. “We’re disappointed with the outcome, but it was an opportunity hopefully they’ll learn from,” Westphal said. “That was an eye-opener, and if we’re going to consider competing at a higher level, we’ve got to compete against the best. They weren’t ideal conditions, but nonetheless teams ran fast and we didn’t.”

The race was very fast up front, yielding the No. 2, 3, 4 and 6 fastest reported times in the state so far. Only Cahokia’s 7:56.07 Monday is faster. Experimenting with the lineup, the Red Devils put Korompilas, last year’s anchor at state, leading off, followed by Somerfield, Huang and Keller. Huang often has led off this season. Whether the same four Red Devils compete at their home McCarthy Invitational Friday or even the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet remains to be seen. Team depth in the 800 makes even the lineup for the Downers Grove North Sectional an uncertainty. “We’ll keep experimenting most likely with the order and see what meshes well and where we perform our best,” Somerfield said.

The Red Devils certainly remember that last year’s relay success came with a rocky road. They appeared to have gotten over the hump for good when they won the Silver Meet in 7:57.10, but at the Lockport Sectional, they ran a second-place 8:01.03 to miss the 8:00.04 state-qualifying standard but still qualify automatically with a top-two finish. The successful cross country season climaxed by a third straight state team appearance had its plateaus as well. The team ran well at the Lockport Invite less than 48 hours after getting blitzed by eventual state champion York and LT in their Silver triangular.

Somerfield and Huang were part of the cross country team’s state-qualifying lineup and Keller was an alternate. “Any time you get big-meet experience, it’ll help pay off in the long run,”Somerfield said. “We were going into it looking to compete with all of the other top teams. It just didn’t work out that way. We still have a shot at it, definitely.” Magnesen was more in the mix in the 3,200, but he wasn’t pleased with his performance either. Magnesen was the cross country team’s top finisher at state (32nd, 14:53 for 3.0 miles), seven places and five seconds from all-state honors. At Prospect, Magnesen ran faster than his second-place 9:33.76 at Downers Grove South’s Bud Mohns Invite April 13 but still shy of his indoor bests at Proviso West of 9:28.29 and 9:29.94, which was fourth at the indoor Silver Meet.

Conant sophomore Zach Dale won comfortably (9:24.82) with the state’s No. 9 fastest reported time. Magnesen’s time is ranked No. 23. “It wasn’t as good of a race as I would have liked, that’s for sure,” Magnesen said. “It went out really slow. Going into the third lap, everyone realized how slow it was and everyone took off. I got caught up and I had to sprint to catch up to the front pack and it took a lot out of me. It definitely wasn’t my best race, but it was a learning experience.” Magnesen ended up behind the trail pack of York senior Chris May (9:29.54), Jones senior Luke O’Connor (9:31.11) and Hersey junior Andrew Philipose (9:31.47) and seconds ahead of LT senior Michael Matusiak (9:37.79), often a close competitor during cross country races. “It was definitely worth the experience to head up there and run in that race,” Magnesen said. “I was going to try to win. That was my priority. I was hoping to break 9:30 for sure, but I was pretty disappointed with how the race ended. The pace wasn’t smooth, really. It was fast, stop and go. It wasn’t really to my advantage running that way.”

Hinsdale Central Sophomore Invitational

April 24, 2013

By: Bill Stone

Hinsdale Central sophomore Max Maydanchik has come a long way in his first season of boys track, evenwhen he’s not given the chance to be fully prepared. Maydanchik’s racing day supposedly was over quickly at the Hinsdale Central Sophomore Invitational April 24 as he led off the Red Devils to victory in the 3,200-meter relay, the first track event of the day. But for the last race of the day, the 1,600 relay, injuries and illness had the Red Devils desperately looking for a final leg -- just as it was about to start.

Maydanchik agreed to help, but literally had no time to warm up. There also was a brief moment of panic. “I took my (warmup) pants off and I (still) didn’t have my running shorts on, a 30-second wardrobe change,” Maydanchik said. “I did a stride and back. Basically right before the gun went off I was told. I was ready, though. I like the 400. It’s one of my favorites, even though I don’t get to run it too much.” Maydanchik held onto the lead in a dramatic finish to complete the Red Devils’ dominance of the six-team meet.

The Red Devils took first in 11 of the 18 events to compile 166 points for a 40-point margin over second-place Downers Grove South (126 points), followed by Andrew (83), Hillcrest (77), Libertyville (66) and Willowbrook (30). Sophomore Tristan Nevotne swept titles in shot put (42 feet-3 inches) and discus (117-8). Other winners for the Red Devils were sophomores Josh Feldman (3,200 in 10:18.2), James Reilly (400 in 52.2), Matt Tobia (1,600 in 4:41.9) and Steven Chun (10-6 in pole vault), freshmen Tyshaun Hamilton (800 in 2:07.7) and Matt Hillock (5-10 in high jump), the 3,200 relay (Maydanchik, sophomores Garrett Schmidt, Michael Gates, Stefan Rosas in 9:02.2), 800 relay (sophomores Jack Breslin and Antonio Diaz, freshman Matt Cherry, sophomore Zach Hedayat in 1:37.2) and the 1,600 relay (sophomore Griffin Gartner, Breslin, Hedayat, Maydanchik in 3:49.4)

As the 1,600 relay anchor, Maydanchik had more than a 10-meter lead when he received the baton, but the victory appeared in jeopardy coming down the final straightaway. Maydanchink held off Andrew by .4 with a personal-best 57.8-second split. “I actually looked back a few times, which might have cost me a little, but I was scared,” Maydanchik said. “Afterwards, I found out (the Andrew runner) was just as scared as I was.”

“He jumped in and that really helped us. I was pretty happy with the result, with those guys (Maydanchik and Hedayat) jumping in,” Breslin said. The invite allows three individual events per team rather than the usual two, and the Red Devils often took full advantage.

The Red Devils finished 1-2-4 in the 3,200 with Feldman, freshman Chris Brenk (10:18.6) and Sean O’Flaherty (10:24.8), 1-3-4 in the 800 with Hamilton, sophomore Matt McBrien (2:08.7) and freshman Nathan Hill (2:08.9) and 1-5-6 in the 400 with Reilly, Burke (54.5) and Gartner (54.6) and the 1,600 with Tobia and sophomores Nick Tandle (4:51.0) and Alex Domiano (4:52.0).

The Red Devils also were 1-2 in discus with Nevotne and sophomore Josh Mysliwiec (101-11) and 1-3 in pole vault with Chun and Will Cook (6-6). The 400 relay (Hedayat, Breslin, Cherry, freshman Kareem Muhammad in 46.60) was second by .5, Cherry (24.1) and Diaz (24.5) were fourth and sixth in the 200, and freshman Nikolai Vorobiev was sixth in triple jump (33-5).

“Overall, all of the kids competed in the races. They competed and ran well and got a lot of first places, a lot of kids getting second and third,” Hinsdale Central coach Jim Kupres said. “Across the board, everyone did a nice job. All of the races, we were in it, which was nice. It was nice to finally have a nice day (with weather). The kids can finally have an opportunity to run a good race.”

Other than the 1,600 relay, the Red Devils’ closest victories came in the distance races. Tobia’s personal-best time pulled out the 1,600 by .3 over Downers South freshmen Max O’Meara (4:42.2) and Jack Lalonde (4:44.1).

This was Tobia’s first time running the 1,600 since he won the indoor West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet on March 15 in 4:42.18 fully-automatic timing behind a strong final two laps. “I was thinking in my head, ‘I won conference. I need to win this,’ but I wasn’t sure if (the other runners) were feeling good. They were going strong,” Tobia said. “I was kind of shocked to see people next to me because their seed times weren’t that fast (4:50 or higher) and then I was like, ‘Whoa, I need to kick it into gear.’ They got me to the (personal record), though.”

O’Meara briefly took the lead with 300 meters left after Tobia led throughout the race. They were stride for stride down the straightaway before Tobia prevailed over the final 30 meters. “I felt it was hard leading,” Tobia said. “In indoor conference, there were kids that took it out and I didn’t have to lead. Also I felt like just being outdoors was a shift. Since I ran a bunch of 1,600s indoors, it takes some time to get used to 1,600s again outdoors.”

The 3,200 was just as competitive. Feldman finished .4 ahead of Brenk after they emerged in a wild final 200 with Downers South freshman Peter Fish (3rd, 10:20.0). Feldman took the lead with 750 meters left, but Fish regained it with 350 to go. With strong finishes, Feldman regained first for good with 175 meters left, and Brenk moved into second with 90 meters left. “With 800 meters to go, I felt pretty good so I took the lead. I just pushed really hard and held it until the last 100,” Feldman said. “Before the race, we all agreed that we (three Red Devils) were going to keep a tight pack throughout the whole race and then wait until around the end to really go for the win.” The Red Devils still surprised themselves. Feldman ran a PR by 40 seconds and Brenk by 56 seconds. This was the first time Feldman ever won a 3,200-meter race or actually ran 3,200 meters since cross country because he was hampered by an iron deficiency during the indoor season. Feldman has previously won a frosh-soph 800-meter indoors.

“Actually, I wasn’t even planning to run around where I was. We were shooting for around 10:40 so it definitely shows us that we can run faster in our workouts and we can aim higher,” Feldman said. “Thankfully today it wasn’t too cold and the wind wasn’t really noticeable.” When Brenk ran his best 3,200 meters during cross country, he battled tendinitis the next five weeks. This was his fastest time since a team time trial three weeks earlier in poor weather conditions. “A lot of the past races, it’s been bad weather and it really influenced the race. Since it was good weather and overall great conditions, all three of us decided to go for it and we all got pretty big PRs,” Brenk said.

“Such a big PR from (cross country) to this race today really just boosts the confidence for me and everyone else. It’s making me much more prepared for conference and cross country.” Thanks to a pair of personal records in competition, Nevotne won shot and discus in the same meet for the first time with room to spare. Nevotne won

discus by 15-3 over teammate Mysliewiec, who also enjoyed a personal best, and shot put by 3-4. “I’m always coming in second or third, so it’s a really good day,” said Nevotne, who competed first in shot.

“I won shot for my flight, but I didn’t know if someone else had beaten my scores (in the other flight). Then (senior) Nick Piker ended up running down (to discus) and telling me, ‘Well, you won shot, too,’ so I got points for my team and I’m happy. It’s a good day for both of us that we all got points.”

Nevotne said that competing first in shot, and doing so well, carried over to discus. With four throws per competitor, Nevotne won shot with his first attempt. In discus, Mysliewiec opened with his 101-11 to take the early lead. Nevotne then threw 107 on his second and the winning 117-8 on his third.

“I thought I had it with my first throw, but then (Nevotne) came out and whopped me,” Mysliewiec said. “We both spin (in the ring). Spinning with shot, it’s a lot easier to start out with because it’s a smaller ring and then you go to a bigger ring (for discus) so you can only extend it. When you’re going from disc to shot, you have to close it up, which is a lot harder to do in a short amount of time.” Perhaps the best news is that Nevotne’s hip injury continues to improve, although he continues icing and staying away from squat weightlifting drills. “I just need to keep babying it and resting it,” Nevotne said. “I’ve thrown farther in practice (123 feet for discus, 44 for shot), but it’s just getting there.”

Breslin and Hedayat had among the busiest but successful days competing in all three sprint relays. Besides being a late sub for the 1,600 relay, Hedayat also competed in a fourth event, long jump. Cherry was a sub for the 400 relay. The 3,200 and 800 relays remained intact from the original entries.

“I was surprised how well we did (in our 400 and 1,600 relays), even after making all of the changes, but it was a good learning experience,” Breslin said. “I think people need to realize they need to spend more time warming up in between races, but other guys stepped up and that was key for us.”

Breslin led off the 800 relay, which won by .6 over Andrew. This was the first time he’s run in all three relays at one meet since 2012 at Hinsdale South.

“I was a little nervous, at first, to do three of them, but it wasn’t that bad,” Breslin said. “It’s been a little while, but I guess it was good. I’ll probably have to do the same thing at conference anyway so I might as well get used to it.

“I think our handoffs were a little better (in the 800 relay). It was something we’re still working on, but we’ve got some fast guys in that relay. That was probably, personally, the best of the three.”

Chun and Cook had the least among of competition in pole vault with Libertyville sophomore Quade Kayle (8-6) the only other entry. The victory was sweet for Chun because he cleared 10-6 for the first time in competition on the second of three attempts.“It’s a nice PR to get at a meet because I’ve no-heighted a bunch of times,” Chun said.“I’ve gotten over 13-0 with the bungee (in practice) so I’m expecting a lot better things as I start to get it together with meets. But coming off a lot of really bad meets and really bad weather, it was really nice to get a PR.”

Chun was excited not to battle significant wind or, more importantly cold and wet conditions that have resulted in the pole slipping out of his hands. Just to play it safe, he still cleared 7-6 just to get a height before re-entering at 9-6. He cleared that and then his previous best of 10-0 on his second attempt. Chun just missed clearing 11-0. “It’s probably going to come my way, possibly even next meet,” Chun said. “Mentally, it’s been awful not clearing heights. I think it helped to go over 7-6, just to see a bar go under me and I didn’t hit it. Now that I’m back into the swing of things, no pun intended, I think it’ll be good.”

Hamilton, Hillock and Hillcrest’s Alderjion Smith were the only freshmen to win individual events. Smith swept the 300 intermediate hurdles (46.4) and 200 (23.3). Hamilton continued the success from winning the sophomore-level 800 at indoor conference in a then personal-best 2:10.01 FAT. His 2:07.7 won the invite by .6 over Andrew sophomore Lance Gacek (2:08.3), who was just .4 ahead of McBrien and .6 ahead of Hill. “I’m just happy I broke 2:10 finally because I’ve been running 2:10s the whole season,” Hamilton said. “I’m going to try and shoot for around 2:05 my next meet. I’m going to try and win the 800 in conference again.” Hamilton took the lead just before the start of the final lap. The Red Devils were 1-2-3 before a great kick by Gacek in the final 100 meters.

“I tried to hold him off and I did. He was right on me, though,” Hamilton said.“Definitely the weather and competition (helped me). I tried to go out a little faster and maintain my pace throughout the third 200, have my 600 time be a little faster because that’s where I usually slow down. I started picking it up a little bit with 300 to go and then the last 200 I just gave it my all.”Hillock also was a frosh-soph indoor conference champion for high jump with a then personal-best 5-8, but he injured his hamstring sprinting during spring break.

In his return to competition at this invite, Hillock cleared a personal best and won by two inches. “This week we finally brought him back (training) full time,” jumps coach Nick Gebhart said. “It’s good to see sometimes resting your hamstring and finally getting healthy really benefits the body a little bit.” Another benefit, especially for a first-year jumper like Hillock, has been yoga sessions that Gebhart uses for high jumpers at least once a week. In the first year Gebhart incorporated yoga in 2011, it proved to be a huge benefit to senior KC Akuba, who just missed qualifying for the state meet.

“Not many people think that yoga would benefit high jump, but it’s all about muscle control and flexibility of the body. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m very proud of the boys,” Gebhart said. “Obviously, it helps to have natural ability to jump, but (Akuba’s) body control going over the bar really helped. More so, beyond track, (it’s about using yoga) just later in life, seeing the benefits of what a little meditation can do for somebody.”

Maydanchik is elated about his first track season in high school. He was a member of the track team during middle school for Avery Coonley School in Downers Grove. “I did the mile, I did everything. There’s 30 kids in the school,” Maydanchik said laughing.

As a freshman, he played tennis last spring, but also had to deal with a torn meniscus that kept him sidelined until November. Having indoor track during the winter sports season, Maydanchik at least had a chance to give the sport a try before tennis officially started. “All of my friends were in track. I was really split, torn between tennis and track,” Maydanchik said. “Originally, I was doing indoor and then tennis season, but I had a great indoors season to kick it off. I enjoyed it a lot. Track’s fun, you get the wind in your hair.”

Hinsdale Central senior Mike Korompilas wants another chance in the 3,200-meter relay at the Class 3A boys track state finals.

Last year, he was the lone underclassman on the Red Devils’ lineup that reached the 12-team finals. With Korompilas competing as the anchor, the Red Devils finished 11th in 7:55.41 fully-automatic time, two places and 1.95 seconds from the final all-state spot.

“To be honest, I just have that bad memory of me getting passed at the end,” Korompilas said. “I just want to make up for that this year.

“That’s a motivator for me this year for sure. During hard workouts, I’m actually thinking about that towards the end. I’m just like, ‘This is the base I need for state.’ If I want to be the one who is passing the juniors who will be anchoring, that’s what I need to do. I need to work hard on my workouts.”

Korompilas, junior Nkemjika Nwosu, the Red Devils’ other returning state competitor, and their teammates are hoping to complete unfinished business this spring after a strong 2012 season.

The Red Devils took four entries to state after finishing fourth in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet and winning the Silver Meet on the sophomore level for the first time in program history by one-half point over York.

Nwosu finished 23rd at state in triple jump (42 feet-10 inches). The Red Devils’ other two entries were state finalists as seniors -- all-stater Ryan Callen (5th in shot put) and Dan Hinspeter (10th in long jump).

Entries qualify for the state meet either automatically with a top-two sectional finish, regardless of performance, or by achieving state-qualifying standards at the sectional, regardless of place. Three standards have changed from 2012. The 400 relay cut has decreased by .2 from 42.84 to now 42.64. The 800 (1:57.24) and triple jump (44-10) actually have loosened from previous cuts of 1:56.84 and 45-0.

Junior Billy Magnesen already has topped the qualifying standard in the 3,200 (9:29.04) during the indoor season. He ran 9:28.29 at the Proviso West Invite Feb. 23 and a fourth-place 9:29.94 at the indoor Silver Meet March 15 at Proviso West.

The Red Devils were fifth (52 points) at the indoor Silver Meet. The sophomores were fourth (83 points) with four event champions and two sophomore school records.

Jack Feldman, Ted Owens and Neil Pedersen also graduated from the 3,200 relay, which ran a season-best 7:51.83 in the state preliminaries for the ninth seed. Thanks to a great anchor leg by Owens at sectionals, the Red Devils pulled out second to advance to state, although their 8:01.03 missed the 8:00.04 qualifying standard.

Current senior Ryan Somerfield also helped the relay qualify at sectionals but did not run at state. “One of the aspects of motivation that (last season) gave me is the fact that I was so close and didn’t make it. I definitely don’t want to do that this year,” Somerfield said. “That’s kind of something to push me forward. The big thing is being there, the experience and doing it as a team, I think, that’s just so great. I really want that for our team this year and I think we can do it if we all keep our goals in mind and keep at it.”

Even with those graduations, the Red Devils are deeper this year in the 3,200 relay. Junior Kevin Huang, senior Jack Keller, Somerfield and Korompilas ran an indoor season-best 8:08.29 Feb. 25 and a third-place 8:09.85 at the indoor Silver Meet. Other early candidates include seniors Dylan Palo and Alec Wohlever and juniors Jake Hall and Nigel Gachira.

“We still have guys who are looking to make this 4 by 800, which will only make us four run even faster,” Korompilas said. “We have no idea (on a lineup). I might not even make the team because we’ve got a lot of good guys. We’ve got to figure that out.”

Although the Red Devils didn’t reach their ultimate goal of the indoor school record, they were encouraged that their times were comparable to last year’s relay during indoors. “We just had a meeting for all of the guys that are prospects and we all wrote down our goals and what we wanted to do both individually and as a team,” Somerfield said. “All of our goals added up and we realized we had a chance (at all-state). Even before that, we knew that we were going to have a really special team.”

Nwosu qualified for state last year in triple jump after a lifetime-best 43 feet-3 1/2 at sectionals for second place that also broke his previous sophomore school record of 42-7. Nwosu, however, injured his left ankle jumping down the stairs just before leaving for sectionals and declined as the meet continued. He managed to compete at state but struggled because of the injury. “That won’t happen this year. I’m going to make sure that I take care of all of my injuries,” Nwosu said. “This year, I’m going to be striving for 47, 48 (feet). Some people think it’s unachievable, but I will get it.” This indoor season, Nwosu had hamstring and quadricep issues and did not compete at the indoor Silver Meet.

“I’m taking care of it, elevating, icing, heating. I’m doing what I can to get back as soon as possible,” Nwosu said. “I’m feeling pretty good right now. I’m excited. I’m looking for some good jumps this year.”

Several other Red Devils are in contention for their first state berths.

Magnesen has continued the strong season he had in cross country. The Red Devils earned an unprecedented third consecutive state berth as a team and Magnesen finished a team-best 32nd (14:53 for 3.0 miles), just five seconds from the 25th and final individual all-state spot. What’s even more important is he’s been able to train consistently. A former soccer player, Magnesen needed some workouts altered regularly as he battled knee pain. He still managed to win the sophomore Silver Meet in the 3,200 in 9:54.48.

“I think qualifying in the 3,200 is definitely a realistic goal,” Magnesen said. “The team and I have put ourselves in a good position out there in the indoor season. We’ve seen some success in the 3,200 relay, 3,200 and 1,600. We definitely feel in a good place going to outdoors.” After beating the qualifying standard at the Proviso West Invite, Magnesen made his distance double debut at the indoor Silver Meet. Magnesen was fourth in the 3,200 (9:29.94), 2.37 seconds from third (9:27.57) and the 1,600 (4:32.75), beating his sixth-seeded 4:34.5.

For now, Magnesen would like to challenge the 3,200 times of good friend Billy Fayette, who was an all-state seventh in 2011 in 9:18.65, and maybe the school record of 9:06.6 manual time set by Jon Thanos in 1983.

Whether Magnesen also would run the 1,600 at sectionals remains to be seen. The 1,600 state-qualifying standard is 4:22.74.

“I don’t know how realistic it is to qualify (after running the 3,200) because the time is quite difficult. The coaches might want to give that spot to someone else who more realistically is able to get to the state meet,” Magnesen said.

Senior Nick Piker would like qualify in both shot put and discus. In the first two outdoor invites last season, Piker threw a 154-5 followed by a season-best 159-10 1/2, beyond the 155-8 state-qualifying standard. At sectionals, Piker was seventh in discus at 144-4 and sixth in shot (50-11 3/4). He appeared to have exceeded 155-8 on his final throw, but it barely landed out of bounds to the right, a problem that plagued Piker in his final outings.

He spent the offseason practicing to straighten his throw at Lake Park with the DuPage Track Club and in open throwing sessions at Lake Park and Waubonsie Valley. “I watched film I know what I was doing wrong and every day you have to try and just beat what you’re doing wrong. It takes like 100 reps for every one that you’re doing wrong, just taking a bunch of throws the right way, not trying to kill it. Then I finally broke the bad habit and now it’s better,” Piker said. “I’m pretty sure I’ve got it down now. I’m not throwing things to the right anymore. I know what I was doing wrong. I’m not really worried about that (this spring). It’s just something to look back on, get a little pissed about and try to do better.” Since last spring, Piker also has hit the weight room hard and it’s already paid off. He has signed to play football next season for College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., probably as an offensive guard as he was for the Red Devils. Piker now is 6-4 1/2 and weighs 285 pounds, more than 30 pounds heavier than last track season.

That should help with both throws. In shot (52-11 state qualifying standard), Piker threw a lifetime best 52-2 last spring and 51-1 indoors March 8. Longer distances were thwarted by his footwork as he converted back to gliding from spinning in the ring as he does for discus. “I want to break the (school) discus record of 181-9 (by Jim Zajicek in 1989). I got up to almost 170 (this summer) and I wasn’t at the weight that I am now,” Piker said. “That’s definitely tangible. And then, obviously, to go downstate and place in shot and disc.”

Senior Alex Conte should contend for a trip in the 300 intermediate hurdles, which has a qualifying standard of 39.84. Last year, he ran 40.62 at sectionals to finish third behind two seniors. Only one other senior finished among the top six. Lewis University freshman Ryan Daleen, third in the 110 high hurdles for the Red Devils at last year’s sectionals, returns as the Red Devils’ new hurdles coach. Daleen replaces Wes Wheeler, who took a job in Indiana. Senior Phil Pielet, a backup for last year’s seniors, should threaten in the 110s. “I feel good for the 300s. It’s going to take some time, but we’ll get there. I’ll hopefully run qualifying (this year),” Conte said. “What I’m trying to incorporate is how to get three events in without getting tired. If I’m not doing to 110s, maybe the 400 relay (and then the 1,600 relay). We’ll see what shape I’m in by then.”

Junior James Benak also is a threat in the jumps. He had a personal-best 41-10 1/2 in triple jump March 1 and won last year’s outdoor sophomore Silver title in long jump at 20-4.

Besides Magnesen, another strong cross country season should pay dividends in track. Somerfield and Huang competed at state cross country twice and five others made their state debuts – Magnesen, Palo, senior Rajan Khanna, junior TJ Caveney and sophomore Alex Domiano. Keller, Gachira and junior Emmett Scully were among the five state alternates. Huang was third in the 1,600 (4:32.30) at the indoor Silver Meet. Last year, Huang and Gachira went 1-2 in the 1,600 at last year’s sophomore Silver Meet (4:35.08/4:36.17), and Hall won the 800 (2:06.12). It was Huang’s first year of track.Although he only competed in one cross country meet, Korompilas thinks that his being part of the team for the first time could help him this spring. “I definitely feel like my endurance is improved,” Korompilas said. “I hope my second half of my 800 is definitely going to be a lot stronger than it was last year. I died at the end. That’s my goal this year, to have a better second half of my 800, and I think cross country’s going to help that.”

One of the biggest question marks for the Red Devils is their sprinting after injuries and illness hampered their chances for consistent indoor lineups. Former Hinsdale Central sprinting star and 2004 graduate Alex Perkowski is new to the coaching staff this year after three seasons as a volunteer assistant at York and is coaching this year’s sprinters along with head coach Jim Kupres.

Senior Gideon Ticho finished fourth in the 400 (personal-best 52.96) at the indoor Silver Meet, and even he missed part of the season with injuries and illness. Conte and juniors Derek Roberts and Pat Callahan return from last year’s 1,600 relay at sectionals.Roberts had a strong indoor season but missed the indoor Silver Meet with the flu. Callahan was injured and only competed once indoors. At the 2012 sophomore Silver Meet, Roberts won the 200 (23.40), and Callahan and Roberts were 1-2 in the 400 (51.27/51.38).

Underclassmen could help again this year.

At the indoor sophomore Silver Meet, sophomore James Reilly won the 400 in a sophomore indoor school-record 53.43. Sophomore Matt Tobia (1,600 in 4:42.18) and freshmen Matt Hillock (5-8 in high jump) and Tyshaun Hamilton (800 in 2:10.01) also won with personal bests. The 1,600 relay with freshman Matt Cherry, Hamilton, sophomore Griffin Gartner and Reilly (3:42.16) was second to LT (3:39.54) but also set a sophomore indoor school record. This is Gartner’s first track season.

Hinsdale Central Sophomore Invitational

April 24, 2013

By: Bill Stone

Breslin led off the 800 relay, which won by .6 over Andrew. This was the first time he’s run in all three relays at one meet since 2012 at Hinsdale South.

Chun and Cook had the least among of competition in pole vault with Libertyville sophomore Quade Kayle (8-6) the only other entry. The victory was sweet for Chun because he cleared 10-6 for the first time in competition on the second of three attempts. “It’s a nice PR to get at a meet because I’ve no-heighted a bunch of times,” Chun said.“I’ve gotten over 13-0 with the bungee (in practice) so I’m expecting a lot better things as I start to get it together with meets. But coming off a lot of really bad meets and really bad weather, it was really nice to get a PR.”

“Not many people think that yoga would benefit high jump, but it’s all about muscle control and flexibility of the body. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m very proud of the boys,” Gebhart said.“Obviously, it helps to have natural ability to jump, but (Akuba’s) body control going over the bar really helped. More so, beyond track, (it’s about using yoga) just later in life, seeing the benefits of what a little meditation can do for somebody.”

Bud Mohn's Invitational - by Bill Stone

Coming down the final straightaway, Hinsdale Central senior Mike Korompilas appeared destined for an easy victory in the 800-meter run at Saturday’s 27th annual Bud Mohns Invitational at Downers Grove South.

There still was 50 meters left.

“I locked up really bad. I couldn’t move my arms and then my legs. I felt like I was taking two-inch steps,” Korompilas said.

“That’s when I decided to go for the dive because that’s my only option at that point because I just knew I was losing it.”

Korompilas earned the victory, as well as a bad scratch near his eye from hitting the track, to win the 800 in 2:01.18 fully-automatic time at the eight–team invitational.

Senior Nick Piker also won discus (155 feet-11 inches) and was second in shot put (49-4) for the Red Devils, who finished third (85 points) behind state powers York (157) and Lake Park (124). Andrew (52) was fifth.

Junior Billy Magnesen nearly pulled out the 3,200 in 9:37.79 but finished second to York senior Alex Mimlitz (9:37.39) in a sprint down the final straightaway. Seniors Phil Pielet (110 high hurdles in 16.12) and Jack Keller (1,600 in 4:30.19) and the 800 relay of junior James Benak, senior Teddy Kwasigroch and juniors Kyle Stiff and Derek Roberts (1:34.32) were third.

The sophomores were fourth (73 points) with victories by Matt McBrien (1,600 in 4:44.34), James Reilly (400 in 54.16) and the 1,600 relay of Kealon Burke, Griffin Gartner and freshmen Tyshaun Hamilton and Matt Cherry (3:41.97).

The meet started in mid-afternoon to accommodate athletes who took the American College Test that morning.

“Overall there were a lot of high notes and kids that are still learning how to compete and push forward from here. Overall on both levels, not too bad,” Hinsdale Central coach Jim Kupres said.

A member of last year’s 3,200 relay that reached the state finals at the Class 3A state meet, Korompilas had hoped to break 2:00, but he did manage the victory by .14 over Lake Park junior Eric Dade. Plainfield Central senior Mike Giocolo (2:01.90), whom Korompilas passed with 250 meters left to take the lead, was third.

It was the first time Korompilas could remember winning an open 800 race.

“At least I got the win, but I don’t know if it was worth it,” said Korompilas, referring to his injury. “I couldn’t put my arms out so I just fell right on my face. It was terrible, and it wasn’t a very fast time either.”

At least year’s Mohns Invite, Piker enjoyed a breakthrough by winning discus with a high-school competition-best 159-10. Saturday turned out to be the continuation of strong performances this outdoor season that once again was past the state-qualifying standard of 155-0.

His outdoor season best in shot for second to Andrew sophomore Jarvion Franklin by 6 1/2 inches came with incorporating his spin release similar to the one he uses for discus.

“A 155-11 with a backwind and cold, awful conditions is really good, and then 49-4 in shot was good, too, with the spin,” Piker said.

“The (discus) ring was kind of covered in mud so it was really hard to just stay on balance and stuff, and there was a backwind so it was knocking the disc down if you didn’t lay it out flat enough. Besides that, I thought it was as pretty good day.”

Because of school construction, the discus and shot competition was moved to Downers Grove North, where the Red Devils will compete at sectionals. Both throwing areas were a bit tattered because of competition there in bad conditions for a girls track invitational the night before.

“It’s just good to get practice in like that,” Piker said. “We didn’t even get to throw this week (at Hinsdale Central) because our rings are full of water and our field is full of water. We just lifted hard all week and came out and threw.”

Magnesen and junior Kevin Huang knew they would get a great race in the 3,200 against Mimlitz and York senior Scott Milling, the top seed in the race. As expected, the four quickly established themselves as the frontrunners.

Milling led most of the race, but Magnesen felt good and took over the lead with two laps (800 meters) remaining.

“At the 400 it was fast, but at the 1,600 it was a little bit slow so I decided I would try and take it,” Magnesen said. “I think I did a pretty good job with that. (Hinsdale Central distance coach Jim Westphal) told me it was tactically a good choice. I think it was a good enough decision on my part. I don’t regret it really.”

Magnesen nearly earned the victory, but Mimlitz rode him the final lap before finally passing him with about 45 meters left in a sprint to the finish and winning by .40. Milling (9:48.02) and Huang (9:53.31) were third and fourth.

“Actually I thought it was Milling. I didn’t know who it was (on me). I did feel him,” Magnesen said. “I ended up getting outkicked by a couple of feet, but overall I think it was a good race for me and it was fun out there.

“It would have been nice to win for sure, but I felt pretty confident and I didn’t even have my spikes. I left them at home by accident. I had to wear my racing flats. For the circumstances, and taking the ACT today, it’s been a long day, but I think it ended up being a positive experience.”

The 1,600 also was quite a battle. Keller (4:30.19) and senior Ryan Somerfield (4:30.94) were third and fourth to Lake Park junior Jeremy Lozano (4:27.43) and York junior Nathan Mroz (4:28.98).

The Red Devils’ beat-up sprint crew continues to make progress. The 800 relay improved upon its No. 4 seed with Benak, Kwasigroch, Stiff and Roberts competing together for the first time. Roberts also was fourth in the 200 (23.49).

“We’ve got people that can fill spots nicely anywhere, from the 400 to 100,” Stiff said.

This is Stiff’s first season with Hinsdale Central after transferring from Nazareth Academy and moving to Willowbrook. With the Red Devils, he competed in indoor track since he did not play high-school basketball for the first time.

“This year is my first totally doing track. Track wasn’t my main sport,” Stiff said. “It’s going pretty well. I’m liking it. My form’s been increased a lot. Working indoors really helped me out, getting more time on the track, practicing a little bit more.”

Stiff truly is doing more than he ever imagined. During one of the first days of orientation in the health room, Stiff was introduced to long/triple jump coach Bill Glasner by high jump coach Nick Gebhart.

Stiff now is a long jumper, going 18-9 Saturday, two inches shy of his personal best. His goal for this season is 20 feet.

“They wanted me to jump so I gave it a shot,” Stiff said. “It’s been going pretty well. I’m jumping all right. I just need a little bit more technique work and I think that’ll come with practice.”

The hurdlers also have been hit by the injury bug. Pielet had an interesting challenge as the only varsity regular in the hurdles races.

Fellow senior Alex Conte has missed the last two invites because of a pulled hamstring. Sophomore George Kovar also competed in the 300 intermediate hurdles.

“I don’t really prepare any differently. You come out as an athlete and you just want to perform your best. You don’t feel the pressure when you’re the only one,” Pielet said.

“The only thing that’s different is warming up by yourself. It’s lonely, I guess, but you get through it. As a veteran, you’re used to all types of situations. (And) it’s not like you’re running by yourself. You have people coming to hold your blocks. You have (hurdles coach Ryan Daleen) giving a pep talk before the race, and he reiterates every single time just worry about yourself, focus on what you can do and execute your race and the results will come.”

Pielet did that. He took third in the 110 hurdles, his stronger event, by pulling out that place by only .03. He also was sixth in the 300 hurdles (43.86), although he was disappointed with his time.

“I had a real good (110s) prelim and I felt good, but we had a hard week so I was coming into the meet tired,” Pielet said. “It’s definitely a nice position right now going into the outdoor season. It’s nice to have a good time, a good place and I have momentum going into the next meets and just continuing.”

Senior Gideon Ticho (53.49) and junior Trent Hyland (53.63) were fourth and fifth in the 400. They came back with 53.3 and 53.5 splits, respectively, to join junior Jake Hall and senior Dylan Palo for fourth in the 1,600 relay (3:36.99).

Palo was a late replacement for Korompilas after his injury at the 800 finish and contributed a personal-best 54.7 anchor split. Palo had led off the 3,200 relay with seniors Alec Wohlever and Rajan Khanna and junior Sam MacKenzie that finished fourth (8:36.12).

Benak was fifth in triple jump (40-9) and Greg Betman (5-8 in high jump) and Ian Martell (11-6) were sixth. Arriving late from the ACT, Martell was allowed to compete with the sophomores.

“The one thing that’s hard is when you go against such good competition, you kind of see where you’re at,” Kupres said. “It’s a good way to kind of gauge yourselves, but you don’t get too excited or don’t’ get too disappointed.”

Senior Ryan Smith also reached the finals of the 200 and was eighth (25.82). Smith said he didn’t know he was in the event until he heard his name being announced for the preliminaries. He was fourth in the second of two heats in 26.47 to reach the finals.

“I was over sitting by the high-jump stuff,” Smith said. “I just kind of jogged over there and ran it. And then somehow I made the finals,” Smith said. “I think it did (help me) because sometimes you’re kind of warming up for a while and almost psyching yourself out. And also I was pretty warm already from long jump.”

Smith primarily is a jumper who competes in 200s usually in exhibition races. He competed Saturday in long jump and triple jump.

Kupres said he wanted to enter someone with Roberts in the 200 so that the spot would be available for someone to compete, and the Red Devils never ended up replacing Smith. Smith said his triple jump somewhat was affected by the race since it occurred right after the 200 prelim.

“He did a nice job,” Kupres said. “Ryan is one of those guys who never complains. If you need him somewhere, he’ll do it. If we need a pole vaulter, he’ll grab a pole and try to pole vault.”

Piker had plenty of company with which to share his success with senior throwers Matt Strand-Jordan and Chris Syregelas in those eight-person finals.

Strand-Jordan, the No. 13 seed in shot, moved up to seventh (44-8). Syregelas (118-2 in discus) was eighth.

“It brings us all closer. We’re all good friends because we’re all there together,” Piker said. “It’s just good for all of us. We all work hard. We kind of push each other and work off of each other.”

On top of that, all three throwers made the finals on the sophomore level. Sophomore Tristan Nevotne was third in discus (103-5) and shot (41-7 1/2), Josh Mysliwiec was sixth in discus (100-11 1/2) and Nick Groves was eighth in shot (36-0).

It also helped keep things a bit less lonely for the throwers, who then joined the rest of the team at Downers South after their competition.

“We were kind of really wondering how things were going here,” Nevotne said.

“It was awesome, just the fact that we all got there as a team, a band of brothers. It’s not every day we all make finals. I’ve never had that before and it’s great to see all of us compete with each other.”

Nevotne hopes that it’s a good step forward for him after a pulled muscle forced him to miss the indoor conference meet. Saturday was a personal-best in shot by two feet and a season-best in discus.

He’s thrown discus as far as 120 feet in practice and is hoping to reach 130 this season. His shot goal is 45-0.

“Even as a freshman, I threw farther than (103 feet), but it’s still kind of funny that I placed pretty well. I know after this injury that hopefully I’ll be back to 120,” Nevotne said.

“My friend, (2012 all-stater Ryan Callen, last year) kind of mentored me in shot. Nick’s helped me a lot with my disc. If I really work hard, (throws coach Brian Griffin) said next year and my senior year I have a chance to go to state.”

McBrien and Reilly also rose to the occasion on the sophomore level for event victories.

In the 1,600, McBrien trailed until the final 300 meters, when he put on a strong kick and won comfortable by 3.21 seconds.

“I wanted to win the race by outkicking everyone, which is how the race went down. I didn’t get the start position-wise, but I started to move up to second or third and by the last lap and just finish strong,” McBrien said.

McBrien was 4.34 seconds past his pre-meet time goal of 4:40 but he was happy that he was able to stay with the leaders when they took the first 400 in 1:02, three seconds faster than McBrien. His 800 split was 2:20.

“Looking forward, I want to break 4:40, even to go 4:35 by the end of the season,” McBrien said. “It was a good race and it also keeps me optimistic about my future races in the 800 and 3,200. It wasn’t my fastest time, but it’s good to know that I can race well.”

Reilly and Burke gave the Red Devils a great 1-3 finish in the 400. Reilly (54.16) won by .82 and Burke was third (55.59).

“That’s my favorite race for sure. It’s fun,” said Reilly, who entered as the top seed. “I was pretty confident coming into it. It was my first open 400 outdoors. It was good to get a feel of an outdoor track after being indoors for so long.”

Reilly often also competes in the 1,600 relay, but on Saturday he competed in the 200, the preceding event, and was second to Plainfield Central’s Kahmari Montgomery (23.26) by .78. The 1,600 relay still coasted to victory by 4.05 seconds over Plainfield Central.

Reilly almost was as excited, if not more, by his 200 finish than winning the 400.

“Probably, because it’s a new race (for me). I’m used to running the 400 and winning. It’s just fun to do something different,” Reilly said.

“I was in third and then I caught up to the guy in the last 100 so I was pretty happy about that. It’s a fun race. It’s different than a 4-by-400. They’re both fun. I don’t know which one is my favorite. It’s hard to say.”

The 3,200 relay of Sean O’Flaherty, Nathan Hill, Max Maydanchik and Josh Feldman (9:11.90) was third.

Hill’s 2:15.5 split was a lifetime best and team best Saturday. Hill, a freshman who joined the team after the indoor season, competed in his second meet with the Red Devils.

“I’m training hard and learning a lot from my coaches, and it’s gone well so far. I’m really enjoying it,” Hill said. “I played soccer throughout the winter and I really wanted to try out track because I’ve heard really good things about it.”

Hill competed in track at Hinsdale Middle School as a seventh grader, winning the 800 conference title in roughly 2:27, but not in eighth grade. A freshman soccer player for Hinsdale Central in the fall, Hill still is busy with club soccer this spring.

“That’s hard. I think that I probably ran like 10 miles (the other day). My feet were burning after that,” Hill said.

The 800 relay of Jack Breslin, Alex Wang, Cherry and Zach Hedayat was fourth (1:40.21), Gartner was fifth in the 800 (2:11.28), Hedayat (18-2 1/2) and Wang (17-7) were fifth and sixth in long jump and Kareem Muhammad (100 in 12.38), Matt Tobia (3,200 in 10:51.63) and Hedayat (35-2 in triple jump) were sixth. Garvin Hoch also reached the 100 finals (8th, 12.50).

Hedayat had his best jumping day so far with personal bests by at least a foot. He actually had two 18-2 1/2 long jumps, one in prelims and finals, as well as others in the 17s.

“It felt good. It felt like a perfect jump. By far, it was a really good day,” Hedayat said.

“I think it just all came together today, the popping up and bringing my hands back. I was getting my feet out as far as I possibly could, and I was hitting the board well, too. It came together today.”

Hedayat was a jumper as a freshman but rarely in invites. That’s changed this season with last year’s standouts, Benak and 2012 triple jump state qualifier Nkemjika Nwosu, now juniors on varsity full-time.

“I have improved (also),” Hedayat said. “I’m in football so I’ve been lifting a lot and trying to get stronger and stuff so I think that kind of helps. And I’ve been working more on my form, too.”

Hedayat also helped the sprint relays to their typical strong finishes even though he wasn’t wearing his usual headband.

“I forgot it today, left it at my house,” Hedayat said. “I just wanted to wear it one time and I just kept doing it. I just like wearing it.”

Hinsdale Central Boy’s Track & Field

Outdoor Track Outlook

April 2013

By: Bill Stone

Hinsdale Central Boy’s Track & Field

WSC Indoor Conference

March 16, 2013

By: Bill Stone

Senior Gideon Ticho has needed to make the most of the Hinsdale Central boys indoor track team’s three meets this season at Proviso West.

“Actually, I haven’t run any meets this year except at Proviso West because I’ve been injured or sick for all of the other meets,” Ticho said. “It’s been kind of a weird coincidence.” Ticho continued another trend upon his return to Proviso West Friday for the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Indoor Meet. He ran another season-best time in the 400-meter dash to finish fourth in

52.96 seconds fully-automatic time.

The Red Devils finished fifth on the varsity level (52 points) and fourth on the sophomore level (83 points) with four event champions and two sophomore-level indoor school records.

The varsity had three third-place finishes from junior James Benak (40 feet-11 inches in triple jump), junior Kevin Huang in the 1,600 (4:32.30) and the 3,200 relay of Huang and seniors Jack Keller, Ryan

Somerfield and Mike Korompilas (8:09.85).

Besides Ticho, also taking fourth were junior Billy Magnesen in the 3,200 (9:29.94) and 1,600 (season-best 4:32.75) and seniors Alex Conte (55 low hurdles in season-best 7.67), Phil Pielet (55 high hurdles in personal-best 8.33) and Nick Piker (46-7 in shot put). As the No. 6 seed for the 400, Ticho ran on the outside lane in the faster heat. He improved upon his 53.73 that took fifth at the Proviso West Invite Feb. 23.

Ticho came back to anchor the fifth-place 1,600 relay with Nigel Gachira, Trent Hyland and Jake Hall (3:41.67). “Maybe if I had a better lane, I might have had a chance to get a (top-three 400) medal instead of a ribbon. It is what it is. I ran a pretty good time. I put myself in a good position,” Ticho said. “I’m really hoping to try to get to state in one event or the other. Or maybe even being an alternate for the (3,200 relay).”

Ticho also will have an interesting spring academically. Last year, he scored a perfect 36 on his American College Test but is still waiting to hear from most of the schools to which he applied. He plans to major in biology. “I actually still have nine schools to hear back from. For a while, when I hadn’t even heard back from one, it was kind of nerveracking, but once I got the first one back (from the University of Illinois), I was able to relax a little bit,” Ticho said. “I don’t really think I sacrifice one for the other (athletics for academics). I think it’s kind of a privilege to be able to do really well in both of them because that’s something that not a lot of people get to experience. I feel really lucky be able to do that.” The 3,200 relay had its sights set on winning and ultimately the 8:00.98 indoor school record from 1998. They came fewer than two seconds from winning in a competitive field behind Lyons Township (8:07.91) and Downers Grove North (8:08.41).

“We gave it our all out there,” Somerfield said. “It definitely was a positive seeing that we could be with the other top teams in conference. We’re all just going to try and work so much harder so we can close that and ultimately win outdoor conference like we did last year. I know we’ll improve so much (outdoors) because that’s been the trend that we’ve had the last couple of years.”

Huang continued the momentum in the 1,600, where he and Magnesen finished 3-4 behind Downers North junior Zach Smith (4:25.60) and York senior Chris May (4:26.79), who apparently elbowed Huang during the congested opening laps. Huang had only run the 1,600 once before this season at the Proviso West Quad Feb. 15 in 4:40. Huang received a huge lift from Magnesen, who previously had competed in the 3,200.

“When he made his move, I knew I had to go with him,” Huang said. “At one point, he passed (York senior cross country all-stater) Scott Milling. I was like, ‘Oh jeez. Am I capable of doing this?’ and (distance coach Jim Westphal) said, ‘You have to go. This is your chance.’ I had to go and stick with Billy and I’m glad I really did. “To be honest, Billy had a gap at the kick. It’s been one of my goals all season to beat him in a race. Right at the end, I just got him by 5 meters or so.” Huang ran the 3,200 relay and 1,600 several times last year on the frosh-soph level. He overcame an injury at the start of cross country to compete again with the team at state. Now he’s feeling near full strength after battling tendinitis in his knee during January. “My coaches and teammates pulled me along. I’m glad I’m able to come back pretty strong,” Huang said. “My (1,600) goal was just to actually stick with Billy, which mostly happened. I finally PRed in this race and things went pretty well.”

Benak continued the momentum of a lifetime-best 41-10 1/2 March 1 at home to improve upon fourth in triple jump at the indoor Silver Meet on the sophomore level in 2012 behind three sophomores. The two seniors who beat him jumped beyond Benak’s best – Oak Park-River Forest’s Samora Nesbitt (43-7) and York’s Suraj Varghese (41-11). Benak’s finish was even more important since junior teammate and No. 2 seed Nkemjika Nwosu, just back from a hamstring injury, did not compete.

Magnesen also rose to the occasion with his first distance double. In the 3,200, he was 2.37 seconds from third (9:27.57) and just missed his 9:28.29 at the Proviso West Invite. In the 1,600, he beat his sixth-seeded 4:34.5 and was .45 behind Huang. “I tried to stay with the front group as long as possible (in the 3,200). I knew it was some of the best runners in the state I was running with,” Magnesen said. “Towards the end, I just got beat. The race was not to my strategy because it was faster than slower and alternating and I prefer more of a smooth pace.

“The 1,600 definitely felt better. I might have been tight or nervous going into the 3,200. During the 1,600, I felt more confident racing. Even though I fell behind a little earlier, I was able to work my way back to the front pack. It was better pace-wise and smoother.”

Among the Silver’s other top distance runners who doubled, Milling won the 3,200 (9:23.91) and was sixth in the 1,600 (4:34.34) and LT senior Michael Matusiak was fifth in the 3,200 (9:34.19), 4.25 seconds behind Magnesen, and seventh in the 1,600 (4:42.62). The day before, Magnesen talked with visiting former Hinsdale Central distance standout and all-stater Billy Fayette, who now competes for Wake Forest University. Following the Silver Meet, Magnesen visited. Wake Forest and met its track coaches and visited Duke and North Carolina. “Billy said, ‘Focus on the 3,200. Don’t even worry about the 1,600,’ ”Magnesen said. “That’s what I tried to do, get through the 3,200 and the rest of the meet would be easier. I don’t know if I believed that, but it definitely helped going into the (1,600).”

Piker was coming off a season-best 51-1 in shot March 8 to earn the No. 3 seed, but he struggled Friday. Even a 48 would have earned third, but Piker would have needed a significant season-best to catch LT seniors Jimmy Mitchell (54-5 1/2) and Nick Demes (53-5 1/2). “I kept fighting to stay in the ring, all 51-foot throws, five fouls (out of six attempts),” Piker said. “That would have got me third. I just couldn’t stay in the ring today. That’s all it was. “I’ve been hitting the marks in practice and everything. It’s just staying in the ring in practice and here is something I need to do now. I fouled my first throw so I had to get one throw in (to make finals for sure) and I think that kind of messed me up, took me out of my rhythm. But discus starts soon. I’m going to be an optimist here.”

Senior shot teammate Matt Strand-Jordan also is optimistic about the outdoor season. He finished fifth with a career-best 45-4 1/2, more than two feet beyond his No. 7-seed, previous best of 42-10 1/2, which would have placed eighth Friday. “I was kind of caught off guard myself, actually. In practice, I’ve been throwing (45s), but I didn’t know if I could do it at the meet,”Strand-Jordan said. “I was just in the zone. I don’t know how to explain it. I was feeling it.” Strand-Jordan, sidelined by a knee injury all of last season, came out strong with the 45-4 1/2 on his second throw. He also unleashed a 44-footer on his first throw in finals, which gave him fifth on a second-best throw tiebreaker with York senior Glenn Morgan.

“I didn’t think I was going to place that high because I was seeded kind of low. I wanted at least fourth, but I’ll take fifth. I wanted to place,” Strand-Jordan said. “(Last season) I took a helmet to my knee in football and don’t have any cartilage left in my knee. I was the 1 percent that surgery doesn’t work on. That makes my leg kind of tired so I started to run out of gas towards the end, though I seized fifth on my fourth throw.”

The strong hurdles season continued with Conte in the 55 lows and Pielet and junior Victor Ciardelli (8.45) finishing 4-5 in the 55 highs. Gachira (600 in 1:27.99) and Hall (800 in 2:04.70) were sixth with season bests. Last year, Pielet was eighth in the 55 highs and Ciardelli was third in the 55 highs on the sophomore level and didn’t make the 55 lows final. On Friday, Pielet was disappointed with his preliminary 8.48, the sixth fastest time. He spent the time before the final improving his block start with first-year hurdles coach Ryan Daleen, the defending indoor Silver champion in the event (7.60). “I think with the 55 (hurdles), definitely there’s a difference with the start a lot of times. I was out of the blocks quicker with more power and then I just ran my race and executed well,” Pielet said.

The 800 relay (Teddy Kwasigroch, Conte, Kyle Stiff, Grady Tomlinson in 1:38.50) also was fifth. Conte and Hall were replacements in the 800 and 1,600 relays for junior Derek Roberts, who was out with the flu. On the sophomore level, the Red Devils enjoyed plenty of success.

Four individuals won Silver titles – sophomore James Reilly’s sophomore indoor school-record 53.43 for the 400 and sophomore Matt Tobia (1,600 in 4:42.18) and freshmen Matt Hillock (personal-best 5-8 in high jump) and Tyshaun Hamilton (800 in 2:10.01), all with personal bests.

The 1,600 relay with freshman Matt Cherry, Hamilton, sophomore Griffin Gartner and Reilly (3:42.16) was second to LT (3:39.54) but also set a sophomore indoor school record.

Reilly, who won the 400 by .45, beat Mark Gragg’s 53.5 manual record (53.74 converted) from 1985. The 1,600 relay edged the 2009 record of 3:42.8 (3:43.04 converted). That relay lineup included Ben Cherry, Matt’s older brother. “It was so much fun. I was so happy. It was awesome. It’s hard to put into words,” Reilly said. “For the 400, I was happier about the individual (record), but also I was so happy about the (1,600 relay). I didn’t even think we were going to get that, but we did. Leaving the track, (assistant coach John Snee) told me to go check the time (on the school record board) and we found out we did beat it. By far, (it was) the best track day I’ve ever had.”

In his last trip to Proviso West, Reilly also had a great day with victories in the same two events. He beat that then personal-best time by .93 Friday to maintain his spot as the No. 1 seed.“I was nervous the whole week,” Reilly said. “I just kind of wanted to get close to 53.5, which was the sophomore record. I didn’t think I actually beat it, though, so I was happy I was able to beat it. After the race, I was so happy. When (my friends) told me that (I broke the record), I didn’t believe them.”

The 1,600 relay was impressive on many fronts. Gartner, a first-year track runner, literally was a last-minute replacement for sophomore Kealon Burke after he didn’t fell well following his 600. Burke (1:31.01) and Gartner (1:31.15) had finished second and third in the 600 to LT freshman Nick Hojnar (1:29.84). “It happened like five minutes before the race so we were nervous how we were going to do,” Reilly said. “It was a nice job by (Gartner). He came in and I’d never run with him. I had never seen him run much because he’s new this year, but he did really well.”

Although Hinsdale Central was basically guaranteed second when Reilly received the baton, barring a miracle or disaster, his sustained effort on the anchor leg secured the record. “It was pretty tough, being how far ahead LT was, but I still had to keep trying. I was thinking, ‘I’ve still got to finish no matter what,’ “ Reilly said. Hamilton also had an exciting victory in the 800 after taking charge from the outset to win by .8. Hamilton won the Proviso West Invite but was 1.67 slower after letting another runner dictate the early pace. On Friday, he followed the lap plan of assistant coach Noah Lawrence with a 1:02 at the halfway point, but his third lap was 34 seconds, four seconds slower than planned. “I really tried to push myself. (Lawrence) was telling me to pick it up because the third lap is always the hardest lap in the 800,”Hamilton said. “It was a good victory. I went out into the lead from the beginning. I PRed by one second, not too good. It’s a victory so I’m happy with that and it’s sophomore conference as well and I’m a freshman so I’m happy about that.” Hamilton also enjoyed a moral victory. In the fall, he was one of the top Silver runners on the freshman level and was disappointed that he only finished 15th at the conference meet, barely getting one of the last individual all-conference spots. “I’m actually relieved (after Friday). During big meets I kind of choke a lot. Even in eighth grade (in New York) when we had Junior Olympics, I dropped the baton in the (3,200 relay),” Hamilton said. “I tried not to get as nervous as I usually do. I tried to stay more relaxed.”

Tobia had no time to be nervous. He was correctly following his warm-up regimen for the 3,200, but the race time ended up being sooner than originally stated. “I was doing strides right before the race. (Lawrence) just ran over and said the race is starting and I was on the line in like a minute. I didn’t feel that prepared,” Tobia said.He still raced like the No. 1 seed, getting out fast among the leaders. Tobia tried to stay behind York’s second-seeded Nathan Dale before Downers North sophomores Ryan Clevenger and Zach Christensen began pushing the pace and took over the lead. “I was just trying to hold on because I wasn’t feeling that good while I was out there,” Tobia said. “The last 400, I just decided to go for it, and I got into the lead and then no one was able to catch me in the kick.” Tobia won by 2.34 seconds over Clevenger (4:44.50) with Christensen third (4:45.31). Tobia used a similar strategy in winning the 1-mile run at the Proviso West Invite. Dale and Christensen were fourth and eighth in that race.

“I think (that victory) helped a lot because that was like my first big win and showed me I can keep up with the actual good people. I just decided to stay with them in the race and I ended up winning,” Tobia said. “I was really surprised that I won (Friday), but I knew I should be with the top four. I just want to see how well I can do now (outdoors).”

Hillock truly was surprised that he won the Silver title in high jump. “Actually going into it, I thought it was a regular meet,” Hillock said. “I didn’t know it was conference. That could have helped.” In his first year of track, Hillock cleared his personal best of 5-8 on his first attempt, which won a tiebreaker with Oak Park-River Forest sophomore KeJuan Ratcliff after both missed at 5-10. Hillock cleared 5-8 in the Feb. 8 season opener but hadn’t since until Friday. “(You) just picture yourself going over the bar. It can be intimidating, it’s so high, but that’s it,” Hillock said.

Hillock nearly didn’t join track, but he was persuaded by jumps coach Nick Gebhart after he noticed him playing basketball at the school. “I had no interest in it (previously). I tried it out and kind of liked it,” Hillock said. “I don’t really have the technique down. I’m pretty raw, but I’m learning. I hope to do some running events (outdoors).”

Matt McBrien (10:05.12) and Nick Tandle (10:17.58) made huge time drops from their seeds for second and fifth in the 3,200 to Glenbard West’s Paul Christian (9:58.96). Steven Chun tied for fourth in pole vault (8-6), and Alex Wang was fifth in the triple jump (36-9 3/4) and long jump (17-10) with season bests. The 800 relay (Cherry, Antonio Diaz, Zach Hedayat, Kareem Muhammad in 1:40.02) also was fifth, and Jake Guth (55 low hurdles in 9.35), Muhammad (55 in 6.95) and the 3,200 relay (Josh Feldman, Sean O’Flaherty, Max Maydanchik, George Kovar in 9:18.59) were sixth.

Hinsdale Central Boy’s Track & Field

Hinsdale South Quad

March 8, 2013

By: Bill Stone

Hinsdale Central senior Dylan Palo’s victory in the 800-meter run March 8 at Hinsdale South had an extra benefit.

Palo earned himself a spot in the West Suburban Conference SilverDivision Indoor Meet in the event thanks to his victory in the Red Devils’ final regular-season indoor meet.

The Red Devils (40 points) finished behind the host Hornets (95),Downers Grove South (66) and Downers Grove North (43).

The 800 and senior Nick Piker’s season-best 51 feet-1 inch for shotput were the lone victories for the Red Devils, who had much of their lineup train through the quad in preparation for the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Indoor Meet Friday, March 15, at Proviso West.

Palo (2:12.3) finished just ahead of teammates Alec Wohlever (2:13.8)and Rajan Khanna (2:15.6) to join junior Jake Hall in the conference lineup. Wohlever, making his season debut, led most of the race until the final lap.

“We were all just right there in the pack. It was just basically everybody was waiting for that last lap to go for the kick,” Palo said. “It was an all right race. I felt like I could have gone faster. I should have taken the pace. It was a lot more strategic because it was at Hinsdale South. No one gets that good of times there.”

James Benak was second in long jump (17-8 3/4) and third in triple jump (38-0), and Sham Muhammad was second in high jump (5-10). Rokas Venckus (200 in 25.35) and the 1,600 relay (Champ Davis, Griffin Gartner, Alec Johnson and Cusick in 4:07.9) and 4-lap relay (Ryan Smith, Steven Tyson, Davis, Venckus in 1:26.0) were third.

The Red Devils also dominated the 800 at the sophomore level. Hinsdale Central (66 points) finished behind the host Hornets (100) while defeating Downers Grove South (43) and Downers Grove North (41).

Michael Gates (2:26.7), Chris Brenk (2:27.0) and Andrew Irvine(2:27.2) were first through third in the 800.

Yuji Cusick (600 in 1:42.3), high jumper Matt Hillock (6-4) and the 1,600 relay of Griffin Gartner, Alec Johnson, Donald Kwasigroch and Cusick (4:06.3) also were event winners.

The 4-lap relay (Jake Corcoran, Kwasigroch, Dane Miller, Sam Saltaielin 1:27.3) was second. Eyad Hamad was third in the 400 (59.1) and triple jump (31-1/2) and Alex Wang was third in the 55 (7.2) and long jump (16-6 1/2).

Hinsdale Central Boy’s Track & Field

Friday Open

March 1, 2013

By: Bill Stone

After graduating a strong senior class of hurdlers, Hinsdale Central senior Philip Pielet finds himself in a new role.“It’s weird. They were the leaders for two years. We didn’t have any seniors (my sophomore year),” Pielet said. “Not having that leadership, sometimes I’m looking around and I’m like (I need to do that). The freshmen don’t know the routine yet. I’m accepting it. I’m enjoying it. Across the board, we’re pretty young as a team.”

With a slightly different look, the Red Devils still are enjoying thesame hurdling success. On Friday, March 1, they swept first place inthe 55-meter high and low hurdles as the Red Devils easily won their

six-team home meet.

Hinsdale Central won with 177.5 points, followed by Marmion (137.16 points), Benet (97.5), Fenwick (61.83), Westmont (29) and Solorio Academy (none).

In fact, the Red Devils finished 1-2 in both hurdles races with junior Victor Ciardelli (8.1) and Pielet (8.5) in the 55 highs and senior Alex Conte (7.4) and Ciardelli (7.7) in the 55 lows.

Other event winners were Nigel Gachira (800 in 2:12.9), Mike Korompilas (600 in 1:29.9), James Benak (41-10 1/2 in triple jump), Nkemjika Nwosu (20-2 1/2 in long jump) and Nick Piker (49-9 in shot

put) and the 4-lap relay (Derek Roberts, Conte, Kyle Stiff, Grady Tomlinson in 1:19.8).

“We feel pretty confident (as hurdlers). It’s kind of like last year where we could throw any two people into the race and expect us totake 1-2,” Pielet said.

Also taking second were Greg Betman (5-6 in high jump), Tom Saviski(3,200 in 10:58.1) and Nwosu (55 in 6.7). Ryan Smith (19-1 in long jump), Stiff (200 in 25.5) and the 3,200 relay (Billy Magnesen, TJ Caveney, Sam MacKenzie, Aria Darbandi in 8:52.7) were third.

The Red Devils could have accomplished even more as hurdlers but couldonly enter two per event. In the 55 lows, Pielet ran an exhibitiontime comparable to Ciardelli, which would have given Hinsdale Central the top three places.

Ciardelli was excited about his 55 high hurdles victory by .4. He and Conte especially have their sights set on qualifying for state in the 300 intermediate hurdles.

“I’m getting better, but I think I should be running a lot better than I have been. I want to compete for the conference championships indoors but I also want to make state outdoors,” Ciardelli said.

“Alex has always been a great friend of mine. We have this little competitiveness and we try to push each other harder. I totally want to beat him in the indoor and outdoor. I love the kid to death, but I just want to beat him so bad. It doesn’t really matter who I’m racing. I just kind of want to win.”

Last year’s hurdles lineup was led by graduated Ryan Daleen, Reed Wigley, Zane Ziesmer and Conor Awick. This year, there’s an interesting twist.

Daleen is now an assistant coach in charge of the hurdlers after former assistant coach Wes Wheeler left to coach out of state. To help continuity, Daleen said he has continued most of Wheeler’s training

principles.

“It’s so different with the seniors gone. I miss them a lot, but it’s nice to have Ryan back. He’s taught me a lot this season,” Ciardelli said. “It’s hurt our team not having Coach Wheeler, but it’s also great having Ryan. Ryan’s a great athlete and a good coach. He just doesn’t have as much experience.”

In triple jump, Benak enjoyed a personal best by more than a foot with a 41-10 1/2 on his second attempt. His previous best was 40-9 1/2, which earned second on the sophomore level at the 2012 outdoor

conference meet.

“That was nice. I could tell it was going to be a good jump as soon as I took off on my second phase. I felt I was getting a lot more air than I used to get,” Benak said.

Hinsdale Central also won on the sophomore level (210 points), finishing well ahead of Benet (110), Fenwick (85), Marmion (46),Solorio (17) and Westmont (5).

Matt Hillock (5-4 in high jump), Steven Chun (9-6 in pole vault), James Reilly (600 in 1:34.8), Kareem Muhammad (55 in 6.8) and Nick Tandle (1,600 in 5:03.4) and were event champions, and Tyshaun

Hamilton and Matt Cherry shared top honors for the 400 (57.0).

The Red Devils also swept all three relays – the 3,200 (Matt McBrien, Matt Tobia, Sean O’Flaherty, Michael Gates in 9:19.9), 4-lap (Jack Breslin, Antonio Diaz, Cherry, Jake Corcoran in 1:23.4) and the 1,600

(Hamilton, McBrien, Tobia, Gates in 3:59.0).

The Red Devils placed 1-2 in the 55 with Muhammad and Alex Wang (7.0) and 600 with Reilly and Kealon Burke (1:35.1). Wang also was second in triple jump (36-4) and Muhammad also was second in the 200 (25.8) and

high jump (4-10). Other second-place finishers were Tristan Nevotne (39-6 in shot put), Griffin Gartner (800 in 2:17.2) and Garvin Hoch (55 low hurdles in 8.3).

Muhammad was excited about running a personal-best time in winning the 55.

“It’s good. It’s friendly. I just like running,” Muhammad said. “I feel pretty good because I usually win the 55. In the 200, I usually come in second because it’s tiring at the very end to run through and I need to work on that.”

Muhammad competed in track at Butler Junior High. He’s received a boost from his older brother and teammate, Sham, a junior, who got him a chance to prove himself in the top sprint group.

Besides the 55 and 200, Kareem has been competing in high jump and

long jump, where he finished third (16-10 1/2). “(Sham) showed me some people (on the team). He told the coach (Alex Perkowski) that I should be on this squad, too, because I was in the other (sprint) group and said I was fast enough to be in this group,” Muhammad said.

Now Muhammad has his eye on the freshman school record of 6.6 set by Perkowski in 2001. “I want to take down Perk’s records,” Muhammad said.

Tandle won the 1,600 by 5.1 seconds over Benet’s Jack Tuttle but was a bit disappointed that he missed his personal record of 4:55 from a team time trial. Andrew Irvine was third (5:18.6). When Tuttle moved over a lane to lap a runner near the end of the race, Tandle zipped in between to take the lead to stay.

“He went out into Lane 2. I just slipped right through,” Tandle said. “It was really nice to be in that great of a position. I should have gone around the guy sooner, but I was just so happy with the position I was in. I really didn’t want to leave it I guess.”

Also taking third were Jake Guth (55 high hurdles in 11.4), McBrien (3,200 in 2:18.9) and Diaz (200 in 26.1). Fourth-place finishers were Garrett Schmidt (1,600 in 5:18.9), Eyad Hamad (16-5 in long jump) and

Alex Domiano (800 in 2:20.9) in his season debut.

Hinsdale Central Boy’s Track & Field

Friday Open

March 1, 2013

By: Bill Stone

The Hinsdale Central boys indoor track team dominated both levels during its six-team homemeet Friday, March 1.The varsity won with 177.5 points, followed by Marmion (137.16 points),Benet (97.5), Fenwick (61.83), Westmont (29) and Solorio Academy.Event champions were Victor Ciardelli (55 high hurdles in 8.1), Alex Conte (55 low hurdles in 7.4), Nigel Gachira (800 in 2:12.9), Mike Korompilas (600 in 1:29.9), James Benak (41-10 1/2 in triple jump), NkemjikNw (20-2 1/2 in long jump) and Nick Piker (49-9 in shotput) and the 4-lap relay (Derek Roberts,

Conte, Kyle Stiff, Grady Tomlinson in 1:19.8).

The Red Devils swept the top four places in the 600 with Korompilas, Kevin Huang (1:30.3), Ryan Somerfield (1:30.9) and Jack Keller (1:31.3). Somerfield, Korompilas, Keller and Dylan Palocame

back to take third in the 1,600 relay (3:51.2).

Hinsdale Central also went 1-2 in the 55 high hurdles with Ciardelli and Philip Pielet (8.5) and the 55 lows with Conte and Ciardelli (7.7). Also taking second were Greg Betman (5-6 in high jump), Tom Saviski (3,200 in 10:58.1) and Nwosu (55 in 6.7). Ryan Smith (19-1 in long jump), Stiff (200 in 25.5) and the 3,200 relay (Billy Magnesen, TJ Caveney, Sam MacKenzie, Aria Darbandi in 8:52.7) were third.

On the sophomore level, Hinsdale Central (210 points) finished well ahead of Benet (110),

Fenwick (85), Marmion (46), Solorio (17) and Westmont (5).

Matt Hillock (5-4 in high jump), Steven Chun (9-6 in pole vault), James Reilly (600 in 1:34.8), Kareem Muhamad (55 in 6.8) and Nick Tandle (1,600 in 5:03.4) and were event champions, and Tyshaun Hamilton and Matt Cherry shared top honors for the 400 (57.0).

The Red Devils placed 1-2 in the 55 with Muhamad and Alex Wang (7.0) and 600 with Reilly and Kealon Burke (1:35.1). Wang also was second in triple jump (36-4) and Muhamad also was second in the 200 (25.8) and high jump (4-10). Other second-place finishers were Tristan Nevotne

(39-6 in shot put), Griffin Gartner (800 in 2:17.2) and Garvin Hoch (55 low hurdles in 8.3).

Hinsdale Central Boy’s Track & Field

Mustang Relays

February 25, 2013

By: Bill Stone

Since last boys track season, Hinsdale Central senior Jack Keller has improved so much that he nearly made the lineup for the boys cross

country team at the Class 3A state meet in November. Now he’s in the thick of contention in helping the Red Devils make a return to the 3A state boys track finals in the 3,200-meter relay.

On Feb. 25, the Red Devils’ 3,200 relay of junior Kevin Huang, Keller and seniors Ryan Somerfield and Mike Korompilas ran a season-best 8 minutes, 8.29 seconds fully-automatic time in taking fifth at Downers Grove South’s annual Mustang Relays at North Central College.

Keller ran a personal-best 2:02 split on the second leg. “It’s a good feeling. Not a lot of people expected me to be here. I’ve

been working, trying to get this,” Keller said. “I got a really solid base in, running cross country especially this

summer so I built on that over the winter and it’s finally starting to pay off in big ways. I was really close to top seven (in cross

country) and then I didn’t get it so that was an extra motivation. I knew I could get there. I just needed to put in some more and now it’s

paying off.”

The Red Devils’ 800 relay of junior Nkemjika Nwosu, senior Alex Conte and juniors Derek Roberts and James Benak finished 11th (1:35.88) at the invite, which only had boys and girls races in the 3,200, 800 and 1,600 relays. At the 2012 state meet, Korompilas was the lone underclassmen in the Red Devils’ 3,200 relay, which reached the state finals and finished 11th (7:55.41), 1.95 seconds from the ninth and final all-state spot, after a season-best 7:51.83 in the state preliminaries. Somerfield ran on the relay at sectionals.

Korompilas was the anchor at the state finals. He ran a team-best 2:00.5 anchor split at the Mustang Relays to give them fifth place in the fastest-seeded of three heats, thousandths of a second ahead of sixth-place Lane Tech. Sandburg won in 8:02.08.

“Ryan said before the race, and actually predicted (we’d run) around 8:08,” Korompilas said. “That’s where we wanted to be as a team. We

did good overall, but we have a lot of work ahead of us.”

Just two days earlier at the Proviso West Invite, the Red Devils ran a third-place 8:14.69 with a lineup of Somerfield, Keller, junior Jake Hall and Huang. Before that invite, Korompilas hadn’t competed at all because of illness. He ran one race, the 800, and posted a sixth-place 2:03.19 to earn a chance to race at North Central.

“Having Mike join the squad for us with a big finishing leg really helped us out,” Somerfield said. “Last year we ran 8:17 at the Proviso West Invite. I knew with the competition at this meet, we’d be able to show some big improvements.” At Proviso West, Huang was the anchor, as he usually was last year on the sophomore level, and ran a team-best and personal-best 2:02.1 split.

“Ryan gave me some tips on (leading off). He just told me to get out fast. I might have gotten a bit too fast in the beginning, but it’s

just things to work on,” Huang said. “The week before (the Proviso West Invite), I didn’t have the best race. I’m still coming off an injury so I wasn’t really too sure about myself but running a 2:02, it’s just a huge confidence booster for me.”

The Red Devils’ ultimate indoor goal would be to break the indoor school record of 8:00.98 from 1998, when Hinsdale Central eventually

finished second in the 3,200 relay at state in 7:50.53, .52 behind state champion Schaumburg.

Even coming back so quickly from Saturday, Keller dropped his split by 1.6 seconds from Proviso West and Somerfield dropped from 2:04.3 to 2:02.6. Huang’s leadoff split was 2:03. “I think it gave us some confidence that we could run fast and hang with some top teams, but I think we were feeling it a little bit today (from Proviso West),” Keller said. “I got out as fast as I could. I got gapped a little bit so I’ve got to work on my speed. We’ll get the speed (from our workouts).”

What could get them over the top is the team possesses several strong 800 runners. Besides the past two lineups, other early contenders include junior Nigel Gachira and senior Alec Wohlever, who currently is recovering from an injury. Hall was the team’s alternate for the Mustang Relays. “(Keller) definitely deserves to be here. Through all of the training that he’s put in throughout the summer, cross country, it’sridiculous,” Korompilas said. “(And) we still have guys who arelooking to make this, which will only make us four run even faster because people are competing for these spots.”

The 800 relay did well with a makeshift lineup as some sprinters continue working their way back from injuries. Seeded in the fourth of six heats, the Red Devils took second to Lane Tech (1:35.28), which finished 10th overall. Bloom Township won in 1:32.19.

Conte and Roberts were the only two Red Devils to also compete with the 800 relay at the Proviso West Invite. They only ran 1:38.15, mainly because of two bad handoffs, but still finished sixth. “I think we ran pretty well. Like (sprints coach Alex Perkowski) said, we still have some things to work on,” Benak said. “I know I have to improve my form a lot.”

Benak, perhaps more known for his jumping abilities, has figuratively jumped into the sprinting lineup recently. At the Proviso West Invite, he and junior Pat Callahan were last-minute substitutes in the 200. Benak’s 24.76 was good enough to join the relay at North Central.

“(Perkowski) just called me over and said, ‘What are you doing? Would you like to run a 200?’ I said, ‘Yeah, sure I’ll run it,’ ” Benak said. “The 200 is actually my favorite race. In middle school (for Clarendon Hills Middle School), I actually raced Derek Roberts in conference. He got second place in eighth grade (for Hinsdale Middle School), and I got third place.” Conte is working on balancing sprints with hurdling, especially the 300 intermediate hurdles, a race in which he just missed qualifying for state in 2012. The 300 hurdles is two events after the 800 relay and three events before the 1,600 relay.

“What I’m trying to incorporate is how to get three events in without getting tired,” Conte said. “If I’m not doing the 110 (high hurdles), then maybe the 400 relay (is an option). The (800 relay), I think, is a little too close to the 300 hurdles. That’s what we do in a hard workout. It’ll be tough. We’ll see what shape I’m in by (sectionals).” Nwosu returned to the lineup after injuring his hamstring during the Feb. 21 home meet. He sat out the Proviso West Invite. “I haven’t felt this tired in a 200 before so it felt really nice. I still gave (the baton) in first place so I’m feeling good,” Nwosu said

Congratulations to our individual champions from the Proviso West Invitational

James Riley - 1st place Sophomore level - 400 dash (54.36)

Tyshaun Hamilton - 1st place Sophomore level - 800 run (2:11.68)

Matt Tobia - 1st place Sophomore level - Mile run (4:46.92)

Kealon Burke, Matt Cherry, Zach Hedayat, James Riley - 1st place Sophmore level - 4*400 relay (3:45.34)

48^th Annual

Proviso West

Boy’s Track & Field Invite

By: Bill Stone

Hinsdale Central junior Billy Magnesen is coming off a strong boys cross country season as the top runner for the Red Devils’state-qualifying who just missed individual all-state honors. Based on his first 3,200-meter run of the indoor track season at the 48th annual Proviso West Invitational Feb. 23, Magnesen won’t have to wait too long for another chance at all-state honors. Magnesen finished third in a talented field in a personal-best time of 9:28.29 fully-automatic time. At sectionals, Magnesen will need a top-two finish or another race under the FAT state-qualifying standard of 9:29.04 to qualify for state. “This is my favorite (track) race. I was happy to be able to run in such a good meet with so much competition,” Magnesen said. “When there’s that much competition, you know they’re going to push you as far as you can go. I was just trying to hang on. I knew I was going to get a pretty good time.”

The Red Devils finished 10th out of 15 teams with 16 points. The sophomore team was fifth with 58 points, 4.5 points behind fourth-place Lyons Township, with four event champions. The field of teams included West Suburban Conference Silver Division rivals LT, York, Downers Grove North and the host Panthers as well as perennial powers Lake Park, Neuqua Valley and Wheaton North.

The varsity 3,200-meter relay of Ryan Somerfield, Jack Keller, Jake Hall and Kevin Huang finished a strong third (8:14.69) to LT (8:10.98) and York (8:11.05).

Besides Magnesen, Nick Piker (49-3 1/2 in shot put), Gideon Ticho (400 in 53.73) and Alex Conte (200 hurdles in 27.61) all finished fifth.

Mike Korompilas was sixth in the 800 (2:03.19) in his first competition of the season, and the 800 relay of Derek Roberts, Conte, Teddy Kwasigroch and Marc Roszkowski also was sixth (1:38.15) despite two bad handoffs during their race.

In his first track season in 2012, Magnesen won the outdoor sophomore Silver Meet title in a then personal-best 9:54.48 despite battling knee problems that altered his training. At the Class 3A state cross country meet, Magnesen was 32nd overall

(14:53 for 3.0 miles), just seven places and five seconds from the final individual all-state spot. The top nine finishers in state track events are all-state. Magnesen’s goal, however, goes beyond that. He’s seeking times under 9:20 to chase Billy Fayette’s seventh-place 9:18.65 from the 2011 state meet and perhaps even the 9:06.6 outdoor school record by Jon Thanos in 1983. Magnesen is within range of Fayette’s indoor school record of 9:16.79. “They’re achievable (goals), but they’re also hard to get,” Magnesen said. Downers North junior Zach Smith won the 3,200 at Proviso West (9:19.66), followed by York senior Chris May (9:22.03), Downers North senior Ben Eaton (9:23.66) and Neuqua junior Nick Bushelle (9:27.65), who passed Magnesen down the final stretch. “I was happy with my time, but I thought I could hold off (Bushelle),” Magnesen said. “I was expecting Smith to go from the beginning because I knew he was going to win this race. I was going to try and hang on to Eaton and May as long as possible but they went with Smith so I decided to hang back a little bit. It ended up working out all right.”

In another strong distance field, the 3,200 relay turned in a season best to take an early step toward returning the state meet finals. Huang ran a personal- and team-best 2:02.1 split as the anchor. With Keller (2:03.6), Somerfield (2:04.3) and Hall (2:05.0), the lineup had four consistent splits.The time already is well ahead of the 8:17.22 run a week later last year at the Mustang Relays at North Central College. “I’m really excited about that (time) because we have the pieces. We just have to put them together,” Somerfield said. “Talking about the competition we have going for the (3,200 relay), we’ve got six guys competing for the four spots. I know in the future we’ll have a really great (3,200 relay).”

Besides hoping to compete with the relay at state, Somerfield hopes to improve his ability to combine his 800 leg with a strong open 1,600. In a true 1-mile run at Proviso West, Somerfield came back with an eighth-place 4:42.97, finding himself near the front of a trailing pack behind behind the fourth through sixth-place finishers. Naperville Central junior Ethan Brodeur edged York senior Scott Milling 4:29.03 to 4:30.63 for the title. “The race got out very slow, and then Scott Milling started to take it and really put in a huge surge and I just wasn’t prepared for what he was doing there,” Somerfield said. “I wasn’t really focused on how the race was turning out so they got a gap on me and then I was alone and there was not much I could do with that. That’s just something I have to work on, being mentally focused throughout the race so hopefully that doesn’t happen next time.”

Piker nearly won shot, but he scratched all three of his 50-plus throws in the finals, including one beyond 52 feet that would have challenged LT senior James Mitchell’s winning 52-8. Piker was just two inches from fourth and seven from third. Senior Matt Strand-Jordan (42-10 1/2) threw a personal best by nearly one foot. Piker said for now he will switch from the spinning release to the glide. He continuing to practice the spin release, however, as he prepares outdoors for discus, his strongest event. “I’m still going to practice the spin every day in practice just to keep it fresh for outdoors, so I don’t have that learning curve,” Piker said. “I have to work on staying in the ring, but besides that, it’s there. The distance is there.”

Korompilas made his season debut after battling a stomach flu that put him in bed for five days. He returned to practice Feb. 18 with a light workout. Wheaton North senior Alex Ryan (1:59.17) was the lone runner under 2:02. Exactly one second from third place, Korompilas felt the ramifications of his illness. “I didn’t have a kick I’d like. Those guys blew right by me at the end, but I think it’s all come after I train for a few more weeks,”

Korompilas said. “We went out in 60 (seconds for 400 meters) and I kind of died at the end so it’s the endurance part for sure.”

Conte, almost a state qualifier in the 300 intermediate hurdles as a junior, showed his competitiveness in the rarely run 200 hurdles indoors. He was battling for the title entering the final turn when a runner from an adjacent lane struck a hurdle and temporarily crossed into Conte’s lane “Coming around the corner, I was in second then, so probably I would have gotten second if he didn’t fall, but I’m feeling good. I’m not hitting the hurdle as much this year so that’s a good thing,” Conte said. Even with the temporary interference, Conte finished just .66 from first place and .45 from third. “What happened was right when he fell, I was crossing over,” Conte said. “It was more kind of a sudden jolt, what do I do? Do I go in Lane 1, my teammate’s lane (Victor Ciardelli), do I jump over him and then my footing’s off. Or do I go in Lane 3? I had to recount my step.

I had a little stutter on my last one, but you’ve got to be prepared for anything, especially in the hurdles and indoor track.”

On the sophomore level, the Red Devils had four champions – James Reilly (400 in 54.36), Tyshaun Hamilton (800 in 2:11.68), Matt Tobia (1-mile run in 4:46.92) and the 1,600 relay of Zach Hedayat, Kealon Burke, freshman Matt Cherry and Reilly (3:45.34). In high jump, Matt Hillock was part of a three-way tie for second by clearing 5-6.Going into the third exchange, the 1,600 relay was last in the fastest heat but Cherry put the Red Devils into the lead with a 56.0 split.

Reilly ran a team-best 54.3 anchor to help the Red Devils hold off LT(3:46.27) and Neuqua (3:46.37). Other splits came from Burke (56.8) and Hedayat (57.8)

“That (victory) was so crazy. I can’t believe it,” Reilly said. “I thought it was all over and I was just standing there. It just felt so good when Matt got us in second. I tried to just get ahead as fast as I can and just keep a good pace the rest of the way.”

Two event victories were complemented by other strong performances.

Burke was third in the 400 (56.20) and Matt McBrien was third in the 1-mile run (4:49.26). Reilly won the 400 by .26 out of the fastest heat with Burke running in the next lane.“At the beginning, (Burke) was in a further down lane so I just saw him ahead of me and it made me want to catch up to him,” Reilly said.

“It was good because last week I ran a 55.25. I’m happy with the improvement.”

Tobia and McBrien surged into the lead with a couple of laps remaining. Tobia won by 2.0 seconds over Neuqua’s Matt Horsley, who came back to edge McBrien for second by .34. Tobia cut his personal-best time by 10 seconds.

“I was happy. I was really tired,” Tobia said. “I always like going at the 400 mark (remaining) just because if you go there you can maybe get some distance between a person. I just decided to go there and no one kept up. “I was just like, ‘Oh, I want to win this. I actually have a shot at this,’ so I was just kicking.” For Tobia, this was his biggest track moment since seventh grade when he lived in Pittsburgh. In the last meet of the season, he finished second after dropping 15 seconds in both the mile and half mile. For McBrien, it was a personal best by two seconds and a continuation from his strong cross country season in which he and Alex Domiano consistently were the team’s top performers.

“I thought I had a good finish. Tobia had a great finish. I wish I could have held off (Horsley) around the back stretch, but it was really fast,” McBrien said. “I did my best and went as fast as I could. I feel like I’m in a good position. We still have a long time to go.”

Hamilton won the 800 by 1.93 seconds over Neuqua freshman Aidan Livingston and probably could have run even faster. Hamilton ran his first 400 meters in 1:04, about four seconds slower than he would have liked. “I kind of expected it to be fast. I wanted to stay behind the guys. I thought (Horsley) was going to take me out in the 400 in a minute so when I noticed he wasn’t accelerating, I just made my move,” Hamilton said. “I’m not satisfied because I wanted to run at least a 2:06. I’m happy with the victory but not too happy with my time.”

This was Hamilton’s first open 800 for the Red Devils, although he’s been running 800 legs as part of the 3,200 relay. A move-in this school year from New York City, Hamilton has been focused on 800s in track since seventh grade. His best time two years ago was 2:45, which he dropped to 2:16 last year. He’s now chasing the freshman school record of 2:06.8 by Rob Hulick in 1997.

“During the (3,200) relay, I think there’s more adrenalin. Individually, it’s more nervousness that you run off of,” Hamilton said. “(The relay) gets you in the mood and ready to run fast.”

Hinsdale Central Boy’s Track & Field

Thursday Open

February 21, 2013

By: Bill Stone

The Hinsdale Central boys indoor track team competed against Lyons Township, Hinsdale South, Morton and Westmont Feb. 21.The Red Devils (27 points) were fourth on the varsity level behind LT (144), Hinsdale South (41) and Morton (35) and ahead of Westmont (10).The sophomores (35) were fourth behind LT (124), Hinsdale South (56) and Morton (42) and ahead of Westmont (0).Junior James Benak won long jump (19-10) and triple jump (40-8) for the Red Devils’ lone varsity victories. With the Proviso West Invite approaching Saturday morning, several Red Devils did not compete.Twenty-three of the Red Devils’ points came in field events.Besides Benak, the Red Devils took three of the top four spots in long jump with Kyle Stiff (18-10) and Ryan Smith (18-2) finishing third and fourth. Rokas Venckus was second in high jump (5-8), missing out on first based on fewer misses. Michael Ochoa was fourth in pole vault (7-6).

On the track, the 4-lap relay of Stiff, Vince Zenner, Benak and Grady Tomlinson was third (1:20.8) and Emmett Scully (1,600 in 4:58.0) and Tomlinson (200 in 25.6) were sixth.

Aiden Quinni (18-10) and Alex Wang (17-9 1/2) finished 1-2 in long jump and Matt Hillock (5-4 and Kareem Muhamad (5-2) were 1-3 in high jump to lead the sophomores.

Steven Chun was second in pole vault (8-6), losing out for first based on fewer misses.

Wang and Zach Hedayat also finished 2-5 in triple jump with respective distances of 35-10 and 33-3, and Hedayat also was fifth in long jump at 16-4.Wang also was third in the 55 (7.0). Alec Johnson was fourth in the600 (1:44.9) and Varun Batra was fifth in the 3,200 (11:43.1).

Hinsdale Central Boy’s Track & Field

Proviso West Friday Open

February 15, 2013

By: Bill Stone

If moving up to become a varsity regular this track season hasn’t pushed Hinsdale Central junior sprinter Derek Roberts enough, he has some added incentive.

Junior teammate Nkemjika Nwosu is a returning 2012 Class 3A state qualifier in triple jump and among the top sprinters with Roberts in practice drills.

“He always makes me want to run faster and I always want to make him run faster so it’s good. We definitely push ourselves,” Roberts said.

The pair pushed each other to some strong performances in the Red Devils’ six-team meet at Proviso West Feb. 15. The varsity (131.33

points) and the sophomores (184 points) both won over Conant, Downers Grove North, the host Panthers, Proviso East and East Aurora.

Nwosu had the two varsity event victories in triple jump (42 feet-2

1/2 inches) and the 200-meter dash (24.2). Nwosu won by a full second over the second-place Roberts (25.2) even though he injured his hamstring early in the race.

“It started like three seconds into the 200 and I had to run on a pulled hamstring, just hurting the whole time. I ended up finishing first somehow,” Nwosu said.

Nwosu and Roberts also competed head-to-head in the same heat of the 55. Nwosu won that battle by one tenth of a second to win the heat and tied for second overall (6.6) and Roberts (6.7) tied for fourth.

“I was a little bit surprised because I ended up beating Derek, which I really wanted to do for a while,” Nwosu said.

“It was a close race,” Roberts said.

Alex Conte was second in the 200 hurdles (27.3) and came back to join Roberts, Nigel Gachira and Trent Hyland for second in the 1,600 relay (3:44.1). Hyland, a junior, is a transfer student from Connecticut.

Victor Ciardelli (8.4) and Philip Pielet (8.6) finished 2-3 in the 55 hurdles, and Sham Muhammad (5-4) and Ryan Smith (5-4) were 2-3 in high jump. Also taking second were Keaton Tatooles (800 in 2:13.9) and Nick Piker (44-7 1/2 in shot put), who was 2 1/2 inches from first. TJ Caveney (3,200 in 9:56.5), Billy Magnesen (1,600 in 4:34.7) and Hyland

(400 in 54.5) also were third.

“It’s definitely different (on varsity), but I’m still able to hold myself at a competitive level and run well,” Roberts said. “It was nice being a sophomore (last year), where you had the upper hand on the freshmen, and now you have to run against seniors, but it’s fun.

You feel like more of a leader, too.”

Nwosu is hoping to continue his progress from a strong sophomore year that also included two injuries to each hamstring. As the team was getting ready to leave for sectionals, Nwosu was running down the stairs, tripped and sprained his ankle. He still managed to qualify for state automatically with a second-place 43-3 1/2 and competed at state.

Although Nwosu wanted to triple jump farther at Proviso West, he was reminded that he is ahead of last year’s pace and he scratched a 43-footer. In long jump, Nwosu scratched two of his three attempts and did not place.

“I’m a little nervous but I hear I’m going to do really well so hopefully I do,” Nwosu said.

The varsity finished ahead of Downers North (120), Conant (112.33), Proviso East (62.33), Proviso West (62) and East Aurora (24). The sophomores finished well ahead of Conant (124) and Downers North (121), followed by Proviso East (24), East Aurora (6) and Proviso West (0).

The Red Devils had six individual champions – Alex Wang (38-9 in triple jump), Steven Chun (8-6 in pole vault), Kareem Muhamad (55 in 6.9), James Reilly (400 in 54.9), Tyshaun Hamilton (600 in 1:32.7) and Matt Tobia (1,600 in 4:48.9). They also swept the 3,200 relay (Tobia, Hamilton, Sean O’Flaherty, Nick Tandle in 9:03.7), the 800 relay (Antonio Diaz, Ben Doyle, Zach Hedayat, Wang in 1:46.2) and the 1,600 relay (Kealon Burke, Reilly, Matt Cherry, Hedayat in 3:51.9).

Andrew Irvine (3,200 in 11:24.3), Garrett Schmidt (800 in 2:23.1), Aiden Quinni (18-5 in long jump) and Diaz (200 in 25.8) were second.

Muhamad was third in the 200 (25.9) and tied for third in high jump (4-10). Also taking third were Greg Debrosse (34-10 1/2 in shot), Garvin Hoch (200 hurdles in 5:09.6), Michael Gates (3,200 in 11:24.5), Burke (400 in 56.5) and Tandle (1,600 in 5:09.6).

Hinsdale Central Boy’s Track & Field

Hisdale Central Little Four

February 8, 2013

By: Bill Stone

The Hinsdale Central boys track team began the indoor season in a different way at the traditional Little Four Meet opener Feb. 8.

“We won on both levels, which we never have since I have coached, so the kids were excited,” Hinsdale Central coach Jim Kupres said.

The varsity’s 82 points held off West Suburban Conference Silver Division rival Downers Grove North (72 points) as well as Downers Grove South (62) and Oak Lawn (25). The sophomores (86) won by 14 points over Downers South (72), followed by Downers North (56) and Oak Lawn (31).

The Red Devils dominated the 55-meter hurdles races with Philip Pielet and Victor Ciardelli going 1-2 in the highs in 8.5 seconds and Pielet

(7.4) and Ciardelli (8.0) in the same order for the lows.

Jack Keller (4:52.5) led a 1-2-3 sweep in the 1,600 followed by Jake Hall (4:53.6) and Ryan Somerfield (4:45.0).

Nick Piker (46-6 1/2 in shot put) and Derek Roberts (400 in 55.9) also were event champions.

Nkemjika Nwosu was second in the 55 (6.6) and triple jump (39-4) and third in long jump (19-3 1/2). Jack Griffin (3,200 in 11:06.8), the 4-lap relay (Roberts, Rich Licata, Vince Zenner, Marc Roszkowski in

1:20.5) and the 3,200 relay (Somerfield, Hall, Keller, Billy Magnesen in 8:39.8) also were second. Nigel Gachira (600 in 1:36), Dylan Palo

(800 in 2:13.5) and Greg Betman (5-8 in high jump) were third.

For the sophomores, Matt McBrien captured the 1,600 (5:03.2) after he and the 3,200 relay with Tyshaun Hamilton, Nick Tandle and Andrew Irvine won in 9:24.0.

Other champions were Zach Hedayat (55 in 7.1), Kareem Muhamad (200 in 25.9), James Reilly (600 in 1:37.6), Matt Hillock (5-8 in high jump) and Steven Chun (9-0 in pole vault).

The Red Devils finished 1-2 in the 1,600 with McBrien and Hamilton

(5:07.5) and 1-2-3 in the 600 with Reilly, Kealon Burke (1:31.1) and Luke Bennett (1:40.5). Alex Wang was second in triple jump (36-0) and third in long jump (16-9) and the 200 (26.5). Also taking third were Joe Griffin (3,200 in 12:04.4), George Kovar (55 low hurdles in 9.7), Hedayat (30-9 in triple jump) and the 1,600 relay (Hedayat, Ben Doyle, Antonio Diaz, Jake Corcoran in 4:19.4).