39th Knights Wanner Invitational
York runs US#1 7:43.6 4x8
April 27, 2007 Prospect IL
by Tony Banks, Illinois Prep Top Times
Highlights
- York runs USL 7:43.6 in 4 x 800, St Charles North 7:49.2, Lyons 7:51.1
- Hersey jr Kevin Havel wins 3200 in 9:00.3 (over 9:01.5 for Evan Jager of Jacobs), and comes back two hours later with 4:18.7 win in 1600
- York wins team race with 128 points and only two individual wins
On the scene report from Tony Banks: The 39th Annual Knight’s Wanner Invitational was initially greeted with cloudy skies and cool temperatures that barely reached the 50’s- not to mention that the threat of rain was always imminent. Still, the hearty crowd of a few hundred were never disappointed as the rain did hold off and it did actually warm up toward the end of the meet. More importantly, the action on the track and in the field lived up to its pre-meet billing. York won the team title but needed every event and every point against an underdog Zion-Benton team. York won 128-101- the distance dominated Dukes out-pointed the Zee Bees in the field events 34-23. Niles North (78), Naperville Central (69), and Chicago Lane Tech (68) round out the top five. 4x800 relay York 7:43.6 [1:57.xx, 1:56.7, 1:55.7, 1:54 (52.9)], St. Charles North 7:49.2, Lyons 7:51.1, Prospect 7:57.1, Naperville Central 8:00.0 During the pre-meet warm up York ace Nick Kuczwara had a big grin. He liked his team’s chance of running well, stating “we are going to stack the relay today.” Indeed, the Dukes did just that and ran away from the competition near the end of the second leg and roared to a USA #1 mark over a very strong field. Frosh/Soph sprint medley 1) Zion-Benton 3:36.9 (meet record), 2) York 3:40.5, 3) Lyons 3:42.2 The Zee Bees surprised the field with the victory from the slow heat. York held off rival Lyons in the championship heat. 4x100 relay Lane Tech 42.4, Zion-Benton 42.8, Niles North 43.3 Lane Tech proved that the 42.2 they put up at Highland Park last weekend at Highland Park wasn’t a fluke- the Indians turned back Zion-Benton and the rest of the field behind crisp handoffs and transitions. The pivotal point in the race was the third exchange with Zion-Benton running even. Lane anchor sophomore Chris Kyles immediately grabbed a slight lead and blazed the home straight for the victory. 3200m Invitational Kevin Havel (Hersey) 9:00.3 PR [2:15.xx, 3:23.1, 4:30.7, 5:36.xx, 6:46.xx, 7:57.xx]; Evan Jager (Jacobs) 9:01.5 SB [4:31.3, 5:37.6, 7:58.5]; Tom Achtien (York) 9:07.4 PR [4:35.7], Ryan Jacobs (Rockton Hononegah) 9:10.5 PR [4:35.1]; Mike Spain (Schaumburg) 9:18.8 PR; Jon Roberts (Schaumburg) 9:21.4 PR; Arthur Baptist (Prospect) 9:22.5 PR; Billy Wisser (Hersey) 9:27.7 PR. The 3200m has become the signature event in this meet in recent years. This year’s billing brought out another great field highlighted by Jager and Havel. Jager, of course, has been regarded as one of the best Illinois fans have seen, but Havel is good too. No, he is really good and he proved that point almost immediately after putting his foot down on the accelerator after the first 800m and making the godly Jager seem mortal. Jager was in chase mode the entire time and looked winded at times too. Havel deserves credit for turning what appeared to be a tactical event into a race and this will bode well when state arrives in less than a month. Havel appears to be in the best shape of his still young career as he stated: “I’m nearing the end of the season and the training is going great.” The entire field was under 10:00 and five of six scorers set personal records. A seemingly distraught Jager admitted to the sound beating by his close rival and friend, but added: “uggh, I feel really out of shape… but I felt really good. When I rolled my ankle [playing basketball] I lost about three weeks of solid training. My goal was to run [under 9:10] and with one lap to go I thought I had a chance, but Havel dropped the hammer.” Stay tuned for round two on May 26 at the state championship. 110HH Gerald Turner (Lane Tech) 14.5; Jay Jordan (Lane Tech) 14.7 It was a 1-2 punch from the Indians. This was Turner’s first outdoor effort and he didn’t disappoint. Turner, the Virginia State University signee, admitted to have several concerns coming into the meet but it didn’t show. 100m Marino Jozic (Maine West) 10.8, Turner (Niles North) 11.1 Jozic scratched the 200m prelims and it paid off. The Chicago Steinmetz transfer is fast proving he will be one to watch later on in the season. 800m Yosef Tewolde (Elgin) 1:56.4 [58.9/57.5]; Arrius Hunt (Zion-Benton) 1:56.9; Matt Garstka (Lyons) 1:57.4 The absence of York’s Nick Kuczwara and Naperville Central’s Steve Couch was pretty evident. The fast heat field plodded through a 58 second opening. It appeared as if no one wanted to race until Lane Tech’s Kevin Beltran then Garstka made tactical errors in moving too fast and too soon in trying to separate from the pack. In the end, a patient but opportunistic Tewolde was victorious in a smart and strategic race. 1600m Havel 4:18.7 [2:12.4, 3:18.5]; Mike Fry (York) 4:21.1; Steve Couch (Naperville Central) 4:21.6 [2:12.4] Havel got the sweep of courtesy of a generous first half pace. The pace was to his liking as he quite taxed from the 3200m. Havel began his assault on the field by pushing with Couch on the 3rd quarter and then a solo 59.8! It is pretty evident that Havel is one to watch next in the state championship. 200m Vernon George (Zion-Benton) 22.2,Fuad Salami (Lane Tech) 22.5 The race appeared much closer than the final stats indicate. It was all about George and Salami as they both breezed through the preliminary and semi-final rounds. Coming off the curve and on to the straightaway it was a dead heat. Salami tried to shift into another gear with 50 meters remaining but tied it. George was able to maintain his composure and edged ahead of Salami at the finish line. 4x400 Zion-Benton 3:22.8, York 3:25.0 The last event of the evening always provide excitement and the 4x4 didn’t disappoint. ZB took the early lead and increased to 50m thanks to Arrius Hunt’s 48.9 second leg tote. York was mired in second position with several teams until the anchor. Nick Kuczwara began chipping away at ZB. Kuczwara’s effort wasn’t quite the effort but not totally wasted- 50.8 to 53.0 (ZB). Results courtesy of Mike Stokes High Jump Martell Wilson 06' 04" NN Bellmore 06' 02" Lib Petty 05' 10" NC Dodds 05' 08" Car Johnson 05' 08" Lib Roche 05' 08" ME Sommons 05' 06" Lan Davis 05' 06" ZB Pole Vault Mike Sego 14' 00" NC Michel 14' 00" NC Zars 13' 09" Yor Carabajal 13' 06" Sch Biesterfield 12' 00" Yor Hennig 12' 00" Pro Stetzler 11' 06" Car Specht&Reyna 11' 06" TIE Long Jump Vernon George 22' 09.25" ZB Kimberly 22' 01.5" Hon Freidheim 21' 02.75" Yor McAllister 20' 11" Lan Mack 20' 10" Pro Petty 20' 07.75" NC Stetzler 20' 07.5" Car Wilson 20' 02" NN Triple Jump Rendoll Smith 44' 08.25" NN Freidheim 43' 00.5" Yor Washington 42' 11" ZB Bellmore 42' 06.25" Lib Singh 42' 02" NN Jordan 42' 01" Lan Dodds 41' 09.25" Car Petty 41' 07.25" NC Shot Put Luke Hibner 57' 08.75" Yor Torresso 54' 05.5" Sch Whistler 51' 03.25" MW Dambra 50' 03.5" Ly O'neil 48' 11" STP Fernandez 48' 10" ME Stubbs 48' 07.75" Her Young 48' 00.25" Sch Discus John Gausmann 159' 03" NC Stubbs 151' 10" Her Mintern 146' 03" ZB Young 145' 10" SCH Petro 141' 07" Her Pellegrind 138' 00" Lan Whistler 137' 05" MW Miller 136' 09" Hon Fr/So Medley Zion Benton** 03:36.9 ZB York 03:40.5 Yor Niles North 03:40.9 NN Lyons 03:42.2 Ly Prospect 03:44.6 Pro Naperville 03:46.2 NC Maine West 03:46.9 MW Schaumberg 03:48.2 Sch 3200 m Relay York 07:43.6 Yor St. Ch North 07:49.2 STC Lyons 07:51.1 Ly Prospect 07:57.1 Pro Naperville 08:00.0 NC Hononegah 08:10.4 Hon Carmel 08:13.3 Car Hersey 08:22.4 Her 400 m Relay Lane Tech 00:42.4 Lan Zion Benton 00:42.8 ZB Niles North 00:43.3 NN York 00:43.7 Yor Maine West 00:44.2 MW Prospect 00:44.5 Pro Hononegah 00:44.5 Hon Elgin 00:44.7 Elg 3200m Run Kevin Haval 09:00.3 Her Jager 09:01.5 Jac Actien 09:07.4 Yor Jacobs 09:10.5 Hon Spain 09:18.8 Sch Roberts 09:21.4 Sch O'Donnell 09:22.5 NC Wisser 09:27.7 Her 110m H Hurd Gerald Turner 00:14.5 Lan Jordan 00:14.7 Lan Ziegenfuss 00:15.2 Pro Mafany 00:15.2 NN Haab 00:15.2 Hon Petty 00:15.6 NC Beam 00:15.8 Hon Roche 00:16.0 ME 1OOm Dash Marino Jozic 00:10.8 MW Turner 00:11.1 NN Freidheim 00:11.3 Yor Campbell 00:11.4 ZB Wimberly 00:11.4 NN Kimberly 00:11.4 Hon Ridley 00:11.5 STP Kyler 00:11.6 Lan 100M BIG BOY David Giese 00:11.7 STP Tartaglia 00:11.8 Yor Hibner 00:11.9 Yor Saigh 00:12.0 NN Weinke 00:12.1 Car Olziewski 00:12.1 LY Marik 00:12.2 LY Zern 00:12.6 Car 800m Run Yosef Tewolde 01:56.4 ELG Hunt 01:56.9 ZB Garstka 01:57.4 LY Thayer 01:57.9 NC Lyons 01:58.0 LY Taylor 01:58.7 LIB Myska 01:59.0 SCH Sulkin 01:59.2 Yor 800m Relay Lane Tech 01:31.4 LAN Zion Benton 01:31.9 ZB Prospect 01:32.3 PRO York 01:32.7 TIE Naperville 01:32.7 TIE Hononegah 01:33.0 Hon Elgin 01:33.21 ELG Carmel 01:33.29 Car 400m Dash Airius Hunt 00:49.2 ZB Thomas 00:50.1 ZB Wilson 00:50.2 MW Somers 00:50.4 NC Kuczwara 00:50.5 Yor Dzierzanowski 00:50.9 ME Hardt 00:51.0 MW Tewolde 00:51.4 ELG 300m Im Hurd Willy Mafany 00:39.4 NN Haab 00:40.0 Hon Ziegenfuss 00:40.0 PRO Zaremba 00:40.2 Yor Roche 00:40.8 ME Prezolewski 00:41.0 Pro Williams 00:41.3 NN Ruiz 00:41.4 STP 1600m Run Kevin Havel 04:18.7 Her Fry 04:21.1 Yor Couch 04:21.6 NC Anczyk 04:22.9 Pro Actien 04:23.9 Yor Styzek 04:24.9 Pro Stephans 04:27.2 LY Stanton 04:29.3 Her 200m Dash Vernon George 00:22.2 ZB Salami 00:22.4 LAN Fox 00:22.7 Yor Blanke 00:22.7 LAN Grittani 00:23.1 Yor Sajo 00:23.2 Hon Homfeldt 00:23.7 ELG 1600m Relay Zion Benton 03:22.8 ZB York 03:25.0 Yor Niles North 03:26.3 NN Lyons 03:27.4 LY Maine East 03:29.6 ME Lane Tech 03:30.2 LAN Hononegah 03:30.3 Hon Prospect 03:30.7 Pro
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