CHICAGOLANDPREPS.com
Boys Track and Field
Chris Kyles powers Lane Tech to Mather Invitational title
Rob Valentin
ChicagolandPreps.com Editor
Lane Tech’s Chris Kyles was supposed to impress at Thursday’s 9th Annual Mather Track and Field Invite and the senior didn’t disappoint as he won the 100-meter dash, the 200 and 400.
His victories helped power the Indians to a first-place finish with 143 points besting Harlan (2nd, 111), Mather (3rd, 78), Northside College Prep (4th, 65) and De La Salle 62).
Kyles’ first win of the day came in the 100 where his time of 10.95 sent him to an easy victory over De La Salle’s Robert Robinson (2nd, 11.23) and Harlan’s Darien Williams (3rd, 11.37).
“This was my first 100 of the year outdoors and I wanted to start things out right,” Kyles said. “I had a pretty shaky block start. The guy from Harlan got out pretty fast but I’ve been behind a lot this year. My starts have been my biggest weakness but I make up for it in the end.”
Up next for Kyles was the 400 where he powered his way to another easy win in a time of 51.31. Harlan’s Welton Crayton finished in second (52.96) while Lane Tech’s Luis Rodriguez took third (53.07).
“The 400 is my favorite but I didn’t run it the way I wanted to,” Kyles said. With about 50 left I stepped on something and lost my form. I never regained my form at the end of the race.”
Kyles’ final race — and win — of the day saw a much tighter race as he squeaked by De La Salle’s Ahmad Evans. Kyles finished in a time of 22.03 while Evans recorded a 22.22. Lane Tech’s Deontae Griggs was third in a time of 23.02.
“I didn’t know he was close until I looked up and saw him in front of me,” Kyles said about Evans. “I was just cruising and then I saw him in the lead and knew I had to pick it up.”
RELAYS
While Evans lost out in the 200 to Kyles, he was able to bring home a pair of first place finishes for the Meteors. Evans anchored the 400 relay (43.2) and the 800 relay (1:31.97) to big wins. Lane Tech was second in the 400 relay (44.04) while Hyde Park was third (44.47). In the 800 relay, Lane Tech was second again (1:35.45) and Hyde Park took third (1:36.34).
“D.J. Bland was our third leg and he worked real hard to get us leads,” Evans said. “We work hard for it every day and this was a good opportunity for us to win, and we had fun.”
Mather took control of the distance relays as they brought home victories in the 3,200 relay (8:36.63) and the 1,600 relay (3:39.41). In the 3,200 relay, Lane Tech took second place in a time of 8:47.27 while Lincoln Park was third in a time of 9:14.56. In the 1,600 relay, it was Lane Tech in second once again, clocking a 3:42.34 and Harlan grabbing third with a 3:44.53.
DISTANCE
The 800 was one of the most exciting races of the day as Lake View’s Romeo Jurardo came-from-behind to beat Mather’s Ivan Coronel. Jurardo trailed after the first 400 but he went on to win the race with a time of 2:03.04 while Coronel was close behind with a 2:03.15. Northside’s Cuitlahuac Pineda Youniss was on both their heels as he took third with a 2:03.16.
“I usually let people go ahead of me so that way I can see how fast they’re going,” Jurardo said. “I studied him for that first lap and then I just passed him.”
Jurardo opened a nice lead heading into the final straightaway but Coronel and Pineda Youniss nearly chased him down.
“I kicked a little too early and got tired in the end,” said Jurardo, who can now be considered a serious contender for a city title. “One of my goals is to be No. 1 in the city in the 800.”
Pineda Youniss was able to pick up a victory as he ran an impressive race in the 1,600 (4:41.64) besting teammates Wesley Laytham (2nd, 4:45.39) and Jurardo (3rd, 4:48.28).
“Everyone in that race had already run a few races so we were tired and no one was trying to run a PR,” Pineda Youniss said. “My legs have been dead this week but we took it out slow and with two laps to go I just said ‘I’ll just do it.’ I was hoping I didn’t kick too early and have someone catch up to me but I finished strong and Wesley and I did really well.”
In the 3,200, Lane Tech’s Kulayifi Haji broke a meet record as he ran a 9:49.19. Payton’s Jose Mora was second (10:01.15) and Lincoln Park’s Jacob Cetera was third (10:26.20).
“I didn’t want to go to hard in the first four laps,” Haji said. “I wanted to work on my second mile and that’s what I did. I wanted to run around a 9:40 but this is my first two-mile of the season.
HURDLES
Harlan’s George DeBerry had a great race in the 300 hurdles completing the race in a time of 42.47. Urban Prep’s Jamil Boldain was second (43.34) and Payton’s Donovan Harris took third (44.06).
“I was trying to stay behind and win it at the end,” DeBerry said. “I was really picking up speed on the (final) straightaway and (Boldain) really gave me competition.
“The season is going good. I’m still working on my form because this is my first season doing the hurdles. Now I want to get into the 30’s.”
Harris was able to pick up a win in the 110 hurdles (15.52) as he edged out Lane Tech’s Demetrius Jacobs (2nd, 15.62) and Jonathon Jackson (3rd, 15.96).
“I’m a slow starter so I have to make it up in the final 50,” Harris said. “I just try to keep close in the first half and then run a clean second half. After the 7th hurdle, I just felt it and knew that I wasn’t going to get caught.”
FIELD EVENTS
Northside College Prep’s Eric Nelson pulled off an impressive double as he took home first-place medals in the triple jump (41-1.75) and the high jump (6-3). Harris was second in the triple jump (40-8) while Harlan’s Melvin Johnson was third (39-11). In the long jump, no one was close to Nelson as Harlan’s Trevor Gills took second (5-8) and Lane Tech’s Mark Brand finished third (5-8).
“It wasn’t my best jumping day (in the high jump),” Nelson said. “I’ve been sick the last week and my legs weren’t that fresh.”
The triple jump victory was a real surprise as he crushed his personal record.
“I don’t really practice the triple jump,” Nelson said. “That was the best I’ve jumped by about nine inches.”
In the long jump, Johnson earned first place with a leap of 20-4. Mather’s Bruce Hawk was second (19-9.25) while Lane Tech’s Kevin Martinez finished third (19-4.5).
Marshall’s Jerome Jones won the shot put with a heave of 45-8. Teammate Daniel Moody was second (44-3) and DeBerry was third (43-2).
In the discus, Mather’s Ameen Solebo brought home the gold with a throw of 119-11 with DeBerry taking second (114-4) and Mather’s Vontae Jackson finishing third (110-5).
“I scratched all my throws in the shot put,” Solebo said. “And I was really disappointed in the discus because I know I can throw farther than that and I did after we were done throwing. But it was too late then.
“I’m progressing slowly this year. But in the shot I want to throw a 54 and a 155 in the discus.”
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Girls Track and Field
Young races to first at Mather
Rob Valentin
ChicagolandPreps.com Editor
Thursday, April 9, 2009
There was no stopping Whitney Young at the 9th Annual Mather Invite Thursday at River Park.
The Dolphins showed just how deep of a team they have by cruising to the title with 172 points. Lane Tech scored 114 points for second, narrowly edging out Mather, which had 108 points. Harlan was fourth with 43 points and Steinmetz rounded out the top five with 34 points.
Whitney Young’s Raena Rhone was the most decorated athlete on the day as she left the track with four first place medals. She won the 200 and 400 and anchored the 400 and 1,600 relay teams in their victories.
Rhone first win on the day came in the 400 relay as the Dolphins won in a time of 50.84. Hyde Park took second (52.31) while Gage Park was third (55.32).
Up next was the 400, which Rhone absolutely dominated. Her time of 58.18 was a meet record and was well ahead of Hyde Park’s Sha’rone Greenlaw (2nd, 1:01.68) and Mather’s Kellion Gordon (3rd, 1:03.71). In fact, Rhone’s time would have placed her 15th out of 42 competitors in the boys meet.
“I try to push myself the best I can and act like there is somebody in front of me,” Rhone said. “My legs were tired at the 200 but I was able to push through the last straightaway stronger than usual.”
“I want to win state but I really want to break the state record,” added Rhone who has a previous best of 55.85.
After a short break, Rhone participated in one of the best — and closest — girls races of the day as she edged out Gordon in the 200. Rhone finished with a 26.05 while Gordon clocked a 26.19. Gage Park’s Shanek Telphia took third with a 26.89.
“We’re really good friends and I knew it was going to be a good competition,” Rhone said. “I really wanted to get this one. I was really tired but my stride was good and it came down to the lean,”
Rhone also led Young to a victory in the last event of the day, the 1,600 relay (4:07.97). Lane was second (4:30.5) and Harlan was third (4:31.81).
While Gordon was bested by Rhone in the 200 and 400, she did leave with a first-place finish in the 100 (12.51). Telphia was second (12.96) while Elisabeth Forte was third (13.04)
“I don’t really think about anything during the race,” Gordon said. “I didn’t have a lot of competition in the 100 since Raena wasn’t running.”
FIELD EVENTS
In addition to taking third in the 100, Forte had a monster day in the field events. She won the long jump with a leap of 17-feet 4-inches, which was a meet record and easily outdistanced Von Steuben’s Danielle Gunn (2nd, 15-9.75) and Lane Tech’s Jequencia Parker (3rd, 15-3).
In the triple jump, Forte had another comfortable victory jumping 35-1.5 to best Harlan’s Camille Byrd (2nd, 33-2.25) and Young’s Amber Fredricks (3rd, 32-4).
“I’ve been having a bad streak in the long jump and I finally came back,” Forte said. “At practice I was really determined to break this bad streak. I’ve been practicing really hard.
“And the triple jump, this is only the fourth meet I’ve jumped it. I’m trying to break the school record, which was set by my sister (Victoria) last year.”
The shot put was won by Fenger’s Brittney Jones (35-1), with Von Steuben’s Natalie Motrovic taking second (29-11) and Young’s Precious Walker finishing third (28-10).
The discus was won by Lane Tech’s Brenda Gamboa (92-3) while Jones was second (88-5) and Northside College Prep’s Katie Dugan was third (69-0).
Mather finished 1-2 in the high jump behind Jasmine Gray (4-10) and Ashley Alamgir (4-8). Young’s Chandler Farris took home third (4-6).
DISTANCE
The 800 was a real interesting race as Young’s Devyn Thompson (1st, 2:19.02) and Payton’s Kathleen Molloy (2nd, 2:21.2) both broke away from the field to set meet records. Adaora Achufusi was third in a time of 2:35.15.
“I just tried to run the last 400 like it was a 400 race,” Thompson said. “I could hear her breathing right behind me but you can’t let it bother you because you’ll lose your focus.”
The 1,600 saw a real battle as Lavinia Jurkiewicz win a see-saw battle with Aden Alemu of Mather. Jurkiewicz led the first two laps, Alemu controlled the third and Jurkiewicz retook the lead and won in a meet record time of 5:16.74. Alemu finished with a 5:19.37, which was also better than the previous meet record. Thompson was third with a 5:29.4.
“I was just running and seeing what would happen,” Jurkiewicz said. “I didn’t really have a big plan. I felt like I had something left to battle with so I wasn’t too worried (when she took the lead). I knew I could pick it up for the last 200 for sure.”
The 3,200 saw another meet record fall as Alemu cruised to an easy win in a time of 11:32.59. Lane Tech’s Brenda Nava was second (12:46.32) and her teammate Maddy Sopena finished third (12:56.69).
“I didn’t have any competition so I just tried my best,” Alemu said. “My goal was an 11:25 but I didn’t get it. I’m still happy but I know I can do better in the future.”
HURDLES
Lane Tech’s Desi Murray pulled off the hurdles double winning the 100 hurdles in a time of 17.03 and the 300 hurdles in a time of 50.08.
“The races went well,” Murray said. “I got out pretty fast. (In the 100) I’m just thinking don’t fall and try to three-step the whole race. Now I just want to break my PR in the 300 hurdles and keep doing better in the 100.”
Mather’s Chequia Wesley took second in both the 100 hurdles (17.75) and the 300 hurdles (50.63) while Lane Tech’s Natalie Reyes took third in the 100 hurdles (17.95) and the 300 hurdles (51.4).
RELAYS
While Rhone led Young to wins in the 400 and 1,600 relay, the Dolphins were able to win without their star in the 800 relay as their time of 1:53.68 was good enough to defeat Hyde Park (1:53.97) and Fenger (1:54.55).
Mather won the 3,200 relay in a time of 8:36.63, beating Lane Tech (2nd, 8:47.27) and Lincoln Park (3rd, 9:14.56).
Rob Valentin can be reached at robvalentin@hotmail.com
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