JOLIET – Minooka scored in 16 of 18 events Saturday evening at Plainfield South High School and claimed its second consecutive Southwest Prairie Conference track and field title.
The Indians will be a team to watch at the IHSA state finals in two weeks, as they had some of the top performances in the state.
Minooka scored 155 points to outdistance Oswego with 107, Plainfield South was third (84.5), followed by Plainfield North (83), Yorkville (80), West Aurora, Plainfield East, Oswego East, Romeoville, Joliet West, Plainfield Central and Joliet Central.
“After last season it was nice to get this conference title,” Minooka coach Nick Lundin said. “In the running events we really showed up today, and I’m like a kid in the candy store with excitement for these kids. This was one we wanted, but we have bigger things to come and we still have to put it all together.”
Minooka won three of the four relays, taking the 4X100 (41.98), 4X200 (1:28.68) and came from way back to win the 4X800 (7:57.61).
In the 4X800 relay, Yorkville built a huge first-leg lead over the field, but Minooka worked it’s way back. The Indians still were trailing by at least 40 meters when Adam Shaw brought home the victory, which really seemed to jump start the Minooka.
“I knew I could win, and I just had to keep the pedal down, and I noticed he [Yorkville] was struggling and that motivated me even more. Our entire team did a great job because it takes four to win a relay.”
Also winning events for the Indians were Vincent Van Eck in the 800 (1:56.47), Tyler Colwell in the 100 (10.48) and 200 (22.00) and Collin Forrest in the 110 hurdles (15.19).
“I knew Niko Schultz [Plainfield South] would go out hard, and I just ran my race and it played out really well,” Van Eck said.
Oswego received wins from Caleb Wright in the long jump (22′-2″), Kacey Battle with a 6′-4 1/2″ high jump and Christian Sobecki in the pole vault (14′-7″).
Plainfield South won the 4X400 relay in 3:23.13.
Yorkville received a double win from Kyle Clabough in the shot put (61′-2″) and the discus (155′-7″).
“I’m extremely happy with today’s performance,” Clabough said. “I had my worst throw last week, but I’m getting back to doing all the little things like proper rest and nutrition because this is now championship season, and I want to win a state title.”
Also winning titles for the Foxes were Josh Pugh in the triple jump (45′-10″) and Colin Kachlic in the 3,200 (9:43.91).
Plainfield North’s Ryan Maseman won the 400 (49.85), and Jalyn Givan won the 300 hurdles (40.74).
Nicholas Henz broke the Oswego East school record in winning the 1,600 meters in 4:17.51.
“I’ve been manifesting that school record for six months,” Henz said. “I really pushed it tonight, and I’ve been training for that final 600 and it paid off tonight.”
Marcellus Mines from Joliet West placed second in the 1,600 in 4:20.44, which broke the school record of 4:22.64 set by Paul Kimmell in 1975.
Source: The Daily Chronicle
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