The showstopping 4x4 relay proved to be as big as any event on the track (photo credit: Tony Holler)
RESULTS/VIDEOS/PICS
When Champaign Centennial Head Coach Greg Walters and his staff created this ABC style meet over three seasons ago, the goal wasn’t about which team could score the most points in the three-tiered meet. Rather it was more prudent for them in giving athletes an opportunity to experience success in an invitational format with like opponents.
For those who aren’t familiar with the multi-level meet, each level affords an individual to compete against one another in like comparision. So, the Charger Invite goes “C”, “B”, and “A.” The latter is considered the fastest lot of athletes whether it is in the field or on the track. The University of Illinois Armory seemed to be the perfect place to conduct a meet in which teams from the Chicago area, central Illinois, and southern Illinois converged for a nice day of track and field.
Manny Bofah (Sr., Plainfield North) shows his skills in the high jump (photo credit: Tony Holler)
Class action kicked off in the field events-
The meet ran about ten minutes late of the printed schedule but it wasn’t a big deal as all five events were underway simultaneously. The “A” shot put was first event to catch with the huge Kyrin Tucker (Sr., Normal West) being the center of attention. Tucker’s first attempt flew 51-feet and change. It wasn’t far by his standards but he was working on technique because of the lack of throwing due to wrestling season and no indoor facility. Tucker would eventually improve his glide technique and throw a winning 54-5.5 on his fourth and final toss; he would hold off Trevor Fox (Sr., Dunlap) who placed second with a toss of 53-11.25.
“If there was a world record for 230 pound high jumpers, Manny would be the world record holder,” remarked Plainfield North head coach Tony Holler of his pupil Emmanuel Bofah who has cleared 6-6. The senior Bofah resembles a linebacker or tight end when he rumbles and leaps over the bar. Bofah, who hails from Ghana, has also played soccer for the Tigers. Bofah was mired in a battle with Aarin Powers (Sr., Oswego) who both cleared 6-0 to make their battle a two-man affair. Bofah scaled over 6-2 as did Powers. Bofah then made 6-4 on his first attempt and waited for Powers to follow suit. Powers felt the pressure and missed on three close attempts leaving Bofah the winner. The bar was moved up to 6-6 and Bofah had some issues with his steps and approach to the mat. He would miss on all three of his efforts but the appreciated crowd of supporters showed their approval with hand claps.
Freshman pole vaulter Ryan Ashenbremer of Normal West won his first major invitational with a 13-0 clearance. The freshman standout attempted 13-6 but wasn’t able to connect on the height. Head Coach Steve Destri likes the youngster’s maturity and future. “Ryan is going to be a great one as he continues to develop. He has made 14-0 this year, “said Destri. Ashenbremer had some difficulty on the U of I runway going for the next height and it seemed to rattle him a little bit. “Ryan didn’t have his coach Mike Cockerham here to show him different things,” added Destri. Cockerham is the famed Flying Dragons Club pole vault coach.
The distance races lived up to its billing-
Plainfield South senior Dan Lathrop admitted that he knew of the fast marks that some of his peers ran Friday night at various places around the state. So the U of I commit wanted to etch his name into the conscious of others. Lathrop took out section “A” of the 3200m in 32 seconds for the first 200m to show that he was very serious with his statement. After Lathrop threw down 68.4, 2:19.2, and 3:30.3 splits the race was over. Dan crossed the 1600m in 4:42.3 on a solo mission, but he had his coach Jason Crowe on the inside of the track cheering him on and shouting out his splits. Lathrop eased back from the hectic early pace as 8:20.0 (2800m) proved, but the 67 second final 400 was the final nail in the coffin for his opponents as he won in 9:27.36. The victory for the sweaty Lathrop was over 20 seconds.
David Schmieg (Sr., Lane Tech) warmed up patiently and watched several heats of the 800m go by before stepping on the track to run his race. Schmieg had been in the shadow of several of his teammates since his emerging stage last year and into last fall’s cross country season. He has seemed to shed that label quite well during the indoor season by running one fast 4x8 relay leg and a solid 3200m. Now, he has serious goals for this spring and one of them was to win the 800m here. The opening 200m was negotiated in 28.9 by Schmieg as he smoothly controlled the race. The first 400m was in 58.8- not the fastest pace but honest. Jeff Colvin (Sr., Aurora Waubonsie Valley) began to chase hard after Schmieg with 200 to go- sitting about three seconds back. As he slightly began to cut into the deficit, Schmieg accelerated one final time and put the race out of reach in a record time of 1:57.72. Misael Tobias (Sr., Plainfield South) passed Colvin late for second 2:01.53-2:01.86.
The race of the day on the track was Johnny Leverenz (Sr., Danville) and the 1600m. Leverenz only entered in this affair to get a serious time and to finally show how good he could be in the "mile." The state’s #1 800m runner had something to prove in his mind as he toed the line. Leverenz got the crowd up in a frenzy with a fast opening 400m in 60.3. The trailing pack of runners were wise to stay back in the 62s and let the madman set the blistering pace. Leverenz continued to pour on the margin and hit the next checkpoint in 2:05.8. This had to be the fastest opening of any runner in the state this season. But Leverenz would later say: “I wanted to go out fast and see what I could do.” The 1200m was 3:12.7 and well within striking range of the state best as well as the meet record of 4:17.86 set by Edwardsville's Garrett Sweatt in 2012. Meanwhile, Lane’s Pavlo Hutsalyuk (Jr.) left the nest that he shared with Lathrop, Wes Schoenthal (Jr., Edwardsville), and Jon Davis (So., Oakwood) to go after Leverenz. Hutsalyuk was 3:19.4 with one quarter-mile to go and too far back to mount any real threat to Johnny. In the end it would be Leverenz steaming home in a record time of 4:16.57. His mark is now the new state best. Hutsalyuk picked up a big indoor personal best 4:22.94 closing well in second place.
Last but not least-
Danville senior and now Vanderbilt University football commit Trent Sherfield (right photo) was not happy about winning "the fast section #3" 60m in 7.15 and coming in second overall. He smacked his hands hard when the time flashed up on the scored board. He knew that section #2 winner Tony Durns (Jr., Waubonsie Valley) had ran a faster time. And he was right. The little known Durns ran a personal best 7.11 to easily win his race and his time held up over three sections.
Sherfield returned later to get revenge and take the 200m gold medal in 22.55 over Thomas Harris (Jr., Plainfield North) and Deshon Buchanan (So., Belleville West) who clocked 22.97 and 22.98 respectively. Sherfield won his second major invite title in a row which now puts him in the state title talk for May. "Last year I didn't work as hard... I got my teammates behind me now."
The 4x400m relay is called the showstopper for a reason. Consider the fact that Belleville West and Edwardsville traveled a considerable distance from the far southern part of the state to compete in the famed Armory. This two track powerhouses are also neighbors who are only a few miles apart from one another. So it's fitting that the last race of the day would come down to the last step. Edwardsville junior Rene Perry had a sizable lead on Belleville West's Christopher Jackson (Sr.) from the onset. But with one left lap remaining, Perry began to labor badly (he had an upset stomach before the race) and it ignited the Maroons faithful who cheered loudly for Jackson to mount his charge. As the pair entered the final stages of the race, it was evident that a dead heat was in store. Jackson pulled even in the final meters and then inched ahead at the very end for the victory for his team in 3:30.42. Edwardsville mustered 3:30.46
The showstopping 4x4 relay proved to be as big as any event on the track (photo credit: Tony Holler)
RESULTS/VIDEOS/PICS
When Champaign Centennial Head Coach Greg Walters and his staff created this ABC style meet over three seasons ago, the goal wasn’t about which team could score the most points in the three-tiered meet. Rather it was more prudent for them in giving athletes an opportunity to experience success in an invitational format with like opponents.
For those who aren’t familiar with the multi-level meet, each level affords an individual to compete against one another in like comparision. So, the Charger Invite goes “C”, “B”, and “A.” The latter is considered the fastest lot of athletes whether it is in the field or on the track. The University of Illinois Armory seemed to be the perfect place to conduct a meet in which teams from the Chicago area, central Illinois, and southern Illinois converged for a nice day of track and field.