Lane Tech Boys Highlight NBON Day 2 With Fast 4x800 Race

Lane Tech anchor Pavlo Hutsalyuk produced an amazing 1:49.97 anchor in leading team to 6th place All-American honors

Greensboro, NC

Day two of the New Balance Outdoor Nationals ramped up its intensity two-fold with the beginning of the championship races…

The tiny contingent of Illinois relays and individuals stepped to the stage and showed just how solid the state is.

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Lane Tech Boys 4x800m relay saves their best for last-

The story of the day was the Chicago Lane Tech Boys 4x800m relay team. The Indians got the season off to a fast start running 8:01.96 in February at the Proviso West Indoor Invitational. The frightening fast mark appeared to put the state on notice that it was going to be a fast year. It would be a very fast year overall for Illinois- a state known for middle-distance exploits. The fast times were picked up by Downers Grove North, Yorkville, Winnetka New Trier, Orland Park Sandburg, and ultimately the state champion Naperville Neuqua Valley.

Lane’s goal for the season has always been about competing in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals and making some major noise. The team of David Schmieg (Sr.), Jon Vara (Sr.), Christian Badillo (Jr.), and Pavlo Hutsalyuk (Sr.) were allowed to dream big at the beginning of the school season when their coaches challenged them to set an unbelievable but realistic goal. The end result was earning All-American honors with a 6th place finish in 7:39.76. Each member ran their best race of the year with timely precision and transitions that were as smooth as butter.

Here are the splits: 7:39.76-1:55.74 [1:55.74] 3:53.04 [1:57.30] 5:49.79 [1:56.76] 7:39.76 [1:49.97]

•    Emma Spagnola (Sr., West Aurora) was on track to run a personal best in the girls 100HH when she hit hurdle #4. That stumble cause her to finish 2nd and miss out on the finals with a 14.16.

•    Hoffman Estates Conant Boys took second in section 1 of the 4x800m relay: 7:50.33-1:57.20 [1:57.20] 3:57.72 [2:00.52] 5:53.42 [1:55.70] 7:50.33 [1:56.92]

•    Plainfield South boys placed 11th in the section 1 of the 4x800m relay: 8:00.15-2:00.39 [2:00.39] 4:03.94 [2:03.55] 6:05.48 [2:01.54] 8:00.15 [1:54.67]

•    Maya Neal (Jr., Naperville Neuqua Valley) improved from 6th to 4th in the girls heptathlon scoring 4786 points. Neal earned All-American honors indoors and now outdoors.

•    Mary Blankemeier (Fr., Oak Park-River Forest) 10:46.17- The freshman takes 3rd in the emerging elite girls 2-mile. Blankemeier ran a nice and steady race by going out the first mile in 5:18. She will be wearing a major bullseye on her back this fall during the cross country season.

•    Alexis Pierre-Antoine (So., Frankfort Lincoln-Way East) ran 25.93 in the girls emerging elite 200m.

•    Brooke Catherine (Jr., Normal Community) took 16th in the girls pole vault with an 11-5.75 effort.

•    Freshman Kathleen “KD” Young of Warrensburg-Latham copped 14th overall in the girls discus throw heaving the plate 131-8.

•    Dan Lathrop (Sr., Plainfield South) placed 12th in the boys 2-mile running 9:41.39.

• Lane Tech girls took 4th in section 1 of the 4x800m relay 9:16.46- 2:21.07, 2:17.85, 2:24.00, 2:13.56