Chicago Kenwood boys and Whitney Young girls proved they are still the reigning powers in the city (Griffin Forberg photo).
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Chicago, IL-
Fireworks were again displayed inside the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center for the Chicago Public League Varsity Championships. On the boys' side, the Broncos of Kenwood won their third title in a row, throttling the field by tallying 136 points. For the girls, it was Whitney Young, cruising to their third team crown in a row. The Lady Dolphins easily distanced themselves from Lane Tech 141-91.
Angelena carries the Lady Dolphins on her back-
Whitney Young senior ace Angelena Bullocks will complete her second season with the Dolphins and have an opportunity to be the best track and field athlete to walk her school halls. In a nutshell, Bullocks has run the fastest times in the state in the 60 and 200-meter dashes.
The day started in the long jump pit in which Bullocks placed third with a solid 17'10.25. She took the winner, Taya Rice (Jr., AG Science), to the max- 18'1. That's six big points for her team. Her teammate Layla Bonilla (Sr) was fourth and previously finished runner-up to another teammate- Courtney Burt (Jr), with leaped frog, a personal best of 39'0.50" (IL#5).
Bullocks shine the brightest on the track. Would she be able to put on another display in the 60m? After running 7.50 in her prelim, it was up for debate how fast she would run in the final. It was no contest as she blazed down the straightaway in a new state best of 7.40. It would re-establish herself as the fastest short sprinter in league history.
Over an hour later, Bullocks was back on the track in a team role, the 4x200 relay. She was the leadoff and left no doubt who was the fastest person on the track. Kenwood would make it a competitive race, but it was never really close as the final time indicated: 1:41.74 for IL#5.
Bullocks would complete her final indoor track race of the season, and it would be a sentimental one. With the team title sewn up, all eyes were on lane six. The starter's pistol sounded, and Bullocks was off in a flash; she zoomed around the Gately track ahead of light speed. With the aura of the crowd on its collective feet, she crossed with a standing ovation and... 23.79! It was an all-time indoor state best, breaking Morolake Akinosun's credit that stood since 2012.
Best of the rest-
Lane Tech went 1-2 in the 3200 as Ainsley Carter (So) opened the first half in 5:42 and won going away in 11:35.24. Her teammate Idaly Cristobal (Sr) finished with 11:53.30.
Jordan Hamb (Jr., South Shore) ran a personal best in the 60HH and won a close one (IL#2 8.72).
Kate Murray (So., Payton) won the Grizzly's first individual event in the 800. She led wire to wire in 2:17.12.
Amelia Arquillano (Fr., Lane Tech) surprised the 400 field by winning the penultimate section #3 in 59.11.
Lane Tech freshmen Samantha Borg-Breen and Amy Herzog worked together throughout the 1600 and were awarded a smooth 1-2 finish in 5:23.34 and 5:23.51.
Kenwood Boys left no doubt they were the best team-
The Broncos have lost quality personnel to graduation for the past two seasons, but they always seemed to pick up the pieces. This year has been a little different. Coach Mike Runnels has arguably assembled one of the best teams in CPL indoor history.
From the start, the Broncos racked up vital points in the all-important field events. Senior Logic West won the high jump (6'3.50"). Fellow senior Parrish Hartley Jr took second in the long jump with a 22'6.25" effort to tally eight points. The Broncos produced a total of 31 points before hitting the track.
They scored points in every event on the track to prove that the Broncos were not one-dimensional. Only teams like Lane Tech and Whitney Young have been able to do that in the past. Essential points like the 4x800 (2nd), senior Takis Buie- 5th in the 3200 (9:54.21), the 4x800 copped a third place medal, and sophomore Jude Lumpkin squeezed out a strong fifth, sixth place effort in the 800 (2:00.51).
Kenwood is known for speed in the open and relay categories. But to the surprise of Runnels, senior Jahari Horne picked the perfect time to run a personal best and win the 60HH in 8.69 over Mather's Mikhel Osuji, who ran 8.70.
The next event was even more compelling. Hartley returned with senior teammate Armond Boulware for the short dash. Both didn't have fast reaction times out of the blocks, but it didn't matter. They stormed through the finish in 7.03. Boulware was awarded the win. But it was 18 points for the coffers. They also went 1-2 in the 200 (21.85 & 22.03). West won the 400 in 49.28.
The Broncos showed their depth in the 4x200 and 4x400 relays, deploying 1:29.76 and 3:25.07, both meet records.
The best of the rest-
After an All-American performance in the 4x800 relay performance at the New Balance Indoor Nationals, Walter Payton HS standouts returned to their winning ways. Junior Tra'Monti Williams and senior Preston Ellis got to it in the 800. In peak form, Williams led the charge and hit the first 400 in 55.xx. He roared home in a new meet record and IL#2 1:53.72. Ellis clocked 1:55.41 to take runner-up honors. It was the fastest field in meet history as five runners broke 2:00.
Several key figures were missing in the 1600, but it was still a good field and outcome. Approximately a half dozen runners sat together through the first half in 2:14-2:16. Vaughn Collier (Sr., Payton) took charge with a quarter mile to go and won comfortably in 4:25.30. Lane sophomore Quinn Anderson took second in 4:27.25.
Chicago Kenwood boys and Whitney Young girls proved they are still the reigning powers in the city (Griffin Forberg photo).