DGN frosh-soph at Stagg Invite

Downers Grove North freshman Andrew Marszewski continues to be challenged by head coach Eric Buhot to run even better 400-meter races.

Even when the 4,000 distance medley relay title might have appeared in hand for the Trojans during the frosh-soph Stagg Invitational Saturday, April 19, but Marszewski wasn’t taking anything for granted.

“(Our lead) was a lot, like 60 or 70 meters by then,” Marszewski said. ”Definitely (the key) was getting out hard and knowing that my teammates were relying on me to keep the lead going.”

The all-freshman relay of Jack Barkei, Marszewski, Drew Pyburn and Alec Danner won by more than 42 seconds in 11:48.98 fully automatic time and was the lone event champion for Downers North (56 points), which tied for fifth with Thornton Fractional South. Shepard won with 171 points.

Danner later was second in the 1,600 (4:55.95). Sophomore Antonio Ferrer (career-best 87 feet-10 inches in discus) and the 3,200 relay (sophomores Brad Wilcoxen and Rocco Manzo and freshmen Liam Kolker and Zach Goliszewski in 9:48.80) and 1,600 relay (sophomores Zach Nicholas and Chris Bielawa and freshmen Robert Falconer and Dan Ferenc in 4:03.97) all finished third.

The distance medley relay consisted of a 1,200 by Barkei (3:30.8 manual split), a 400 from Marszewski (56.8), 800 by Pyburn (2:25.9) and 1,600 from Danner (4:54.9).

Even with little competition, Marszewski ran a personal-best 400 by 1.7 seconds.

”I didn’t think I was going to do that well, but then I got my split and it turned out well,” Marszewski said. “I think the key for me is to start off strong in the 400 and then finish with everything I have left.”

The 400 still is a learning experience for Marszewski, who feels he is better suited as a short sprinter. On Saturday, the 400 relay with Marszewski, sophomores Mike Advich and Romeo Jones and freshman Jordan Wilde was fourth (48.69) and the 800 relay of Jones, freshman Joe Keys, Marszewski and Wilde was fifth (1:42.42).

”I think I’m better at the 200, actually, (than the 400). I don’t have much endurance and it’s more just sheer out sprinting, but the 400 is a good second event for me,” Marszewski said. “I just want to keep bringing my PRs down and eventually run in conference for the sophomores.”

With his final throw of prelims, Ferrer surpassed his previous best of 87-4 in the outdoor season opener April 8. He achieved the Trojans’ only top-five finish in a field event at the invite.

“I’m liking it. I want to hit the 90s now, 100 feet, too,” Ferrer said. “(My key is) working every single day, work hard to get the right moves and everything.”

Ferrer is optimistic he can continue to improve as he perfects the spin release technique he is learning.

“That’s what I got 87 with, with the spin. That helped me a lot,” Ferrer said. “I’ve improved a lot from when I was throwing freshman year.”

Sophomore Michael Brooks was fourth in the 1,600 (5:04.19).

Freshmen Tristan Jahn (11:10.68) and Andrew Marek (11:25.09) were fifth and sixth in the 3,200, Keys (47.53) and Jones (47.59) were fifth and sixth in the 300 intermediate hurdles. Freshman Tariun Triplett (200 in 25.67) and Wilde (400 in 58.88) also were fifth.

Jahn enjoyed a huge personal record after running 11:29.60 at the indoor conference meet March 21.

”I knew I was going to get down there and I wanted to get below 11:15ish, anything below there, so I was happy with 11:10. I definitely know I can go farther down now,” Jahn said.

During the cross country season, Jahn was known for his endurance and even splits, working his way up through his 3.0-mile races, sometimes significantly. Jahn said he shaved time from both of his 1,600 legs Saturday, opening in 5:30.9 manual and closing in 5:39.7.

”(My endurance) definitely helped by even splitting basically, using the distance of the 3,200 kind of to my advantage,” Jahn said. “Always that extra third mile (in cross country) helps with a distance runner like me, but in the 3,200 I can kind of work my way into the top pack and try to hang on with them and then get in front of people when they start dying.

”I’ve definitely started feeling sub-11:00. I definitely know if I can get minus-18 seconds (from my previous race), I can get minus-10 seconds. It’s just a little bit of strategizing I’ve got to work on.”

-- by Bill Stone