DGN at Hinsdale Central's McCarthy Invite (recap)

For the first time since 2005, the Downers Grove North boys track and field team won Hinsdale Central’s McCarthy Invitational Friday, May 9.

The Trojans’ 110 points with five event champions edged the host Red Devils (102 points), who nearly won their invite for the first time since 2004. Oak Park-River Forest (71.5) was third in the 10-team field.

Event champions were seniors Tony Zea (lifetime-best 1:55.83 fully automatic time in 800-meter run) and Nick Steichmann (48 feet-4 1/2 inches in shot put), juniors Ryan Clevenger (1,600 in personal-best 4:15.76) and Nick Janicki (149-3 in discus) and the 800 relay of sophomore Anthony Giordano, senior Charles Creamer, junior Brendan Dingle and senior Jazz Charrier (season-best 1:31.84).

Senior Jared Spilky (3,200 in personal-best 9:41.99) and junior Max Sale (140-8 in discus) were second. Finishing third were seniors Andrew Adams (400 in 52.32), Zack Smith (800 in 1:57.02) and Eric Wisz (13-0 in pole vault), Charrier (lifetime-best 21-5 3/4 in long jump) and the 3,200 relay (Smith, freshman Jack Barkei, junior Joe Carter, senior Jeremy Craven in 8:17.44).

Zea won an 800 battle by 1.19 seconds over Downers Grove South senior Jacob Amiri (1:57.02), a 2013 state qualifier in the event. It was the first time Zea ran the open 800 since an indoor school-record 1:56.28 at the Proviso West Invitational Feb. 22. Smith, usually a 1,600 or 3,200 entry, was third with a lifetime best open time after previous personal-best 1:58 split for the 3,200 relay.

Clevenger dominated the 1,600 by 6.37 seconds over Hinsdale Central senior Billy Magnesen (4:22.13), an all-state ninth at the state cross country meet who earlier ran on the winning 3,200 relay. Junior Zac Christensen was sixth in 4:29.05, a personal best by eight seconds from his 4:37.99 at the West Aurora Invite April 19.

Steichmann won shot by 9 1/4 inches. Janicki and Sale were the only discus throwers to exceed 131 feet.

The 800 relay overcame competing in the slower-seeded of the two heats to win by .78 over Hinsdale Central from the faster heat. The same lineup earlier was third in the 400 relay (season-best 43.24), and Creamer later took fourth in the 300 hurdles (44.05) out of the second of three heats.

In the 3,200, Spilky was second by 7.22 seconds to Hinsdale Central senior TJ Caveney (personal-best 9:34.77), an all-state 25th at the state cross country meet. Spilky pulled out second by 1.19 seconds over Hinsdale Central’s Blake Evertsen, who ran a freshman school-record 9:43.18.

Senior Marc Mathy was sixth (9:54.41) and junior Jack Diamond broke 10:00 for the first time (9:59.46) as a non-scored exhibition entry who was ninth.

Charrier had three consecutive personal bests on his first three long jumps – 20-6, 21-4 1/2 and 21-5 3/4. Sophomore Zack Hogan was fifth (20-5 3/4) and had three jumps in the 20s.

The Trojans compete at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet Friday, May 16, at York.

-- by Bill Stone