DGN at Romeoville Sectional (story)

Downers Grove North senior pole vaulter Eric Wisz appeared on pace to qualify for his first state meet at the Class 3A Romeoville Sectional Friday, May 23.

As he prepared for one of the sectional’s first events, however, the steps for his approach to the bar were completely out of sync.

“In warmups, didn’t get many good jumps off. But I didn’t want to take too many, wear myself out. I figured when the bar up, I would rely on my muscle memory a little bit,” Wisz said. 

“The first jump, my step improved and then it got better from there. As I moved back a little bit, my step got better and once the bar came up, I kind of started focusing on other things as a vaulter and let the run happen.”

Wisz cleared his first two heights without a miss and then, 13 feet-9 inches – a new lifetime best – also on his first attempt. The result not only was a state berth but a sectional title on a tiebreaker. 

Wisz was among several Trojans who rose to the occasion. Downers North collected four sectional champions and 10 state-qualifying entries and easily won only its second sectional team title in program history.  Entries qualify for state either with top-two sectional finishes or by achieving state-qualifying standards at the sectional. 

Seniors Zack Smith (3,200-meter run in 9:16.28 fully automatic time) and Tony Zea (800 in 1:56.94) and junior Ryan Clevenger (1,600 in 4:17.02) also were sectional champions and advanced in two events each. 

Seniors Jazz Charrier (career-best 22-10 3/4 in long jump) and Nick Steichmann (50-1 in shot put) and the 3,200 relay of Zea, juniors Jack Diamond and Zac Christensen and Clevenger (season-best 7:51.90) finished second. Third-place senior Jeremy Craven (3,200 in personal-best 9:24.81) and junior Nick Janicki (157-10 in discus) and Smith (1,600 in 4:19.45) advanced by beating the respective state-qualifying standards of 9:29.04, 156-6 and 4:22.04, respectively. 

The state meet is Friday and Saturday, May 30-31, at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Preliminaries are Friday with the finals Saturday, except for the 3,200, which is run only in two heats Saturday.

”Our ultimate goal is to get as many guys down to Charleston as possible. We happened to be good enough to win the sectional anyway and that’s really a testament to the depth that we have on this team,” Downers North head coach Eric Buhot said.

“We were cautiously optimistic that we would get this many guys down. We knew that a lot of guys were on the bubble. But things started rolling a little bit with Eric Wisz. All of a sudden, these pieces started falling into place.”

The Trojans easily won as a team with 103 points, followed by Bolingbrook (80.5 points) and Hinsdale Central (73) in second and third. Top-six finishers earn team points at sectionals. 

Downers North’s only other sectional title came in 1993. Before the IHSA’s switch to sectionals starting in 1983, Downers Grove High School won district titles in 1940, 1962 and 1964. 

”The main goal was just to qualify kids. That’s how we judge sectionals. But add on a first place (as a team), it’s just awesome,” Zea said. “Looking at the seeds, we knew we had a chance, but seeds don’t really mean much. Everyone came out here and performed like they had to and it worked out in the end, sectional champs:”

In 2013, Smith was an all-state third in the 1,600 (4:14.49) behind two seniors, and Janicki also qualified in the discus but fouled all three of his throws. Craven, Clevenger, Diamond and Christensen received their first taste of state competition Nov. 9 when they competed on the Trojans’ second-place 3A team at the boys cross country state meet in Peoria. Smith (3rd) and Clevenger (7th) earned individual all-state honors with top 25 finishes.

Steichmann actually threw farther in shot at last year’s sectional but ended up fourth behind three seniors after being in second place heading into finals. 

On Friday, Steichmann again was second entering finals but this time improved his mark to 50-1 – and it made the difference. On his final throw, third-place Oak Lawn senior David Michaels threw 50-0, one inch behind Steichmann, who then scratched his final attempt.

”It was nervewracking when they measured it, but I’m glad that I made it,” Steichmann said. “It’s something I’ve worked for over four years so it’s fantastic to have it this year. I’m really just looking forward to going down there. It’s my last meet of high school. I know that I’m not going to win. It’s just about doing my best. It’s just about the experience of going down to state and getting to throw with some of the best.”

Other Trojans appear in position to contend for top-nine, all-state honors in their events if not the Trojans’ first state title since the 3,200 relay won in 2001. The Trojans’ other state titles have come in field events – Joe Marconi (shot in 1981) and Bob Cervenka (high jump in 1976). 

Based on sectional performances, Clevenger is No. 5 in the 1,600, Charrier is tied for No. 5, the 3,200 relay is No. 6, Smith is No. 8 in the 3,200 and No. 17 in the 1,600, Wisz is tied for 12th, Zea is No. 21, Craven is No. 22, Janicki is tied for No. 22 and Steichmann is No. 28. 

Smith set the outdoor school record in the 3,200 with a 9:07.1 April 25 at Downers Grove South’s Bob Cohoon Invite.  His season-best 4:14.01 in the 1,600, which won the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet May 16, is faster than any sectional performance. Clevenger ran 4:15.76 at Hinsdale Central’s McCarthy Invite May 9.

”I know there are some good runners down there and I know I’m not the favorite, but I’m going to try to give it my all and see what I can do,” Smith said. 

”(My goal is) just go down there in the mile prelim and run fast, get in that final and then just see what I can do Saturday, in both (races), hopefully if I’m lucky enough, and just compete with the best runners in the state. I’ll just try to stick with them and run well and make a great experience out of it, that being the last race at DGN for me.” 

Last year, graduated Ben Eaton was the Trojans’ only state representative in the 3,200. He responded with a personal-best 9:10.76 for an all-state ninth place and the then school-record time. Smith indicated he would try the distance double at state after strong performances in both races at the Cohoon Invite. 

”(Smith and Clevenger have been) doubling back real nice when we’ve asked them to do that,” Downers North distance coach John Sipple said. “I would expect things to go pretty well for them because we’re just coming into our own a little bit. We just started barely letting off the gas this week in terms of our training. Hopefully (at state) we’ll see another time drop and the guys will get it done.” 

Zea and Clevenger go their first state meets with one individual berth and as members of the 3,200 relay. The relay posted the state’s ninth-fastest team-best time this outdoor season, according to DyeStat Illinois. First-place Sandburg (7:47.56) had the second-fastest sectional time to New Trier’s 7:43.65 – the fastest 3,200 relay time the entire outdoor season. 

”I’m so excited. Six months of hard work just finally coming through. All of those morning practices, waking up, all of those negative-degree practices, it’s finally coming through,” Zea said. 

”Not qualifying last year to being (contenders for) all-state, it’s a huge step. I’m confident we can get all-state if we all PR like I know we can. I’m hoping to go 1:54, 1:53 (in the 800). The school record is 1:55.3. The school record for the 4-by-800 is 7:46. We have a chance. We came into this year not really expecting that much out of the 4-by-800 and we’ve come a long way.” 

Several seniors did what was necessary to make state their final meet. Wisz cleared a personal-best 13-6 at the Silver Meet using a new pole, but if he didn’t clear 13-9 Friday, he would not have advanced. Like 12-9 and 13-3 before, Wisz went over 13-9 without a miss. 

”It was good to just get in there and take care of business, not worry about misses or anything,” Wisz said. “That feeling when I flew over (13-9) and falling down, I feel like, ‘I didn’t hit (the bar),’ so I was just amped when I hit the (landing) pit. It was great.” 

”He’s just worked really hard and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy,” Downers North pole vault coach Bob Ogle said. “(He has) speed, the right pole, just working really, really hard. The guy is dedicated, committed like you wouldn’t believe.” 

Wisz left last year’s sectional with a good feeling as well. He ended with a then career-best 12-3. Wisz was hampered by a hip injury late during the indoor season, but he was able to progress during outdoors uninterrupted and gained momentum as his personal best improved.

”I was staying on pace, hitting my weekly goals with that 13-6 (at the Silver Meet). I had a lot of height so I knew I had it in me to jump 13-9. It just gave me a lot of momentum going into today,” Wisz said. 

”It was kind of like I took it day by day, week by week, just jumping over the summer, indoor training. I wanted to hit those little goals along the way. (State) was always a tangible goal. I always knew I had to work so it all paid off.”  

During the indoor season, Ogle said he was concerned by Wisz’s hip injury and the vaulters being limited to four meets, three in which they could compete with spiked shoes. 

During Friday’s rough warmups, Ogle was about to suggest that Wisz use his former pole to help at least clear the initial heights. The location of the pit also forced the vaulters to run directly into the wind.

”It wasn’t until he picked up the pole and actually had to get over the bar that the step was starting to work again. I was concerned because this was not a good practice week, but he pulled it together when he needed to,” Ogle said.  

”Everything came together. It was a marvelous thing. It was unfortunate that he had injuries in the indoor season. There were a lot of things going against.” 

Steichmann has been throwing shot around the schedule for his job. While he requested days off in case he qualified for state, he soon realized Friday that he needed to reschedule.

”I requested off Friday, Saturday and Sunday and we’re there (competing) Thursday, Friday and Saturday,” Steichmann said. 

To accommodate his work schedule, Steichmann has early release for eighth period. He uses the time to begin practice well before his teammates because he then has to leave practice early. With no weight training at this point, Steichmann spent as much practice time specifically on his throwing.

”I feel so great for him (qualifying after) coming that close last year,” Downers North throws coach Ryan Coleman said. “He never gave up hope and kept trying just to do it the way he did, just to hang on by that (one inch over Michaels). It’s a little more of a cliffhanger than I wanted but especially being a senior, that’s awesome for him.” 

On Friday, Steichmann also came close to his career best of 50-3 by two inches. Already qualified for state, his last throw in finals was estimated near 51 feet, but he stepped out of the ring and scratched. He was throwing so well that he felt that if he needed a clutch final throw to advance, he could have done it.

”I was throwing extraordinarily well,” Steichmann said. “In warmups, according to (Coleman), I threw past state qualifying (52-11) twice so now it’s just a matter of doing it in the meets, like it has been all season for me.” 

While Steichmann ended up fourth behind three seniors in 2013, he entered Friday as the No. 3 seed behind Oak Forest senior Luke Taccola, the eventual champion (53-6), and Romeoville junior Prosper Osinloye, who ended up fourth (47-1). Entering finals in second place to Taccola was a slightly uneasy feeling after what happened in the 2013 sectional. Steichmann fell to third during the second round of finals and fourth during the final round.

”Being in second place going into finals, it was a bit of déjà vu, echo of last year,” Steichmann said. “I was a little bit concerned am I going to end up in fourth again? I knew there was talent there and I would have to perform.” 

Charrier knew he’d have to perform in a strong field of long jumpers. His 22-10 3/4 on the first attempt of finals advanced by beating the 22-3 state cut – and it was a lifetime best by more than a foot. 

Now Charrier, who began the season exclusively a sprinter, is headed to state in an event he never competed until the indoor Silver Meet March 21.

”I’m shocked, yeah. I’m still shocked right now,” Charrier said. “It was kind of unexpected for me to jump this season. I didn’t know I was going to be jumping but I’ll take it, though. I just give it all to my coaches. They motivated me the whole time. They knew I was in third place (entering finals), just keep competing and that’s what I did. Thank God I got second place and made it to state.” 

Once Charrier qualified for state, he passed on his final two jumps and began focusing on his track events. Bolingbrook senior John Hall kept jumping and eventually won with a 23-1 1/2.

As anchor of the 400 relay, the lineup of sophomore Anthony Giordano, seniors Charles Creamer and Andrew Adams and Charrier finished third (43.14), just .13 behind second-place Sandburg.

”It was disappointing. Those guys worked hard all season as I did. It sucks not to make it in the 4-by-100,” Charrier said. 

Charrier’s sprinting abilities were among the reasons he was recruited as a possible long jumper. When Downers North jumps coach Justin Ashton and Buhot noticed Charrier’s jumping during a pick-up basketball game, they had him try a run-through at practice. 

Charrier jumped more than 21 feet and had just added a new event.

”Jazz is exceptionally excited (to qualify). Every meet he has been PRing by several inches, by a foot or more, and that includes this meet,” Ashton said. 

”He has just been explosive. He follows the simple cues. You have to push out hard and have good sprinting mechanics and when you hit that board, you have to make sure that you just explode off of it. Jazz just has lightning focus and is able to put his whole heart into the jump. He responds to the coaching, which is key. All you need is the effort and the ear and you’re good to go.” 

Still, Charrier needed a monster jump to advance. He improved upon his previous best of 21-5 3/4 at the McCarthy Invite with a 21-8 during prelims, but that only would have finished fourth behind Hinsdale South sophomore Dylan Boye (22-1 3/4) and Bolingbrook junior Damare Portis (22-1). 

”I didn’t even know that I jumped that far (22-10 1/4). I thought it was in the 21s, but I just went out there and tried to jump as far as I can, and I did,” Charrier said. 

”I was like, ‘A 22-10? What?’ Honestly, I just had a good start, ran hard and just pushed as hard as I could. It’s all about hang time, I guess, in long jump. I just tried to get as much hang time in the air as I could. You know what? I give it all to playing basketball all of these years, being able to jump and hang in the air and try to change my shot in mid-air so I don’t get blocked and jumping for rebounds. I owe my jumping abilities to basketball.” 

Janicki faced a different kind of pressure, trying to get back to state. He entered as the No. 2 seed with his career-best 162-4 that won the Silver Meet to Romeoville junior Kelvin Jones. 

Janicki’s first throw in prelims flew into the netting and poles that surround the throwers’ circle. 

”That’s the first time I’ve even done that all year,” Janicki said. “When I fouled it, I was feeling a little shaky. I just got in the ring, calmed down and just went through the motions and got it.”

His next throw ended the tension early. It was a 157-10, which soared beyond the 156-6 qualifying standard. 

”I actually didn’t know it was going to be that far. I was like, ‘Aw,’  and then they said 157 and I was like, ‘First qualifier (in discus). Cool,’ ” Janicki said. “I felt more personal pressure this year because I made it last year as a sophomore. I’m kind of expected to make it this year, and I expected myself to make it.” 

Jones followed immediately with his first-place 169-0. Taccola also advanced with a second-place 162-0. 

Janicki had two other scratches but also had another throw in the high 156s that would beat the state mark. He said his goal was to throw at least in the 160s.

”In finals, you could tell he was pressing a little too hard because he was worried about placing. We don’t put a lot of pressure on what place you get as long as you make it down there,” Coleman said. “He’ll be fine, though, (for state). He’ll get it fixed.” 

At state in 2013, Janicki, as well as many other throwers, struggled to get their footing in a new throwing ring with a foundation of slippery concrete. Janicki said Friday’s ring had a similar slippery feeling and was good practice for state. He hopes to throw close to 170 feet and challenge for all-state honors. 

”I have to make sure my shoes are wet (for state). As long as I stay balanced through everything, then I won’t slip (on my release),” Janicki said. “Just because of the experience, I know what to expect. Last year, I was nervous more. I was just like, ‘There are a lot of big guys here.’ Now I’m just kind of more relaxed, ready for it.” 

Zea continued to show how much he’s improved to make his senior season a special one. In the 800 at sectionals last year, Zea was fourth (1:57.89) and just missed the state cut by .65 and was 2.08 seconds behind the second-place Downers Grove South senior Jacob Amiri (1:55.81).

On Friday, Zea joined Amiri as clearly the cream of the field. Zea trailed Amiri most of the race but then put on a strong kick in the homestretch to win by .83 (1:56.94 to 1:57.77). Marist senior Luke Haberkorn (1:59.13) was third and missed the 1:57.24 cut.

”(Amiri is) an amazing runner. Just the fact that I can beat him this year is fantastic. It’s a little cherry on top,” Zea said. 

”I talked to Amiri before the race. He would take it out like he did. I was hoping to stay behind him a little closer but then I kind of just outkicked him at the end. It was just nice to have him pace it out, a friend racing out there.” 

As expected, Smith and Clevenger won distance races with deep, impressive fields. 

In the 3,200, Smith was engaged in a battle for the lead with Hinsdale Central senior standout Billy Magnesen, a state qualifier in the event last year. Smith pulled out the victory by less than a second (9:16.28 to 9:17.17).

In the 1,600, Clevenger was in command most of the way and held on to win by .47 over Sandburg senior Denis O’Callaghan (4:17.49). Smith (4:19.45) once again held off Magnesen (4:19.99) as they finished a state-qualifying third and fourth.

Smith didn’t look like a runner who had been battling a cold all week following the school prom the day after the Silver Meet. 

”It’s not a big deal. It didn’t affect me at all,” Smith said. “I was able to go and have Ryan drag me along in the mile and work with Billy in the 3,200 so it went well and I’ll feel good next week so that’s all that matters. I’ll be good to go.” 

Like Smith in 2013, Clevenger appears poised to make his mark at state as a junior. 

Clevenger came on strong even last track season. He ran the 1,600 at sectionals and was fifth behind two seniors in 4:24.12, barely two seconds over the state cut. Smith was second in 4:18.89.

”I’m just going to compete the best I can and hopefully walk away with a top-five or top-three finish. We’ll see how it goes, but I’m excited, really excited,” Clevenger said. 

”Just qualifying from this, it feels great. It feels like I really stepped up from a year in advance and it means a lot to me. I’m just happy I’m going down this time and racing. It’s been a big, total switch around in about a year so it’s nice.” 

Craven also found that extra gear to advance after a stress fracture in cross country and shin splints in track kept his competitions to a minimum. 

Craven was optimistic after he already ran the qualifying time with a 9:28.25 to win Sandburg’s Struck Invite May 2. Unlike that race, Craven would have Smith in the field with him on Friday hoped that he could pace off Smith, especially because he was doing the distance double and going more for place than time. 

As it turned out, Smith ran too well and too hard at the start. After a 1:05 first lap and 4:36 first mile, Craven was by himself most of the second mile but held third and advanced with more than four seconds to spare. Hinsdale Central senior TJ Caveney (personal-best 9:26.89) and Shepard senior Josh Meier (9:27.95) also beat the cut in finishing fourth and fifth. 

”We went out a little faster than we planned to so I couldn’t really stick on Zack,” Craven said. “I was hoping to be a few more seconds slower than that (first 400). But it worked out well. I qualified. I can’t complain. It was a PR.” 

Craven finished nearly 30 seconds faster than he did at the 2013 sectional (9th, 9:54.15). Still, he hoped to run faster to have a better chance of competing in the faster-seeded heat of the 3,200 in the state finals. The slower-seeded heat competes about an hour before the 3,200 relay. 

Last year, Eaton’s first-place 9:23.17 won the sectional but was the last time to make the fast heat. Craven knows that time isn’t much faster than what he ran Friday. 

”Hopefully I can get ninth (like Eaton), even if I’m in the slow heat. (But) it’s probably going to be a little faster than last year,” Craven said. “Ben Eaton ran 9:10 for that (ninth-place) spot. That was also a huge PR for him. I’ve been running basically the same times as him. If I can PR like he did at the state meet, then (I have a chance).” 

Craven pulled off the seemingly impossible in cross country. Sidelined after the season opener, Craven didn’t return until the conference meet and then won the junior varsity race. After being kept out of regionals as a precaution, he finally rejoined the varsity at sectionals and state, where he was the Trojans’ No. 4 finisher (68th). 

”I’ve definitely run more this (track) season so I knew coming into this meet that I could qualify and probably hit the time,” Craven said. “In cross, going into it, I had no idea what to expect. I had more confidence going into this race. I knew I could get the job done.” 

Through their state cross country experience, Diamond and Christensen have gained confidence. Christensen (114th) and Diamond (184th) were the Trojans’ No. 6 and 7 state finishers and the only non-seniors in the lineup.

On Friday, they were the keys to the 3,200 relay time drop. Diamond (1:58.4) and Christensen (2:00.3) both had personal-best split to complement the usually fastest legs of Zea (1:56.4) and Clevenger (1:56.7).

”It’s just good to even have a little (state) experience, just to know what the pressure is like a little bit and what the experience is like,” Christensen said. 

”We definitely had high expectations going into this race. It’s still just crazy, exciting knowing that we’re qualifying and going down. It didn’t really hit until a couple of minutes after how fast we had run and it was definitely a shock.”

When Clevenger received the baton for the anchor leg, the Trojans seemed assured to at least advance on time. Clevenger soon lost Hinsdale Central and the question remained whether the Trojans or Sandburg would prevail. The third-place Red Devils still advanced in 7:56.33. 

”We just wanted to compete against (Sandburg). They would help us to a fast time and they did a great job,” Diamond said. 

“We feel great going into next week, and we know there’s more in the tank, too, for all of us. From that (state) experience, we know a lot of the guys in the race. That helps us, knowing our competition. Also we know what it’s like to compete on the biggest stage. There’s going to be pressure, but it’s going to be good pressure for us with that experience.” 

Many other Downers North entries gave superlative efforts but did not qualify. 

Besides the 400 relay, Adams ran a great 400 but finished third in 51.11 and was edged for second by .02 by Bolingbrook junior Peyton Chapman (51.09). 

Sophomore Zack Hogan was third in triple jump (44-0 3/4). Hogan had jumped as far as 44-10 1/2 April 12 and needed the 44-10 qualifying standard to advance along with Hinsdale Central senior Nkemjika Nwosu (school-record 46-4 1/2) and Romeoville senior Curshaun Pruitt (45-5). 

Junior Max Sale was fifth in discus (149-3). Junior Nate Powell was sixth in pole vault (12-9). 

”I think it’s really important for the guys that made it downstate to understand how big a deal that is. You can work your butt off and that doesn’t’ guarantee you a spot down there,” Buhot said. “We had a lot of guys that qualified, but we had a lot of guys who worked their butts off and didn’t. 

”That’s why we ask the guys who get down that we need to be humble because it’s very easy to be an Andrew Adams. You feel for those guys. He deserved to get down. That’s going to sting, but ultimately that’s a life lesson and that’s what we want to teach here. It’s a bittersweet feeling and that’s how it’s always going to be when you can’t bring everyone down.” 

-- by Bill Stone