CHICAGO MARIST TRACK AND FIELD

On Saturday, March 11, 2006, in front of a packed stadium at Proviso West High School, the top Freshman and Sophomore athletes selected from 75 Chicago Public High Schools competed in the CPS Indoor Freshman-Sophomore Track and Field Championships. One year ago, in the same meet, the only event the Mustangs scored a point in was the Mile. This year the Mustangs scored in 86% of the events, and have officially emerged has one of the top Track and Field Teams in the City of Chicago. The 4x800m Relay set the tone early for the meet, and created energy throughout the Team. The Mustangs were ranked 7th in Chicago going into the Meet, and with a 10:34.56 4x800m performance at Fenton were not considered contenders. However, prior to the race, every athlete on the 4x800m Relay committed themselves to running within 4 seconds of their 400m PR on the first 400m of the race and it paid off. Freshman Brandon Cooper dropped 8 seconds off his PR, and ran a personal best time of 2:19 on the first leg of the 4x800m Relay. It was the second fastest time run by a Mustang this season. As Brandon handed off the baton to Sophomore Santino Merino, several opposing coaches jaws dropped as the Mustangs were in the lead. Santino Merino came to the meet not knowing if he was even going to run in the meet, because he was designated as an alternate when the entries were submitted. Sophomore Erik Flores, a 2:28 800m runner did not make it to the bus, and Merino was told upon arrival at the Meet that he would be running in place of Flores in the 4x800m Relay. At Fenton, Merino, ran a 2:40.61 800m PR, and being asked to subsitute for a 2:28 800m runner was a tall order. Merino came to the meet ready and prepared to race. Merino showed incredible mental toughness and dropped 12 seconds off his personal best time, and ran a 2:28.93 800m PR, and is now a permenant member of the 4x800m Relay Team. Merino handed off the baton to Freshman Simon Vecchioni and it was now clear the Mustangs were about to pull off an upset and finish among the Top 3 in the City of Chicago. On the third leg, Simon Vecchioni dropped 14 seconds from the Fenton Classic, and ran a personal best time of 2:31.58. Vecchioni handed off the baton to Sophomore Eric Ullrich to anchor the relay. On the Final leg, Eric Ullrich dropped 11 seconds off his personal best time, and secured Third place in the Chicago for the Mustangs with an outstanding time of 2:28.45! In less than four days, the same athletes went from a 10:34.56 4x800m Relay time at the Fenton Classic to a 9:49.03 4x800m Relay at the CPS Freshman-Sophomore Indoor Championships, representing a combined 45 second time drop!!! The 9:49.03 4x800m Relay was also faster than the Varsity 4x800m Relay Team at Fenton, and the second fastest 4x800m Relay by the Mustangs on any level this season. In the Shot Put, Freshman John Ko threw an outstanding 29.5! Sophomore Preston Buehrer threw a personal best 26'8.5. University of Chicago Throwers Coach Lee Slick officiated the Meet and told several great stories about Shot Put Olympic legend Brian Oldfield. In the High Jump, Freshman Wemi Jemine improved from a personal best 5'2 to 5'6 to place 3rd overall in Chicago! Freshman Eric Nelson jumped a personal best 5'10 to tie for First place and came extremly close to 6'0 in his final attempt. Nelson won the tie breaker by having the least amount of misses in the Competition, and is the 2006 CPS Indoor High Jump Champion!!! In the Long Jump, Freshman Albert Lin jumped a personal best 16'9 to place 6th overall in Chicago! In the 4x200m Relay, Eric Nelson ran a personal best 27.11 200m split on the first leg of the Relay. Sophomore Jerry Tran ran a 29.10 split on the second leg of the relay. Sophomore Brian Chhun ran a 30.70 200m split on the third leg of the Relay. Sophomore Jose Choto ran a personal best 25.00 200m split on the final leg of the relay to anchor the relay to an Outstanding 4x200m Relay time of 1:50.91. The Mustangs placed in the top 6 in the 4x200m Relay, but official results will not be released by the CPS until this evening. In the Mile, the one-two punch of Freshman Jonathan Kittaka, and Sophomore Preston Buehrer placed 1st and 2nd in the second heat of the Mile. Jonathan Kittaka dropped 10 seconds off his personal best time, for a personal record of 5:19. Preston Buehrer dropped 7 seconds, for a personal record of 5:21. Kittaka and Buehrer placed 4th and 5th overall in Chicago!! Jose Choto 25 second 200m split in the 4x200m Relay represented a 1.70 second drop off his personal best time and is the fastest 200m time by a Mustang this season! However, Choto felt light headed after the race and was unable to compete in the 4x400m Relay. Designated alternate Santino Merino took his place in the 4x400m Relay and once again rose to the occassion. On the first leg of the 4x400m Relay, Freshman Benjamin Garcia ran a personal best 61.67. Sophomore Santino Merino dropped 3 seconds off his personal best, running a 63 second leg of the 4x400m Relay. Freshman Sam Vergara dropped 2.41 seconds off his personal best running a 64.78 on the Third leg of the 4x400m Relay. Eric Nelson anchored the relay with a personal best 61.55 on the Final leg of the 4x400m relay for an outstanding Team time of 4:11. The Mustangs placed in the top 6 in the 4x400m Relay, but again official results will not be released by the CPS until this evening. The CPS Freshman-Sophomore Indoor Championships was by far the Mustangs best meet of the season. Freshman-Sophomore CPS All-Star Athletes are restricted to competing in Relays in the Varsity CPS Indoor Championships on Sunday, March 19, 2006. However, several Freshman-Sophomore CPS All-Star Athletes will have a dramatic impact on the Varsity roster in the 4x800m, 4x200m, 4x400m Relays. The Northside Freshman-Sophomore Track and Field Team has one more Indoor Championship meet before they start Outdoor Track and Field Season. On Tuesday, March 21, 2006, the Northside Freshman-Sophomore Team will take on 7 of the best Freshman-Sophomore squads in the State at the Fenton "Ostberg" Indoor Invitational. The meet will feature the "Jim Nichols 800m run" and the "Emil Ostberg 200m run" in honor of said All-American Athletes. Plaques will be awarded to the first 5 places in individual events and the first 4 places in relays. The Meet will features 16 Events, and Northside will have two entries per individual event, and one Relay in the 4x135 yards Relay, 4x800m Relay, 4x270 yards Relay, and 4x405 yards Relay. Northside is also within striking distance of several Fenton "Ostberg" Indoor Invitational Field House records. Athletes not selected in either of the remaining Indoor Meets will have a 400m/800m Powerade Time Trial on Friday, March 17, 2006, and the Throwers will also have Shot Put Powerade Trial on Friday, March 17, 2006. Any athlete that runs or throws a "PR" will be awarded a jug of Powerade at the Time Trial.