CHICAGO MARIST TRACK AND FIELD

On Sunday, March 11, 2007, the Northside Mens Track & Field Team traveled to Proviso West High School for the 2007 CPS Varsity Indoor All Star Meet. The meet featured over 60 schools, and lasted six hours. Medals were awarded to the top 3 places, and ribbons for places 4th through 6th. In the 3200m run, Northside Jonathan Kittaka and Lincoln Park Derek Schnake ran toe to toe for sixteen laps. Schnake edged Kittaka at the finish with a outanding time of 10:44.5. Kittaka placed second overall and dropped 6 seconds off his PR, for a personal best time of 10:44.8 (5:14/5:30). Lake View's Alex Agafonov placed 3rd overall. Agafonov was also impressive in the 4x800m Relay, and 4x400m Relay (62.00 split) with short rest. Northside Cuitlahuac Pineda placed fourth overall and dropped 12 seconds off his PR, for a personal best time of 11:31 (5:45/5:46). Jonathan Kittaka was awarded a Silver Medal, and Cuitlahuac Pineda was awared a ribbon. Although the 3200m run is not scored at CPS Indoor meets, because not every team is allowed an entry, the invited field was outstanding. In the High Jump, Sophomore Wemi Jemine did not show up to the meet, and the Mustangs were unable to substitute, costing the Mustangs vital points. In the Long Jump, Senior Geoff Edwards jumped 16'7. In the Triple Jump, Albert Lin did not show up to the meet, and the Mustangs were unable to substitute, costing the Mustangs vital points. In the Shot Put, Eric Nelson was ranked among the top five in the City. But arrived late to the meet, due to a typos on the Meet Schedule, and will attempt to break Chris Zysko's school record in the Shot Put on March 20, 2007 at the Ostberg Sophomore-Freshman Championships. In the 55m Dash, Benjamin Garcia ran a 7.10. In the 55m Hurdles, Albert Lin did not show up to the meet, and the Mustangs were unable to substitute, costing the Mustangs vital points. In the 4x800m Relay, Preston Buehrer dropped six seconds for a Personal Best 2:14 800m split on the first leg of the relay (65/69). Sophomore Simon Vecchioni ran a 2:24 800m split on the second leg of the relay. (68/76). Senior John Holler ran a personal best 2:17 800m split (66/71) on the third leg of the relay, and made a nice exchange to Patrick O'Connor. O'Connor dropped 6 seconds from the Fenton Bison Indoor Classic for an outstanding 2:17 800m split (66/71) to anchor the Mustangs to THIRD PLACE overall, with a total time of 9:12. The Mustangs were awarded bronze medals. In the 800m run, on short rest, Preston Buehrer ran an outstanding time of 2:19 (65/74) to place seventh overall. Junior Jose Choto did not show up to the meet, due to alleged "cramps" when he woke up on Sunday morning. Northside Ironman Preston Buehrer came through for the Mustangs after running the 4x800m Relay, and 800m run, he anchored the 4x200m Relay within a second of the school record right after running the 800m run. In the 4x200m run, Benjamin Garcia ran a 27.58 200m split on the first leg of the relay. Garcia stuter-stepped at the start, costing him time, but it can be easily corrected. After the start, Garcia ran strong, and made an impressive exchange to Junior Santino Merino. Merino ran a personal best 24.85 200m split and moved the Mustangs to fourth place in their heat. Senior Geoff Edwards passed two athletes on the curb to move the Mustangs to second place in their heat with an impressive 25.77 200m split, and made a nice exchange to Preston Buehrer. Captain Preston Buehrer held off an attempt to pass him in the first 100m, and then opened up a big lead with a 26.38 200m split, for a total time of 1:44.64. The Mustangs came within one second of breaking the school record, which was set on Friday (1:43.12) and almost broke it in back-to-back meets. In the 400m Dash, Hunter Speese was unable to compete for Northside on Sunday due to a previously scheduled doctor's appointment for an injury from Basketball season. Speese notified Northside Head Coach on Friday, March 9, 2007, but the Mustangs were not allowed to make any substitutions after midnight on Wednesday, March 7, 2007 for the CPS Varsity Indoor All Star Meet. Therefore, the Mustangs had to sacerfice vital points. The 2007 400m Champion won it with an outstanding time of 56 seconds. Senior Geoff Edwards would later run a 55.53 400m split on the first leg of the 4x400m Relay. Edwards will definitely be running the 400m Dash for the Mustangs on March 24, 2007 at the Kenwood Classic. In the 1600m run, a year ago (2006), Northside Patrick O'Connor placed 2nd overall in the CPS Varsity Indoor meet, and had a 15 seconds time drop off his season best time. Could he do it again? Northside assistant Coach John Gallen told O'Connor prior to the race that he would run a 5:08. O'Connor contested saying he wants to break 5 minutes. Gallen told him that if he breaks five, he would get him a sandwich. Gallen will be providing Patrick O'Connor with a lot of sandwiches this season. Patrick O'Connor ran the first 200m in 33 seconds, and was in fifth place, but ahead of Lincoln Park. O'Connor went through 400m in 69 seconds, and was in fourth place. Patrick O'Connor went through 600m in 1:48, and had the top three runners within sight. O'Connor went through 800m in 2:27, and on pace to break five minutes. O'Connor went through 1000m in 3:08, and was closing quickly on the top three runners. Patrick O'Connor went through 1200m in 3:47! and moved to second place! O'Connor went through 1400m in 4:25, and had an awesome kick (34.84) to finish second overall with a 4:59.84! Patrick O'Connor dropped 28 seconds from the Fenton Bison Indoor Classic for a season best time of 4:59.84 and placed second overall in the CPS Varsity Indoor meet for the second consecutive year! Patrick O'Connor was awarded a silver medal, and enjoyed a sandwich too. The Mustangs now feature two sub five minute milers (Patrick O'Connor and Preston Buehrer), and are awaiting word from Illinois Prep Top Times Indoor Invitational (3/31/07) for a possible invite in the Distance Medley Relay. In the 200m Dash, Benjamin Garcia had a great start, and outstanding race, and dropped 2 seconds off his 4x200m split with an outstanding time of 25.21. The school record in the 200m Dash in 25.09, and was set in 2003 by Jonathan Miller. The Mustangs now have four athletes that are all within striking distance of breaking the record. In the 4x400m Relay, Captain Geoff Edwards ran a personal best 400m split of 55.53!, which would have won the 400m Dash!, and made a nice exchange to Sophomore Simon Vecchioni. Vecchioni ran a personal best time of 59.12!, and made a nice exchange to Junior Preston Buehrer. Captain Preston Buehrer, in his fourth running event of the day, ran an outstanding 61.91 400m split, and made a nice exchange to Sophomore Benjamin Garcia. Benjamin Garcia, also in his fourth running event of the day, ran a 61.25 400m split, for a total time of 3:57.81. It was the second FASTEST 4x400m relay in the history of Northside College Prep. The Mustangs came within 0.48 seconds of a school record. CPS VARSITY INDOOR ALL STAR MEET POINTS 1. Patrick O'Connor 9.50 2. Preston Buehrer 1.50 2. John Holler 1.50 2. Simon Vecchioni 1.50 VARSITY POINTS SEASON LEADERS (5 Meets) 1. Geoff Edwards 19.50 2. Preston Buehrer 11.00 2. Benjamin Garcia 11.00 3. Patrick O'Connor 9.50 4. Albert Lin 9.00 4. Jonathan Kittaka 9.00 5. Santino Merino 8.25 6. Jose Choto 7.00 7. Simon Vecchioni 5.50 7. Hunter Speese 5.50 8. Martin Melto 4.75 9. John Holler 4.00 10.Erik Flores 3.50 11.Cuitlahuac Pineda 3.00 12.Brian Chhun 2.50 13.Darrel Johnson 1.50 13.Robert Garcia 1.50 13.Vingh Nguyen 1.50 14.Harold Jaffe 1.00 14.Faraz Khan 1.00 14.Vinh Nguyen 1.00 15.Neal Capapas 0.75 15.Peter Wilk 0.75 16.Omer Aba-Omer 0.50