Boys Track: David Timlin’s 1,600 gambit pays off; Oak Park-River Forest wins sectional

Updated: May 17, 2012 10:15PM

David Timlin has leaned not to look too far ahead.

The senior is a workhorse for Lane’s boys track team, running on its 1,600- and 3,200-meter relay teams in addition to running open races.

“The trick I have is not thinking about any other race (other than the current one),” Timlin said Thursday. “And after the race, hoping there’s something left.”

He had plenty left in the tank, helping both relays to victory and setting a fierce pace to win the 1,600 in the Class 3A Oak Park-River Forest Sectional at Concordia University in River Forest.

First, Timlin and teammates Lucas Beltran, Marcelo Burbano and Kevin Perez won the 3,200 relay in a school-record time of 7 minutes, 50.22 seconds.

Next up was the 1,600, when Timlin squared off with Oak Park’s Malachy Schrobilgen, who was coming off a blistering 8:57.60 first-place effort in the 3,200. Timlin went out in 60 seconds for the first lap of the 1,600 and built a huge lead, which he needed to hold off a furious finish by Schrobilgen, winning by 2.4 seconds in 4:18.35.

Just a few minutes later, Timlin was back on the track as the anchor for Lane’s 1,600 relay team, which also included Celso Ramos, Antonio Abreu and Beltran and won in 3:22.66.

“We made it (to state) last year and it was a miracle,” Timlin said. “We didn’t want it to be a fluke again. We’re fast and we were going for it.

“That’s why I love running relays. We made it because we all came together. Everyone ran a solid race. We can’t point to anybody and say, ‘He did it.’”

Schrobilgen’s big 3,200 and a sweep of the short sprints were among the highlights for Oak Park, which beat Lyons 175-114 for its fourth straight sectional title.

“I just woke up this morning, (thinking), ‘You know what, I’ve been running so well lately, got to keep the ball rolling,” Schrobilgen said. “No point in just sitting back and trying to qualify, it’s about getting ready for what’s ahead.”

Booth won the 100 in 11.05 and the 200 in 22.52, and also ran legs on the Huskies’ winning 400 and 800 relays.

Lyons’ Matt Harris also won a pair of individual titles, going 14.94 in the 100 hurdles and 23 feet, 8 inches in the long jump.

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