Boys Track: Joliet West edges Providence at Eisenhower Invite
Updated: April 19, 2012 10:32PM
For Bremen’s Demetrius Shelton, winning the 400 meters in 49.32 seconds at the 16-team Eisenhower Invitational on Thursday was both a blessing and a curse.
“Spiritually it feels great (to win). Physically it hurts,” Shelton said. “My legs were dead at the end of the race. I’ve got to give props to Argo’s (Josh Conley) for pushing me so hard. I had to fight all the way through the stretch.”
Providence’s Kevin Ward finished second (50.22) and Shelton’s teammate Charles Jideonwo was third (51.18).
With four heat races in the event, Conley finished seventh (52.06).
Tied after 22 events, Joliet West edged Providence in the final race for the meet title. Joliet West finished with 129 points, while Providence was second with 125. Shepard finished third with 115.
Providence smashed the high jump meet record, tallying 24 feet, 1 inch to top the 2010 mark of 22-8 set by Thornridge.
Providence’s winning team featured Kevin Helmin, who also won the 110 hurdles (14.62), Jake Hopkins, Sean Fitzgerald and anchor Mike Monroe, who sealed the victory with a jump of 6-7.
“I’d been struggling to get past 6-4 to start the year, but about two meets ago I started hitting 6-7 and 6-8 in practice,” Monroe said. “I’ve been working with my dad and coach Ken Raymond on my technique and it’s really starting to come together. I don’t want to sound cocky, but my goal is to win state this year.”
Shepard was second at 22-8.
Shepard took first in the long jump relay at 80-7.5.
Marist’s Kyle Hauser (9:40.84) and Cody Haberkorn (9:41.66) placed first and second, respectively, in the 3,200. Hauser and Haberkorn ran the entire eight laps side-by-side. It wasn’t until the final 100 meters that Hauser made his move.
Other individual winners included Bremen’s Dion Starnes in the 300 hurdles (39.03) and the Providence discus relay team (472-1).
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