Boys Track: Kaneland again at the top of Kane County Meet
Friday, May 9 2014 - Desmond GantBoys Track: Kaneland again at the top of Kane County Meet
Kaneland pole vaulter Dylan Kuipers pumps his fist after clearing 15-3 1/2 to win the event at the Kane County Meet at Streamwood. | John Konstantaras/For Sun-Times Media
ARTICLE EXTRAS
Updated: May 11, 2014 2:45AM
Dylan Kuipers capitalized on some advantageous conditions.
“It’s definitely an advantage having a tailwind like that,” the Kaneland senior said.
Kuipers’ previous-best of 14 feet, 6 inches lasted all of one week as he cleared 15-3.5 to become the Kane County champion in the event.
Kuipers’ performance was emblematic of the Knights’ dominance of the field events at the boys track and field invitational at Streamwood Friday night.
Nate Dyer swept the shot put (55-2) and discus (153-11), and Ben Barnes’ 22-9.25 winning long jump fueled the Knights’ third consecutive county championship.
Kaneland (128 points) defeated runner-up Batavia by more than 50 points; St. Charles East was a point better than West Aurora and Burlington Central for third.
“We knew we were doing pretty well (in the field),” Kaneland coach Eric Baron said. “The guys did really well. They wanted to be county champs and went out and did it.”
The Knights’ state-champion relay members Kyle Carter and Nathaniel Kucera both ran legs on their victorious 1,600- and 3,200-meter quartets (8:00.64, 3:23.47).
West Aurora continues to show immense improvement behind the supremely talented McCue brothers.
Brady McCue, a junior, stormed past Burlington Central senior Matt O’Connor to win the 800 run in 1:57.10.
Connor McCue then made it a family affair as he and teammate Joe Chavez duplicated an earlier West Aurora sweep in triple jump with a 1-2 verdict at 1,600 meters.
“The last 600 I had to make up for what I did (earlier),” said Connor McCue, timed in 4:28.69. “I came back to run a negative split (over the last 800) in 2:12.”
Chris Walker captured the triple jump in a shade over 46 feet to turn back Davion Cross for the Blackhawks’ other sweep.
But Marmion senior Tyler Maryanski made the definitive statement among the four Aurora schools’ participants.
The senior was engaged in a fierce duel with St. Charles North senior Erik Miller, one of two outdoor leaders in the high jump who have cleared 6-10 this spring.
Maryanski soared over the bar at 6-9 on his final attempt and came back moments later to become the new standard bearer in the state with his 6-11 clearance.
Miller failed on all three attempts at 6-11.
“I love having good competition,” Maryanski said. “Good competition gets your adrenaline going. I can’t wait to see (the other competitors) again.”
South Elgin senior Kyle Kumerow bowed out after setting a new personal-best of 6-7.
East Aurora senior Desmond Gant compensated for a runner-up finish at 100 meters (11.06) to claim the 200 in 22.12.
“I was disappointed,” the Minnesota football recruit said of his loss at 100 meters. “I wanted to come out here and prove I had the speed to compete with everybody else.”
Burlington Central junior Lucas Ege remains undefeated on the season in both the 110 high and 300 intermediate hurdles.
“The 300 feels so much better,” said Ege, who won in respective times of 14.63 and 38.85. “I like the 300s a lot.”