CHICAGO MARIST TRACK AND FIELD

  On Friday, March 28, 2008, Northside Junior Eric Nelson, Junior Simon Vecchioni, Sophomore Cuitlahuac Pineda Youniss, Freshman Charlie Mesimore, Junior Ani Zotti, Junior Anna Parks, Junior Adaora Achufusi, and Sophomore Bessie Nolan traveled to Bloomington, Illinois in preparation for the Illinois Prep Top Times Invitational (Indoor State). The Northside Mustangs stayed at Holiday Inn Suites, and dined at the Olive Garden for dinner, and enjoyed all the amenities of the hotel as a reward for qualifying for the Indoor State Championships.

  On Saturday morning, March 29, 2008, the Mustangs traveled to Shirk Center at Illinois Wesley University for the Indoor State Championships. Every seat in the stadium was filled, and there was standing room only available to watch the best athletes in Illinois compete for the Indoor title. Medals were awarded to the Top 8 Athletes in each event. During the meet, Athletes were kept in a large turf room, and a warm-up gym adjacent to the stadium, and the athletes were only brought into the stadium when it was time for their respective event. Coaches were given floor passes, but were kept in a roped off seated area in the infield of the Track. A talented announcer gave the play by play call of every event throughout the meet. A jumbo-tron screen also displayed the results instantly as runners crossed the finish line in every event. The High Jump Pit was in the south end of the Stadium, and faced the main floor and upper deck seating sections of the stadium, and the height of the crossbar was displayed to the crowd with a four digit performance indicator with 10" digits, large enough to be seen in the last row of the upper deck.     

   In the High Jump, a record 22 athletes hit the automatic qualifying height during the Indoor season to qualify for the Indoor State Championships. As a result, the opening height was set at 6'2. This was the highest opening height ever in the history of Illinois Prep Top Times. A year ago, the opening height was 5'11.

   Northside Captain Eric Nelson cleared the opening height of 6'2 on his second attempt. Central Cathlolic's Anthony Kelly had three outstanding attempts at 6'2, but was unable to clear it. Conant's Fuad Agoro also made three outstanding attempts at 6'2, and was unable to clear it. Romeoville's Brandon McBryde was also unable to clear 6'2. Crete-Monee Vanalari Hope had three outstanding attempts at 6'2, but was unable to clear it. Hillcrest's Harold Smith also made three outstanding attempts at 6'2, and was unable to clear it. Evanston's Williams Desmen also was also unable to clear 6'2. Mundelien's Adam Bassett had three outstanding attempts at 6'2, but was unable to clear it. Palatine's Nick Busch also made three outstanding attempts at 6'2, and was unable to clear it. Rich East High School's Kavlin X was also unable to clear 6'2. 

   The crossbar was then raised to 6'4, with 13 athletes remaining in the competition. On his second attempt, Northside Junior Eric Nelson BROKE the SCHOOL RECORD with a personal best jump of 6'4! Niles West's Brett Carducci had three outstanding attempts at 6'4, but was unable to clear it. Oak Park's Joe McGregor also made three outstanding attempts at 6'4, and was unable to clear it. Wheeling's Jarrett Austin was also unable to clear 6'4. Evanston's Josh Perryman had three outstanding attempts at 6'4, but was unable to clear it. Buffalo Grove's Matt Newman also made three outstanding attempts at 6'4, and was unable to clear it. Homewood Flossmoor's Maurice Jackson received a loud cheer from the crowd on every attempt, but was unable to clear it.

  The crossbar was then raised to 6'5, with 7 athletes remaining in the competition. Plainfield Central's Mark Baron was unable to clear 6'5, and finished in 7th place after a five way tie for third place was broken by the total number of misses in the competition. Defending IHSA Sectional Champion Glenbrook South's Ryan Hindes tied for fifth place after the five way tie for third place was broken by the total number of misses in the competition. Hindes only had one miss at 6'2, and 6'4. Northside Junior Eric Nelson had his BEST jump of the season on his final attempt at 6'5 and was over the bar, and just clipped it with his toe on the way down to finish tied for fifth place after the five way tie for third place was broken by the total number of misses in the competition.Nelson only had one miss at 6'2, and 6'4. Eric Nelson was Awarded a Medal for placing fifth overall in State! Lanphier's Cheldon Brown finished in second place with a jump of 6'5. Urbana's Mykhail Chambers won it with a jump of 6'10. It was the most exciting and greatest high jump competition in the history of Northside College Prep.

  After the High Jump competition was completed, Northside Junior Eric Nelson began his warm-up for the 400m leg of the Distance Medley Relay. Northside Junior Eric Nelson, Junior Simon Vecchioni, Sophomore Cuitlahuac Pineda Youniss, and Freshman Charlie Mesimore were attempting to break the Northside Distance Medley Relay school record of 11:28.70. The Distance Medley Relay "DMR" Order, consisted of Charlie Mesimore (1200m leg), Simon Vecchioni (800m), Eric Nelson (400m), and Cuitlahuac Pineda Youniss (1600m leg). In order to break the school record, the Mustangs would need every member of the relay to run a PR. Freshman Charlie Mesimore ran a 1200m personal best time of 3:29. On the 800m leg, Junior Simon Vecchioni tied his 800m PR with an outstanding 2:13 800m split. On the 400m leg of the DMR, Northside Junior Eric Nelson passed two runners, and ran faster than Geoff Edwards 400m school record time of 55.61, with a 54.40 400m split, and made a nice exchange to Cuitlahuac Pineda Youniss. Sophomore Cuitlahuac Pineda Youniss chased down the legendary Palatine High School Distance Medley Relay Team with a personal best 4:48 Mile split, for a NEW SCHOOL RECORD of 11:25.65!