Announcement
Northside WINS Eric Nelson Classic! Malcolm Grba, Danny Rosen, and Simon Kafka finish 1-2-3 in the 800m! Fitzpatrick WINS 110m Hurdles with a 15.52!
On Tuesday, April 1, 2014, Northside traveled to River Park Track in Chicago, Illinois for the Eric Nelson Classic.
The meet featured Kelvyn Park, Taft, Solorio Academy, Von Steuben, Chicago Leo High School, Roosevelt, and host Northside College Prep.
The 2014 Eric Nelson Track & Field Classic provided a very special Track & Field experience for all participants.
Medals were awarded to the Top 3 Athletes in each event. Ribbons were awarded for places fourth through sixth.
Goody bags were given to all participants on every team, after they completed their first event of the day.
Once a Northside athlete holds the school record and has qualified for the IHSA State Track & Field Championships, an event in the Eric Nelson Track & Field Classic is named after the athlete, beginning the following year.
Plaques were awarded to the winner of the High Jump in honor of Northside Alumni Eric Nelson, the winner of the 800m run in honor of Northside Alumni Wesley Laytham, the winner of the Long Jump in honor of Northside Alumni Josh Williams, the winner of the 400m run in honor of Northside Alumni Mac Melto, the winner of the 110m Hurdles in honor of IHSA State Qualifier Lucien Fitzaptrick, the winner of the Pole Vault in honor of IHSA State Qualifier Jay Yu, and the winners of the 4x800m Relay in honor of IHSA State Qualifiers Malcolm Grba, Danny Rosen, Simon Kafka, and Northside Alumni Patrick Brennan.
River Park Track was spectacular. It is one of the best venues in Chicago for Track & Field.
A special thanks to Northside parents Susan Webster and Elizabeth McManus for serving as the clerks of the course, and for checking in thousands of athletes, and providing them with hip numbers for each event.
A special thanks to Leo Fitzpatrick for providing an outstanding Awards Table, and a special thanks to all of the Northside families that spent their Sunday making Goody Bags for the 2014 Eric Nelson Classic.
The Team would also like to thank Danuta Frejowski for transporting the Team Tent to River Park.
The Team would also like to thank Northside Assistant Distance Coach Patrick O'Connor for helping with all of the heavy lifting of equipment before the meet, and for his outstanding coaching during the meet.
The Team would also like to thank Northside Throws Coach Wayne Edelman and Girls Sprints Coach Amy O'Connor for officiating the Shot Put and Discus, Pole Vault Coach Dan Turvey for officiating Pole Vault, and Northside Jumps Coach Ed Wallace for officiating the Long Jump and Triple Jump.
Northside would also like to thank IHSA Official Bernie Lewis.
Last, the Northside Coaching Staff would like to thank all of the Northside athletes. Hours after the meet ended, Northside athletes stayed at River Park Track putting the Pole Vault Pit, High Jump Pit, covering the Long Jump pit, and covering the Triple Jump Put, and putting all of the Hurdles away. Thanks again.
The meet was scored on the following scale for individual events and relays: 10-8-6-4-2-1.
The Northside Varsity Men WON the 2014 Eric Nelson Track & Field Classic with a score of 166 points, and posted victories over: 2. Leo High School (102.00 points), 3. Solorio Academy (72 points), 4. Taft (38 Points), 4. Von Stuben (38 points), 6. Kelvyn Park (14 points), and 7. Roosevelt (0 points).
Northside started the Outdoor Track & Field season with a record of 6-0! Northside has a record 17-0 in their last two meets (Eric Nelson Classic and Indoor City Championships).
