CHICAGO MARIST TRACK AND FIELD

 The Varsity Mustang Award for Work Ethic and Mental Toughness was awarded to Justin Washington, Alex Ortiz, and Kyle Friedler.

 In 2016, Northside Senior JUSTIN WASHINGTON earned ALL STATE honors in the 300m Hurdles, ALL CITY honors in the 300m Hurdles, and Won the Indoor City Title in the 60m Hurdles, and scored over a 100 Varsity points!!

 Justin Washington has incredible Work Ethic. Washington is very often the last athlete to leave the Track, and then carries multiple hurdles a mile, from River Park Track to Northside College Prep, to put them away after each practice. After Hurdle practice, Washington trains hard in the weight room. Washington also competes in the IHSA maximum of four events at almost every Track meet for the TEAM.

 Justin Washington has incredible Mental Toughness.

 At the Varsity City Prelims, he wiped out during the 110m Hurdles at Hanson Stadium, and his body was covered with cuts and blood. The greatest achivement is not in never falling, but in rising again. Despite Medical hardship, Washington returned to the starting line against all odds to qualify for the City Finals in the 4x200m Relay and 300m Hurdles. The Northside Coaching Staff pulled him from the 4x400m Relay at City Prelims. At City Finals, Justin Washington finished in SECOND place in the 300m Hurdles.

 At the IHSA Sectional Championships, Washington was not ranked in the heat sheets as one of the top 2 hurdles in the 110m Hurdles. A hurdler from Urban Prep was ranked ahead of him. Justin Washington showed incredible mental toughness with incredible finish to QUALIFY for State in the 110m Hurdles. Washington QUALIFED for STATE in FOUR events, including the 110m Hurdles, 4x200m Relay, 300m Hurdles, and 4x400m Relay.

 At the IHSA State Prelims, teammate Garret Barch was leading the first heat of the 300m Hurdles, and was knocked out of the 300m hurdles after hitting his head on the ground after a collision with the second to last hurdle. Justin Washington was in the next heat. The whole TEAM was devasted after witnessing a hurdle tragedy occur to teammate Garret Barch. It was a very difficult situation to compete in after a teammate went down in the previous heat. Justin Washington showed incredible mental toughness, and brought the TEAM to their feet, and boosted TEAM morale by BREAKING THE SCHOOL RECORD to QUALIFY for the STATE FINALS with a personal best time of 39.80.

At IHSA State Finals, Justin Washington reached the MEDAL stand and earned ALL STATE Honors in the 300m Hurdles!   

 From Freshman Year (22.87) to Senior Year (15.61), Justin Washington has dropped 7.26 seconds in the 110m Hurdles! 

 From Freshman Year (56.01) to Senior Year (39.80), Justin Washington has dropped 16.21 seconds in the 300m Hurdles!

 From Freshman Year (69.41) to Senior Year (51.10), Justin Washington has dropped 18.31 seconds in the 400m Dash!

 Justin Washington holds SIX School Records, including 4x160m Relay, 4x200m Relay, 4x110m High Hurdle Shuttle Relay, 4x110m Low Hurdle Shutte Relay, Sprint Medley Relay, and the 300m hurdles!

 Justin Washington will compete in NCAA Track & Field for Carleton College in 2017! 

 In 2016, Northside Junior ALEX ORTIZ qualified for the IHSA STATE Track & Field Championships in THREE events (4x800m, 800m, 4x400m), and WON the IHSA Sectional Title in the 800m run!

 Alex Ortiz has incredible work ethic. Alex Ortiz is one of the first athletes to arrive at practice every day, and one of the last athletes to leave Northside. After a tough track workout, Alex Ortiz challenges members of the coaching staff to a deadlift competition in the weight room!! Alex Ortiz holds the school record for PULL-UPS with 44! Alex Ortiz is only in high school, and he is within 6 pull ups of the American Record (50) for consecutive pull-ups in a minute! Alex Ortiz also competes in multiple events at almost every Track meet for the TEAM. Ortiz trains year round, and on many occassions did a morning practice and an afternoon practice on the SAME day throughout the season.

 Alex Ortiz has incredible mental toughness. Alex Ortiz competes in distance event combinations that would have most people running from the Track in fear. In the SAME meet, Ortiz has run 3200m / 1600m combinations and 3200m / 800m combinations on several occassions for the TEAM. Against all odds, Alex Ortiz with his incredible mental toughness outkicked Shane Milburn and Jonathan Walker at the IHSA State Track & Field Championships for a 3 seconds drop in the 800m run for a PERSONAL BEST time of 2:01.56.

 Alex Ortiz earned MEDALS in the 800m run at IHSA Sectional Championships, and the CPS Indoor Championships.

 Alex Ortiz earned MEDALS in the 1600m run at the Maine East Blue Demon Invitational, Mike Vandeever Invitational, Lake Forest High School Invitational and WON the Concordia Open - 4:37.80 1600m run

 Alex Ortiz earned MEDALS in the 3200m run at the Eric Nelson Classic, and Lake Forest High School Invitational.

 Alex Ortiz also helped Northside WIN the 4x800m Relay at Spartan Indoor Classic and the Distance Medley Relay at the Glenbrook North Spartan Relays! 

 Alex Ortiz holds SCHOOL RECORDS for the Distance Medley Relay and the 4x1600m Relay!!

 Alex Ortiz is an awesome athlete and a great leader for the Northside Track & Field TEAM.

 From Freshman Year (11:56) to Junior Year (10:11.75), Alex Ortiz dropped 1 minute and 45 seconds in the 3200m run.

 From Freshman Year (5:39.38) to Junior Year (4:37.80), Alex Ortiz dropped 1 minute and 2 seconds in the 1600m run.

 From Freshman Year (2:16.97) to Junior Year (2:01.56), Alex Ortiz dropped 15 seconds in the 800m run.

 Northside Distance runners improve MORE than any TEAM in the STATE!