CHICAGO MARIST TRACK AND FIELD

 On Saturday, April 30, 2016, the Northside Sophomore Boys traveled to Hanson Stadium in Chicago, Illinois for the Chicago Public League Sophomore Championship Prelims.

 At the 2013 Sophomore Boys Prelims, Northside qualified 15 athletes in 13 events for the City Finals, and went on to WIN the Sophomore Boys Chicago Public League Track & Field Title. Those 15 men are Northside legends forever.

 Despite the 2013 City Title, there has been two events that Northside has never been able to qualify for in the Sophomore Boys City Finals until 2016, the 4x100m Relay, and the 4x200m Relay.

 There are 70 high schools in the Chicago Public League, and only the Top 8 Sprint Relays advance to the City Finals.

 The Sophomore level is also very different from the Varsity level. Students are still learning what it takes to be an athlete, and the sacerfices that you have to make to be an athlete. The commitment level it takes to be a member of a TEAM, a school, or a company. Loyalty to their coaches, freinds, and teammates. Students are still developing their character.

 Coaches see things happen at the Sophomore level that you never see happen on the Varsity level. It was raining on Saturday, and one athlete could not take the starting line to compete in the hurdles, even though he competed in a prior meet in the snow. The athlete also did not notify the coaching staff at anytime that he was not going to compete in hurdles, and left the meet on his own. Another athlete left the meet, and three teammates waiting for him to return for the 4x400m relay. He did not return, because he said his uniform was not dry. The athletes were unable to participate in the 4x400m Relay. Several athletes also missed practices or meets leading up to the City Championship Prelims. Again, this is the Sophomore level, and students are still learning what it takes to be an athlete. Fortunately, many of our top Varsity athletes, went through these same issues as Freshman and now have the work ethic and character of a Champion.

 At the same time, coaches, parents, athletes, and spectators witness things on the Sophomore level that inspire you forever.

 Northside Freshman Norberto Nieves has been participating in sprinting events since the seventh grade. Despite being a sprinter, and no prior experience running distance events, he joined the Northside Cross Country Team in the fall, and helped the Freshman Boys finish second in the Chicago Public League championships. 

 During his first season of High School Track, he competed in all of the sprinting events for Northside. He came to every practice, worked very hard, and even turned down offers from other sports and after school clubs to leave the Northside Track Team. He is very loyal to his friends, teammates, and the coaching staff.

 Norberto Nieves runs every race with heart and determination. Although he has been training only for sprinting events, he voluntered to run in 4 track events, the maximum allowed by the IHSA, so he could help the Northside Sophomore distance runners, in addition to the Sprinters, in the 800m and the 4x800m Relay.

 Nieves is also great with his teammates, and could be a future Team Captain.

 Going into City Prelims, Norberto Nieves had the fastest 4x800m Relay split on the Northside Sophomore 4x800m Relay, while also participating in the 4x100m, 4x200m, and 4x400m Relays. He competed in all four events with great success as recently as the Lake Forest Invitational on April 23.

 With Nieves in the 4x800m Relay, and Sophomore Mason Sotomayor, Northside was guarenteed to make City Finals in the 4x800m Relay, among other events.

 However, the week before City Prelims was the most difficult one for Northside in Team history.

 First, Northside Sophomore sprint phenom Carel Jones broke his foot, and Northside was already looking for a replacement for him in the 4x100m and 4x200m Relays.

 Three days later, on Wednesday, April 27, 2016, a tragedy occurred, while Norberto Nieves was walking home from practice.

 Freshman Norberto Nieves was attacked by two men, who were both over the age of 18, and they hit him with a gun, and punched him, and he suffered facial fractures and damage to his eye.

 A brave Norberto Nieves identified the men to police, and the attackers were apprehended, and arrested for assault.

 Norberto Nieves may need surgery, and in the hospital, his only concern was that he was not going to be able to participate in the Chicago Public League Track & Field Sophomore Prelims on Saturday.

 Northside Head Coach Jon Gordon has arranged for a Card from the Team, an autograph from Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills, and a Medal from the 1964 Olympics to be given to Norberto Nieves to help cheer him up during this difficult time.

 Prior to Saturday, Northside has never qualified the Sophomore 4x100m and 4x200m Relays for Sophomore City Finals.

 In an effort, to qualify the 4x100m and 4x200m Relays to City Finals for Norberto Nieves, Northside Head Coach Jon Gordon pulled Mason Sotomayor from the 4x800m Relay to run as his replacement. Sophomore sprinter Guy Lohoua was already running in the 4x100m and 4x200m Relays as a replacement for Sophomore sprint phenom Carel Jones.

 With Norberto Nieves, scheduled for a pre-surgery doctor appointment next Tuesday, the coaching staff and the Team did not know when they would see him next, or if at all the remainder of the season.

 It started raining hard as soon as the Track meet started on Saturday.

 The Northside Sophomore 4x800m Relay struggled without Norberto Nieves and Mason Sotomayor (pulled from the relay to run in the 4x100m), and the 4x800m Relay did not qualify for the City Finals.

 The next relay on the Track was the 4x100m Relay. It did not look good for Northside, and it began to rain even harder.

 And then one of the most inspirational things to happen ever in the sport took place.

 Norberto Nieves appeared on the infield of the Track, in no shape to run, his face was bruised, fractured, and he could barely see out of one eye. He was at the meet, with his Father, standing in the rain, cheering on his teammates!

 His appearance at the meet was all his teammates needed.

 In the Sophomore 4x100m Relay Prelims, Northside Sophomore Nicholas Brown ran the first leg of the 4x100m relay in an impressive 100m split of 11.73, and made a perfect exchange to Guy Lohoua. It was first exchange of Sophomore Guy Lohoua's high school career, who was running for Carel Jones. Northside Sophomore Guy Lohoua ran an impressive 100m split of 11.83, and then made a perfect exchange to Mason Sotomayor. Northside Sophomore Mason Sotomayor ran an outstanding 12.71 100m split, and made a perfect exchange to Osazee Osaghae. Northside Freshman Osazee Osaghae anchored Northside past one more team in the final 100m of the relay with an impressive 11.43 100m split to help Northside finish second in their heat, and with the fourth fastest Sophomore 4x100m Relay time in the City of Chicago with an official time of 47.70.

 Northside QUALIFIED for the CITY FINALS in the Sophomore 4x100m Relay!!

 In the Sophomore 100m Dash Prelims, Northside Freshman Osazee Osaghae QUALIFIED for the CITY FINALS with the second fastest Sophomore-Freshman time in Chicago! Northside Sophomore Nicholas Brown also ran a personal best time of 12.15.

 Osazee Osaghae was also the FASTEST Freshman Sprinter in the City of Chicago!! Seven Sophomores qualified for City Finals in the 100m Dash. Osazee Osaghae was the only Freshman Sprinter to qualify for City Finals in the 100m Dash.

 In the Sophomore 4x200m Relay Prelims, Northside Sophomore Nicholas Brown ran the first leg of the 4x200m relay with an impressive 200m split of 25.84, and made a nice exchange to Guy Lohoua. Northside Sophomore Guy Lohoua ran an impressive 200m split of 25.04, and made a good exchange to Mason Sotomayor. Northside Sophomore Mason Sotomayor ran an outstanding 200m split of 28.53, and made a perfect exchange to Osazee Osaghae. Northside Freshman Osazee Osaghae ran the final 200m in an impressive 200m split of 24.71 to finish third in their heat, and with the sixth fastest Sophomore 4x200m Relay time in the City of Chicago with an official time of 1:44.12.

 Northside QUALIFIED for the CITY FINALS in the Sophomore 4x200m Relay!!

 Northside Sophomore Matthew Gardner also QUALIFED for the CITY FINALS in the Shot Put and Discus.

 Northside Sophomore Kyle Lowenthal and Freshman Kris Ushijimia will also compete in the CITY FINALS in the 3200m run.

 Northside Sophomore Distance phenoms Jacob Yosowitz and Charlie Guthmann are participating in the Varsity division. On a side note, Jacob Yosowitz Sophomore personal best time in the 800m run, would have been ranked as one of the Top 2 in Chicago at the 2016 Sophomore Prelims.

 The Sophomore City Finals will take place on Saturday, May 7, 2016 at Hanson Stadium.

 Northside is hopeful that Norberto Nieves will be well enough to travel with the TEAM to the IHSA State Track & Field Championships on May 26, 2016!