CHICAGO MARIST TRACK AND FIELD

  In 2008, Northside Track Captain Eric Nelson broke 5 School Records (High Jump, Triple Jump, Shot Put, Discus, and Distance Medley Relay), and also set numerous records in the Weight room as well. Eric Nelson is the only athlete in Northside history to score over a 100 points in a season. Eric Nelson scored a school record 173.50 points in 2008!!! His season points total is even more amazing when you consider the fact that he does not start Track season until the conclusion of Basketball season. Nelson was also one of the most improved athletes on the Team, and literally broke a school record in almost every meet he competed at this season. Eric Nelson is also very dedicated to his teammates. From the moment his season started, Eric Nelson did not miss a single meet the entire season. The average Track athlete competes in 1-2 events per meet. Eric Nelson competed in the IHSA maxium of 4 events in every meet, unless the coaching staff held him out of an event. At Illinois Prep Top Times Invitational (Indoor State), immediatly after Medaling in the High Jump, Eric Nelson went straight to the starting line to help his teammates break a school record in the Distance Medley Relay. To help put the Northside Mustangs over the top this season, at almost every meet, Eric Nelson went from the Discus cage to the Shot Put Ring to the High Jump pit, and then went to the Triple Jump Pit and/or to the starting line for the 4x400m Relay to help his Team win the meet. In 2008, Eric Nelson won the High Jump Title, among other Track event titles, at the Fenton Classic, CPS Varsity Indoor Championship, Lane Tech Relays, Mather Classic, Ed Key Invitational, Windy City Relays (Broke Meet Record against top ranked out of State Competition from Michigan, and Indiana), New Trier Invitational,  Deerfield Classic, Spartan Relays, CPS Varsity Outdoor Championship, IHSA Deerfield Sectional Championship, and set several Meet and Stadium records as well.

  Since his Freshman year of high school, Eric Nelson has had the goal of qualifying for the IHSA State Championships, and on Friday, May 16, 2008, in Deerfield, Illinois, it became reality when he beat defending Sectional Champion Glenbrook South Senior Ryan Hindes for the 2008 IHSA Sectional Title to qualify for the State Championships!!!

  Thirty-Nine (39) Athletes qualified for the State Championships in the High Jump, and they are all great Athletes. To Qualify for the State Championships in High Jump, an athlete has to place in the Top 2 in their Sectional and/or jump the automatic qualifying height of 6'4.

  Nelson prepared for the State Meet, among other things, by training at Hanson Stadium High Jump Pit on Tuesday, May 20, and Wednesday, May 21. Middle School athletes gathered to watch every jump, and at the end of practice the bar was lowered to 4'0. Northside Throws Coach Chuck Milbert became inspired after watching Nelson train at heights of 6'2 and 6'4, and attempted to clear 4'0 but was unable to do it. All the Middle School athletes also attempted 4'0, but were unable to do it. Northside Jumps Coach Adrian Hunter showed he still has it, and cleared it on his first attempt. Eric Nelson then did back flips over it. 

  On Thursday, May 22, 2008, Eric Nelson, Philip Nelson, Northside Head Coach Jon Gordon, Assistant Coach Jose Nebrida, Jumps Coach Adrian Hunter, and Jumps Coach Chris DuPont traveled to Arcola, Illinois in preparation of the State Championships. The Mustangs stayed at the Amish Country Inn, and dined at the best steak house in Arcola, Illinois, the Hen house.

 On Friday, May 23, 2008, the Mustangs traveled to O'Brien Stadium at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois for the State Championships!!! The Stadium was filled to its capacity, and spectators, fans, and Teams, had to park over a half mile away from the Stadium because of the size of the sell-out crowd. Outside the Stadium, there was a large festival of Track & Field souvenir vendors, and food and beverage stands. Eric Nelson was given a State Qualifier Pin from the IHSA upon arrival, along with his High Jump #1738. State Meet Competition was delayed throughout the morning due to a combination of lightning and rain. The IHSA moved the High Jump Competition back and fourth between O'Brien Stadium, and Indoor Field House six times during the morning. A Team of 10 IHSA Officials blow dryed every inch of the high jump pit, and another Team of Officials used several other water removal devices, before they reached the conclusion it would be best to have the High Jump Prelims indoors.

  A minimum of 9 athletes make the Finals. To determine who makes the finals, three flights of 13 High Jumpers, warm-up at a height of 6'0, and jump at an opening height of 6'2. The cross bar then goes to 6'4, and then 6'5. If nine or more athletes do not clear 6'5, then all the athletes that clear 6'4 or higher are placed in the finals. In 2007, no one cleared 6'5 at the prelims, and 14 athletes made the finals with a Jump of 6'4.

 The flights were seeded with the athletes with the Best Sectional Performances placed in Flight one, and the next best in Flight 2, and the next best in Flight 3.

  In Flight one, going into the State Championship, every athlete cleared 6'4 or higher at IHSA Sectionals. It was by far the best flight in the meet. After warm-ups, the Cross bar was raised to the opening height of 6'2. All 13 athletes in the first flight cleared it.

  The Cross bar was then raised to 6'4. Warrenville South Sophomore Dan Hohenstein, East Moline Sophomore Michael Crabtree, Hindsdale South Senior Norman Frazier, made three outstanding attempts at 6'4, but were unable to clear it. The crowd applauded each athlete's efforts as they were eliminated from the competition.

   Northside Junior Eric Nelson cleared 6'4 on his second attempt. It was one of his best jumps of the season. Wheeling Senior Al Cherry cleared 6'4 on his third attempt. East St. Louis Senior Patrick Fenderson cleared 6'4 on his second attempt. McHenry Junior Ryan Michael cleared 6'4 on his second attempt. Buffalo Grove Junior Matt Newman cleared 6'4 on his second attempt. Community West Junior Troy Walls cleared 6'4 on his third attempt. Lincoln-Way East Senior Derek Severson cleared 6'4 on his first attempt. Naperville Central Junior Aaron Petty cleared 6'4 on his first attempt. Urbana Senior Mykhail Chambers cleared 6'4 on his first attempt. Springfield Lanphier Junior Cheldon Brown cleared 6'4 on his second attempt.

  The Cross bar was then raised to 6'5. Springfield Lanphier Junior Cheldon Brown cleared 6'5 on his third attempt. East St.Louis Senior Patrick Fenderson cleared 6'5 on his second attempt.  Lincoln Way East Senior Derek Severson cleared 6'5 on his second attempt. McHenry Junior Ryan Michel, Buffalo Grove Junior Matt Newman, Naperville Central Aaron Petty, Senior Mykhail Chambers, cleared 6'5 on their first attempt.

  Wheeling Senior Al Cherry, and Community West Junior Troy Walls made three outstanding attempts at 6'5, but did not clear it. Northside Junior Eric Nelson made three outstanding attempts at 6'5 and just missed clearing it on his final attempt.

   Only 7 athletes had cleared 6'5 in the first flight, and if less than 2 athletes in the two remaining flights are not able to clear 6'5, Eric Nelson would become the first athlete in Northside history to go to the State finals on Saturday, and the medal stand would be within reach.

    In the second flight of 13 athletes, only ONE athlete, Aurora West Sophomore Aviance King cleared 6'5. Eric Nelson was now only one flight away from going to the State Finals on Saturday.

    The Third flight, did not have any athletes that jumped higher than 6'2 at IHSA Sectionals, and it looked really good for Eric Nelson going into the last flight of the High Jump preliminary competition for him to make the Finals.

     The Northside coaching staff watched as the first 12 jumpers of the final 13 jumpers in the third and final flight were all eliminated, and only one athlete, remained in the competion, Rockford Jefferson Senior Kendrick Branch. Branch cleared 6'4 on his third attempt. The Cross bar was raised to 6'5. If Branch is unable to clear 6'5, Northside Junior Eric Nelson would go to the finals with the 9th spot, and the medal stand would be within reach. Rockford Jefferson Senior Kendrick Branch missed on his first attempt at 6'5. He then missed on his second attempt at 6'5. The final jump of the day had now arrived. If Branch misses, Nelson goes to the Finals. If Branch makes it, Nelson goes to the Finals next year. Rockford Jefferson Senior Kendrick Branch made an outstanding final jump and cleared 6'5 to make the finals. Northside Junior Eric Nelson finished in 10th place and had the greatest season of any athlete in the history of Northside in any sport. The experience at the State Championships was priceless for Eric Nelson, and with a PR of 6'6, he will be one of the favorites to contend for the State Title next year.

  In the Finals, on Saturday, May 24, 2008, Senior Mykhail Chambers won it with a jump of 6'8. Senior Derek Severson placed second with a jump of 6'8. Junior Matt Newman placed third with a jump of 6'7. Sophomore Patrick Fenderson placed fourth with a jump of 6'6. Junior Cheldron Brown placed fifth with a jump of 6'6. Junior Ryan Michael placed sixth with a jump of 6'5. Aurora West Sophomore Aviance King placed seventh with a jump of 6'4. Senior Kendrick Branch placed eighth with a jump of 6'4. Junior Aaron Petty placed ninth with a jump of 6'2.

 Coming soon: State Meet photos