CHICAGO MARIST TRACK AND FIELD

On Friday, March 9, 2007, the Northside College Mens Track & Field Team traveled to historic Henry Crown Field House at the University of Chicago for the UC Lab School Varsity Indoor Classic! The meet featured University High, Wheaton Academy, Northshore Country Day, Northside College Prep, and Westmont High School. It was by far the best indoor meet in the history of Northside College Prep. In the 3200m run, Sophomore Jonathan Kittaka dropped 42 seconds for a personal best time of 10:50 to place third overall (5:17/5:33). Freshman Cuitlahuac Pineda dropped 20 seconds for a personal best time of 11:43 to place sixth overall (5:43/6:00). Freshman Cooper Eben dropped 58 seconds for a personal best time of 12:22 to place tenth overall (5:58/6:24). Junior Faraz Khan placed 11th overall with a personal best time 12:55 (6:03/6:52). Junior Brad Eben placed 12th overall with an outstanding time of 13:17 (6:15/7:02). Junior Irfan Hussain placed 14th overall with a time of 14:02 (6:47/7:15). In the 55m Hudrles, Junior Santino Merino ran an outstanding time of 10.44 to place fifth overall. Freshman Andrew Czyszczon ran an outstanding time of 11.30 to place sixth overall. In the 55m Dash, Junior Jose Choto ran an outstanding time of 7.10 to place fifth overall. Freshman Neil Capapas ran an outstanding time of 7.30. Junior Vinh Nguyen ran an outstanding time of 8.10 In the 4x800m Relay, Sophomore Simon Vecchioni ran the first leg of the relay in a personal best time of 2:18 and made a nice exchange to Brian Chhun. Sophomore Brian Chhun ran the second leg of the relay in an outstanding time of 2:33. Junior Harold Jaffe made up dramatic ground on the third leg of the relay with a personal best time of 2:26. Junior Erik Flores anhored the 4x800m relay to third place with an outstanding time of 2:29, for a total team time of 9:46. THE MUSTANGS BROKE THE SCHOOL RECORD IN THE 4x200M RELAY BY THREE SECONDS WITH A TIME OF 1:43.12. Junior Jose Choto lead off the relay against an intense field, including sprint powerhouse Westmont High School, with a personal best 24.93 200m split to put the Mustangs in the lead inches ahead of Westmont High School. Freshman Hunter Speese ran a 26.37 200m split on the second leg of the relay. Junior Santino Merino took the baton and ran an outstanding 26.67 200m split, and made a nice exchange to Captain Geoff Edwards. Senior Geoff Edwards anchored the relay to second place, with 25.45 200m split, and a NEW SCHOOL RECORD of 1:43.12!!! The bench mark for elite high school milers is the five minute barrier. On Friday night, the Mustangs witnessed history, as Captain Preston Buehrer became the sixth athlete in the history of Northside to break the five minute barrier! Northside Junior Preston Buehrer ran the first 200m of the race in 32 seconds, and was at 69 seconds at 400m, and 1:47 through 600m, and 2:26 at 800m, and 3:06 through 1000m, and 3:47 at 1200m!, and 4:25 through 1400m, and had an outstanding kick on the final 200m for a personal best mile time of 4:59, and placed fifth overall. Preston Buehrer dropped 29 seconds from the Fenton Bison Indoor Classic! Senior John Holler also had a dramatic performance in the Mile. Holler was at 33 seconds for the first 200m of the race, and was at 70 seconds at 400m, and 1:48 through 600m, and 2:28 at 800m, and 3:08 through 1000m, and 3:49 at 1200m!, and 4:31 through 1400m, and ran a personal best mile time of 5:06, and placed sixth overall. John Holler dropped 11 seconds from the Niles West Invitational! Senior John Holler could be the next Mustang to break the five minute barrier at the Kenwood Invitational on March 24, 2007. Freshman Jaisong Yang also ran a personal best mile time of 5:23 (2:36/2:47). Freshman James Rey ran an outstanding time of 6:02 in his first high school Track Meet (2:55/3:07). The 400m Dash was one for the ages. Freshman Hunter Speese ran a personal best time of 58.80 to place fourth overall! Senior Geoff Edwards ran an outstanding time of 59.40 to place fifth overall! Erik Flores ran a personal best time of 59.80 to place sixth overall! Freshman Neal Capapas ran his first 200m in 26 seconds, and a personal best 400m time of 61.60. Freshman Peter Wilk ran a personal best 400m time of 66.40. In the 800m run, Sophomore Jonathan Kittaka ran a personal best time of 2:19 to place fourth overall. Sophomore Simon Vecchioni also ran an outstanding time of 2:19 to place fifth overall. Freshman Cuitlahuac Pineda ran a personal best time of 2:28. Junior Santino Merino ran a personal best time of 2:29. Freshman Andrew Czyszczon ran a personal best time of 2:32. Junior Jacob Andrews tied his PR with a time of 2:42. In the 200m Dash, Geoff Edwards ran an outstanding time of 25.40 to place SECOND overall. Sophomore Martin Melto ran a personal best time of 26.61 to place sixth overall. Junior Erik Flores ran a time of 27.35. In the 4x400m Relay, Junior Jose Choto ran a 56.19 400m split on the first leg of relay! Sophomore Simon Vecchioni ran a 59.97 400m split on the second leg of the 4x400m relay. Sophomore Brian Chhun ran a 62.21 400m split on the third leg of the relay. Captain Preston Buehrer anchored the relay to second place with a 61.09 400m split, for a total time of 3:59.46. In the Triple Jump, U-High Sugaya jumped 41'11 to win it. Northside Vinh Nguyen jumped 24'1 to place fifth overall. In the Long Jump, Senior Geoff Edwards jumped 16'7 to place third overall. Sophomore Martin Melto jumped 16'4 to place fourth overall. Junior Erik Flores jumped 14'4 to place fifth overall. Freshman Hunter Speese jumped 14'3.5 to place sixth overall. Freshman Jaisong Yang jumped 13'6 to place seventh overall. Freshman Neal Capapas jumped 12'3.5 to placed eighth overall. The Mustangs were missing Joey Paquette, Albert Lin, and Wemi Jemmaine on Friday. Westmont won the meet with 88 points. U-High placed second with 67 points. Northside College Prep placed third with 44 points. North Shore Country Day placed fourth with 22 points. Wheaton Academy placed fifth with 20 points. The Northside College Prep Mustangs were the only TEAM in the meet that scored at least 1 or more points in EVERY event. Points were awarded as 8-6-4-2-1 for individual events, and 8-6-4-2 for Relays. VARSITY POINTS SCORED AT UC LAB SCHOOL INVITATIONAL 1. Geoff Edwards 12.50 2. Jonathan Kittaka 6.00 3. Jose Choto 4.00 4. Hunter Speese 3.50 4. Simon Vecchioni 3.50 5. Preston Buehrer 2.50 5. Santino Merino 2.50 5. Brian Chhun 2.50 6. Erik Flores 2.00 6. Martin Melto 2.00 7. Cuitlahuac Pineda 1.00 7. Harold Jaffe 1.00 7. Vinh Nguyen 1.00 The Mustangs will be sending a All Star Team to Proviso West High School Sunday, March 11, 2007 to compete in the 2007 CPS Varsity Indoor Championship. Medals will be awarded for the top 3 places, and ribbons for places fourth through sixth. The bus will leave at 8 am. The Sophomore/Freshman Boys will competing at the Ostberg Indoor Championships at Fenton High School on Tuesday, March 20, 2007. Plaques will be awarded to the top 5 individual places, and top 4 relays. Entries will be posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2007. A Team Pasta Party for the entire team and coaching staff will take place on Friday, March 23, 2007, at Park Place Towers, the night before the first outdoor meet of the 2007 season. The movie "Invincible" will be shown.