News and Announcements
Patrick Brennan runs a 4:35.48 1600m at the IHSA State Track & Field Championships!
In the IHSA 1600m Prelims, Northside Senior Patrick Brennan ran the first 400m in 64 seconds, and then ran the next 400m in 69 seconds (2:13 800m split), and then ran the next 400m in 73 seconds (3:26 1200m split), and then ran the final 400m in 69 seconds for a personal best time of 4:35.48.
Patrick Brennan has been an outstanding Team Captain, and Senior leader for the Northside Cross Country and Track Teams.
In Cross Country, Patrick Brennan qualified for State in 2011. Brennan also led the Team in his Senior year, to a second place finish at the Class 3A IHSA Regional Championships. Patrick Brennan also earned All City and All Regional Honors.
In Indoor Track, Patrick Brennan was Indoor City Champion in both the 4x800m Relay, and 1600m run. Brennan also won the 800m at the Bison Indoor Classic. During his high school career, Northside finished in the Top 2 at the Indoor City Championships for three consecutive years (Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Year).
In Outdoor Track, Patrick Brennan qualified for State for two consecutive years. In 2013, Patrick Brennan won the State Sectional Title in the 800m run, and qualified for State in a record four events, the 4x800m Relay, 800m, 1600m, and 4x400m Relay. Patrick Brennan also anchored Northside to a School Record by over 10 seconds in the Middle Distance Relay. At the IHSA State Championships, Patrick Brennan led Northside to a school record (8:14.69) in the 4x800m Relay with a 2:01.57 800m split, and an upset victory over East St. Louis to qualify for the State Finals. In the State Finals, Patrick Brennan in his final high school race, led Northside to the tenth fastest 4x800m Relay time in the State of Illinois.
In 2013, Patrick Brennan led all Seniors with the most Varsity points scored, 139.50. Among his personal victories, Patrick Brennan won the 1600m run at the Indoor City Championships, St. Viator Invitational, Lake Forest Accademy Classic, and the Spartan Outdoor Classic. Patrick Brennan won the 800m run at the Bison Indoor Classic, Eric Nelson Classic, and the IHSA Sectional Championships.
Patrick Brennan will be attending Notre Dame in the Fall, and will be walking on both their Cross Country and Track Teams. Patrick Brennan is one of the greatest distance runners in the history of Northside.
Malcolm Grba runs a 2:04.93 in the 800m run at the IHSA State Championships!
In the IHSA State 800m run Prelims, Northside Sophomore Malcolm Grba ran an open 800m personal best time of 2:04.93. Malcolm Grba passed Northside Alumni legend John Krumsee (2:05.80) for the fourth fastest open 800m time in the history of Northside! Malcolm Grba was the only Sophomore in Class 2A to qualify for the State Championships in the 800m run.
Malcolm Grba also ran a 2:02.12 800m split, prior to the 800m run, to help the Mustangs break the school record in the 4x800m Relay.
In his first season of High School Track & Field, Malcolm Grba qualified for the IHSA State Championships in four events, the 4x800m Relay, 800m, 1600m, and 4x400m Relay. Malcolm Grba is the only Sophomore athlete in the history of Northside to qualify for State in four events. Malcolm Grba was also IHSA Sectional Champion in the 1600m run. Malcolm Grba had an incredible season. Malcolm Grba anchored the Mustangs to a Sophomore City title in the 4x800m Relay. Malcolm Grba also anchored the Mustangs past New Trier for a Sophomore 4x800m Relay Meet Record at the Highland Park Twilight Invitational. Malcolm Grba also helped the Varsity win the Indoor City Title in the 4x800m Relay.
Malcolm Grba scored the Most Varsity points by a Sophomore athlete with 117.75 points. During his Sophomore year, Malcolm Grba won the 800m run at the Niles West Indoor Classic, Spartan Indoor Classic, Niles West Fred Zedyek Invitational, Spartan Outdoor Classic, and Highland Park Twilight Invitational. Malcolm Grba also won the 1600m run at the Eric Nelson Track & Field Classic, and the IHSA Sectional Championships.
Malcolm Grba has the speed of a sprinter, the strength of a thrower, and the endurance of a distance runner. As a Sophomore, Malcolm Grba threw the Discus 96'2.50, and ran a 54.19 400m, 2:02.12 800m, 4:44.68 1600m, and helped Northside break the school record in the 4x800m Relay (8:14.69).
Tom Frejowski anchors the Northside 4x400m Relay at the IHSA State Championships!!
Tom Frejowski and Nate Mendez BREAK SCHOOL RECORD in the 1000m Steeplechase!! Nate Mendez BREAKS the FIVE MINUTER BARRIER in the 1600m run!
After the IHSA 4x400m Relay Prelims reached a conclusion, the Northside Track & Field Coaching Staff, and athletes walked from O'Brien Stadium to Smoky's House BBQ for lunch. After lunch, athletes visited Souvenir Shops for T-shirts.
After Lunch, Northside Sophomore Ari Perlmutter, Sophomore Max McCoy, Junior Nate Mendez, and Freshman Xavier Sigelko were down 3-0 in a pick-up Basketball game against Marshall, and came back with an 8-0 run, to make it 8-3.
At 7 pm, Open races commenced, Under the Lights, at O'Brien Stadium.
In the 300m Hurdles (33"), Northside Sophomore Porter Abbey won his heat with a personal best time of 44.58.
In the 1600m run, Northside Assistant Coach Dan Carlson ran a season best time of 4:49.18. Dan Carlson has been an outstanding assistant coach for the Northside Mustangs, and put the Team over the Top this year. Prior to Friday night, the Northside record for the most athletes to break the five minute barrier in a season was five. Nate Mendez made history by becoming the sixth athlete this season to break the five minute barrier. Northside Junior Nate Mendez ran the first 400m in 71 seconds, and then ran the next 400m in 76 seconds (2:27 800m split), and then ran the next 400m in 78 seconds (3:45 1200m split), and then ran the final 400m in a NEGATIVE split of 71 seconds to BREAK THE FIVE MINUTE BARRIER with a personal best time of 4:56.55. The five minutes barrier is the bench mark for elite high school milers. Nate Mendez dropped 24 seconds (5:20.29) for a personal best time of 4:56.55. For the first time in the history of Northside, SIX Athletes (Patrick Brennan, Malcolm Grba, Simon Kafka, Adrian Black, Nate Mendez, and Cesar Rufino) broke the five minutes barrier in the same season. Northside Senior Raymond Siddiqi ran the first 400m in 78 seconds, and then ran the next 400m in 82 seconds (2:40 800m split), and then ran the next 400m in an EVEN split of 82 seconds (4:02 1200m), and then ran the final 400m in 81 seconds for an official time of 5:23.00.
In the 100m Dash, Northside had no entries.
In the 400m Dash, Northside Sophomore Tom Frejowski ran an outstanding time of 55.08.
In the 800m run, Northside Freshman Matthew Gomez ran the first 400m in 62 seconds, and then ran the final 400m in 69 seconds for a personal best time of 2:11.85. Matthew Gomez dropped seven seconds off his best open 800m time (2:18.60) with a personal best time of 2:11.85. Northside Junior Nate Mendez ran the first 400m in 66 seconds, and then ran the final 400m in 70 seconds for an outstanding time of 2:16.74.
In the 3200m run, Northside Assistant Coach Dan Carlson ran a season best time of 10:39. Northside Junior Nate Mendez, in his third event of the night, ran an outstanding time of 11:48.
In the 1000m Steeplechase, Northside Sophomore Tom Frejowski and Junior Nate Mendez tied, and BROKE THE SCHOOL RECORD with an official time of 3:29.28. Tom Frejowski and Nate Mendez will receive WATERMELONS for breaking the school record, and will be honored with plaques at the Northside Track & Field Banquet on Friday, May 31, 2013 at the East Bank Club. Northside had 35 athletes break a school record in 2013!
After the Steeplechase, the TEAM and coaching staff walked from O'Brien Stadium, into town for Pizza. It was the most successful day one of the IHSA State Championship Prelims in Northside history.
