News and Announcements
Alex Ortiz WINS the Sophomore 1600m at Niles West with a 4:48.59! PR! Ortiz THIRD in 800m with a 2:10.30! PR! Ortiz completes a TRIPLE PR in 4x400m!!
On Saturday, April 11, 2015, the Northside Sophomore-Freshman Boys TEAM traveled to Niles West High School in Skokie, Illinois for the 39th Annual Fred Zeedyk Invitational. Fred Zeedyk was an outstanding 400m runner for Niles West High School. The Fred Zeedyk Invitational has been held since 1976. The Fred Zydek Invitational is a highly competive meet. Fred Zydek would have been proud of the Chicago Northside Mustangs performance on Saturday.
The meet featured TEN schools, including, Fenwick, Northside College Prep, Yorkville, Plainfield East, Antioch, Huntley, Harlem, Mather, Prosser, and host Niles West High School.
MEDALS were awarded to the top three individuals and relays. Ribbons were awarded for places fourth through sixth.
Individual events and relays were scored 10-8-6-4-2-1.
Northside Sophomore Alex Ortiz scored 16 POINTS at the Fred Zeedyk Invitational. Ortiz scored 16 of the Mustangs 21 points at the Fred Zeedyk Invitational!!
One year ago (2014), Freshman Year, Alex Ortiz finished in 12th place in the Sophomore 1600m at the Fred Zeedyk Invitational with an offiicial time of 5:39.38.
In ONE year, Alex Ortiz went from twelfth place to FIRST place at the Fred Zeedyk Invitational!! Ortiz accomplished a one year improvement that would be considered impossible by opponents and spectators. Ortiz did it by training with the Northside Cross Country Team in the summer and Fall, running in the winter, and training hard in the weight room. Ortiz broke the school record for pull-ups in the Fall (44), and has challenged himself in the weight room during Track season by doing circuit training and core training with Captain Malcolm Grba. Ortiz also spent his Spring Break training at River Park Track and in the Northside weight room. Alex Ortiz hard work has paid off.
In 2015, Sophomore Alex Ortiz WON the Sophomore 1600m run at the Fred Zeedyk Invitational with a PERSONAL BEST time of 4:48.59. Alex Ortiz dropped 51 seconds from 2014 to 2015!!
Alex Ortiz also finished in THIRD place in the 800m run personal best time of 2:10.30.
Alex Ortiz finished the meet by running the first leg of the 4x400m with his third personal record of the day, a 59.12 400m split to complete a TRIPLE PR performance!!!
Northside Varsity upsets Niles West! GRBA second in the 800m! ROSEN second in the 1600m! 4x200m and 4x800m finish THIRD! Frejowski 52.38 400m!
The meet featured TEN schools, including: Fenwick, Northside College Prep, Yorkville (Cross Country State Champions), Plainfield East, Antioch, Huntley, Harlem, Mather, Prosser, and host Niles West High School.
Niles West High school hosts spectacular sporting events throughout the year, and thanks to Niles West Head Track Coach Chris Vivone, Distance Coach Michael Grossman, and staff, the Paul Gans Invitational was an incredible experience for all of the Teams in attendance.
At the same time, Niles West is one of the most difficult Teams to beat at home, because of their incredible depth and experience. Niles West came into the meet as the defending Paul Gans Invitational Champions.
The odds of scoring enough points to post victories over any Team in a Track meet are not very good if you don't compete in all of the events. Especially, in a meet that features ten great Teams.
Northside arrived at Niles West High School without Senior Porter Abbey, Senior Matt Osborne, Senior Gabriel Jiminez-Ekhman, Junior Garret Barch, and Junior Brendan Powers. Osborne was injured in a cycling accident the night before the meet. Barch had not recovered from a hurdling injury from last Saturday. Porter Abbey was training in Europe in preparation for the Mike Vandeever Invitational.
Northside also could not bring up any Sophomores to the Varsity squad as replacements because they were competing in the Fred Zeedyk Invitational on Saturday.
Northside was also on the verge of having to use distance runners from the 4x800m Relay for the sprint relays to replace sprint phemons Garret Barch and Gabriel Jiminez-Ekhman.
Northside had no entries in the Varsity High Jump, Varsity Long Jump, Varsity Triple Jump, Varsity Pole Vault, and Varsity Shot Put. Opposing Teams built up a nice lead over Northside during the Field Events.
Things looked bad, but then everything changed as soon as Captain Malcolm Grba, Captain Tom Frejowski, and Junior Philip Wdowiak walked into the Stadium, as Danny Rosen was warming up for the 4x800m Relay. At that moment, you knew the cavalry had arrived, and a tremendous comeback would take place in the Track Events.
Northside earned MEDALS in the 4x800m Relay, 4x100m Relay, 3200m run, 110m Hurdles, 800m run, 4x200m Relay, 400m Dash, 1600m run, and the 4x400m Relay to stage one of most awesome comebacks in TEAM history.
Northside came from behind to finish in fourth place with 38 points, and posted tremendous upset victories over: 5. Antioch (37 points), 6. Niles West (33 points), 7. Harlem (18 points), 7. Prosser (18 points), 9. Mather (11 points), and 10. Fenwick (9 points). Northside had a record of 6-3 on the day!
Huntley won the Paul Gans Invitational. Plainfield East finished in second place. Yorkville, the Class 2A State Cross Country Champions, finished in third place.
The best is yet to come! Northside will have a full Team, when they take on Glenbrook North, the Central Suburban League Indoor Track and Field Champions, and Deerfield on Wednesday, April 15, 2015.
Senior Malcolm Grba and Junior Gabriel Krell are on a QUEST to break the 100'0 barrier in the Discus Throw in 2015!
In Northside history, only two athletes have broken the 100'0 barrier in the Discus, Northside Alumni legend Eric Nelson and Northside Alumni Henry Lothschutz.
Northside Senior Malcolm Grba is ranked #3 on the Northside Discus All Time list with a career personal best throw of 96'2.50. Northside Junior Gabriel Krell is ranked #6 on the Northside Discus All Time list with a career personal best throw of 88'00. Both men have the potential to break the 100'0 barrier in 2015.
Northside has had limited practice time in the Discus, and has had only two meets with Discus competitions in 2015, and the 100'0 barrier could be broken in the next couple of weeks.
Danny Rosen runs 1:58.65 800m split on the first leg of the 4x800m Relay! Danny Rosen, Max McCoy, Sergio Soto, and Troy Hu finish THIRD in the 4x800m!
In the Varsity 4x800m Relay, Northside Junior Danny Rosen ran the first 400m in 58 seconds, and then ran the final 400m in 60 seconds for an impressive 800m split of 1:58.65, and made a perfect exchange to Max McCoy. Northside Senior Max McCoy ran the first 400m in 63 seconds, and then ran the final 400m in 70 seconds for an 800m split of 2:13.94, and made a nice exchange to Sergio Soto. Northside Sophomore Sergio Soto ran the first 400m in 63 seconds, and then ran the final 400m in 73 seconds for an 800m split of 2:16.37, and made a good exchange to Troy Hu. Northside Junior Troy Hu ran an outstanding anchor leg to secure THIRD place by running the first 400m in 63 seconds, and then ran the final 400m in 72 seconds for an 800m split of 2:15.36 for an official time of 8:44.64. Danny Rosen, Max McCoy, Sergio Soto, and Troy Hu were awarded MEDALS for finishing in THIRD place overall.
Huntley won the 4x800m Relay with an official time of 8:09.39. Yorkville finished in second place with an official time of 8:36.98. Northside finished in THIRD place with an official time of 8:44.64. Niles West finished in fourth place with an official time of 8:52.66. Harlem finished in fifth place with an official time of 8:59.42. Plainfield East finished in sixth place with an official time of 9:26.26. Prosser finished in seventh place with an official time of 9:45.26.
