By Michael Newman

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The 46^th edition of the Wanner Knights Invitational held at Prospect High School in Mount Prospect once again promises to be one of the top meets in Illinois this season. This meet is known for its strong distance races. We should see that again on Friday night.

This meet is trying something new. For the first time, they will be doubling the points for the five relay events on the meet program. Temperatures will be in the 50’s during the evening. It will not be ideal for the sprinters and jumping events, but the distance runners will love it.

Field Events commence at 5:00 PM. The first action on the track begins at 5:45 PM with the preliminaries of the 100 Meter Dash. The first final of the evening should start at around 6:45 PM.

Here is a look at each of the events and what to watch for Friday evening.

Field Events

Long Jump – The cool temperatures will play a big part in this event. Stacey Smith (Schaumburg HS) jumped over 23 feet indoors but has not had a performance over 22 feet during this outdoor season. He has the longest seed mark heading into this meet. Ben Andreas (Central HS, Naperville) will be a factor in this event. Jarman McMillon (Schaumburg HS) and Alex Martin (Hononegah HS, Rockton) will challenge for first on this runway as well.

Triple Jump – Stacey Smith again will be the athlete to watch in this event. He was over 45 feet indoors. His best jump outdoors is 44-10. Conference rival Cole Monckton (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights) has gone 44-1 in this event this spring. He would be one to watch. Also keep an eye on Eddie Kelly (Schaumburg HS), Vernon Halloway (Springfield HS), and Adrian Coardos (Niles North HS, Skokie).

High Jump – This meet does not usually produce great performances in this event. The same could happen this year with the predicted weather. There are two athletes that could change that. Both Reid Smith (York HS, Elmhurst) and Parker DeLoye (Barrington HS) have cleared 6-7 this year. They will be the two athletes to watch. If the heights stay low, it could be anybody’s event. I would also watch for Ryan Polfliet (Hononegah HS, Rockton), Jacob Komenda (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights), and Zach Stratton (Springfield HS) to put pressure on Smith and DeLoye.

Pole Vault – Reid Smith vaulted to a personal best of 14-6 two weeks ago at Downers Grove South. He will be the athlete to watch in this event. There are five athletes that are between 13-0 and 13-6. If Smith falters, keep an eye on Cesar Arenas & Sammy Rammini (Schaumburg HS), David Prigg (York HS, Elmhurst), Corey Lawson (Hononegah HS, Rockton), and Sean O’Carroll (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect) to apply the pressure.

Shot Put – Justin Phillips (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect) had a 53-6 ½ put Tuesday at the MSL East Divisional Meet and will be one athlete to watch in this good field. There are four other athletes that are 50 feet or better this year. The two athletes that will also challenge Phillips are Brad Ruehrdanz (Fremd HS, Palatine) and Javed Lukovic (Maine East HS, Park Ridge). I would also watch for Ed Phillips (Schaumburg HS) and Nathan Teske (Central HS, Naperville) to be in the mix of things at this meet.

Discus – Joe Bellafiore (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights) upped his personal best on his home ring last week throwing 160-2 at the Travis Classic. He will be challenged by junior Andrew Romig (Zion Benton HS) who has a 156-5 best performance this season. Brad Ruehrdanz and Justin Phillips could challenge for a top three finish.

Track Events

4 x 800 Meter Relay – The first running final of the evening should be a dandy. Lane Tech has not put out their loaded squad that ran 7:54 during indoors in an outdoor race. This meet will show how this teams bounces back after they lost to Yorkville at Illinois Top Times a month ago. Pavlo Hutsalyuk and David Schmieg give this team a chance to go close to 7:50 in this race.

There are two teams that could challenge in this race. Lyons Township has a good quartet that will be towards the front. Ed McCarter will make sure the Lions are up front at the beginning. Alex Lima gives Lyons a strong finish. Fremd, who was invited to this meet, has a strong squad that could pull a surprise led by Harry Winter, Nick Macius and Nick Vucovich. Three of the four that will be running in this race brought the Vikings through the first three legs of the MSL Indoors in 5:57. Aaron Harris could help Fremd stay in the front.

Hinsdale Central was also invited and could challenge. I would also keep an eye on 3A defending state champion Barrington in this race. They will not have Konrad Eiring in this quartet, but the talent is there to apply pressure in the front. Hersey also has a tough team anchored by Kevin Kovach. The Huskies could be a factor in the outcome of this race.

4 x 100 Meter Relay – Schaumburg’s relay has been tearing up the track this spring with some fantastic times. I would watch the Saxons in this race. They ran 41.82 at their own invite three weeks ago. Tuesday at the MSL West Divisional Meet, Schaumburg ran 42.14.

York could put the most pressure on Schaumburg in this race. They have run 42.33 earlier in the spring. Zion Benton, Naperville Central, Barrington, and Lane Tech will also challenge for the championship.

3200 Meter Run – This is a strong field that could see a winning time under 9:20. Kyle Mattes (York HS, Elmhurst) ran 9:22 two weeks ago at Downers Grove South and is capable of going under that time in this meet. Billy Magnesen (Hinsdale Central HS) was invited to this meet. At the indoor WSC Silver Meet, Magnesen let Mattes do the work during most of the race and stormed away in the last 800 for the win. Will the same thing happen Friday night?

Dan Santino (St. Ignatius Prep, Chicago) was also invited. He has run 9:40 this outdoor season, but has a 9:26 PR. I would watch for him. Also keep an eye on Blake Hallman (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect) who ran 9:33 indoors and is capable of dropping a good time on his home track.

110 Meter High Hurdles – Michael Jopes (Central HS, Naperville) is the athlete to watch in this race. He is the only athlete seeded under 15 seconds running 14.94 at Wheaton North earlier in April. Jarvis Hill (York HS, Elmhurst) ran 15.09 in losing to Lake Park’s Antonio Shenault two weeks ago will be the one athlete that could be ahead of Jopes at the end of this race.  

100 Meter Dash – This is a deceptively good field. Scotty Miller (Barrington HS) has run 10.5 hand timed this year and will be one of the athletes to watch. Shandall Thomas (Schaumburg HS) has been one of the keys to the Saxons’ success in the relays. He should be towards the front in this race. Alex Martin (Hononegah HS, Rockton) and Josh Farrar (York HS, Elmhurst) could surprise in this race. Ben Andreas (Central HS, Naperville), Vinny Lai (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect), and Ryan Garrett (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights) could be towards the front in this race.

800 Meter Run – Legendary York Coach Joe Newton nicknamed Matt Plowman “The Alamo” because the junior originates from Texas. Fans could be remembering him after this race. He is running this race fresh and could be in the 1:52-1:53 range. At Wednesday’s DMR at York, he ran 1:55 in the 800 leg.

Jacob Amiri (South HS, Downers Grove) ran 1:57 last week on his home track and is fresh in this race as well. He could push Plowman. Heath Warren (Springfield HS) is little known in the Chicago area. He has the talent to be in the 1:55 range. Teammate David Sias ran 1:57 at Capital City two weeks ago. He will be fresh and able to be close to the front.

Pavlo Hutsalyuk will be coming back from the 4x8. We will see what he has left in this race. Alex Lima and Kevin Kovach will also be doubling from that relay. Watch for them to challenge.

4 x 200 Meter Relay – Schaumburg ran a state’s best 1:28.04 Tuesday at Hoffman Estates. If the weather is permitting and with the competition in this meet, the Saxons could dip into the 1:27’s. York has run 1:28.90 and again could be Schaumburg’s chief competition. Barrington has a good quartet that could pull a surprise. Lyons Township and Zion-Benton will also be towards the front in this race.

400 Meter Dash – Last year’s 3A runner up in this event Sam Bransby (Central HS, Naperville) is not competing in this meet. It leaves the door open for a number of athletes that could win. The winner could be in the 49’s in this race. Jimmy Rhode (Lyons Township HS, LaGrange) has the top seed time. He will be one of the athletes to watch. Daniel Spaccapanicca (Central HS, Naperville) will be one of his chief challengers. Michael Hill (Hononegah HS, Rockton) and John Franklin (Whitney Young HS, Chicago) will also challenge for the front.

300 Meter Intermediate Hurdles – It should be another good battle between Michael Jopes and Jarvis Hill in the longer hurdles race. Hill ran 39.17 two weeks ago at Downers Grove South. Jopes is the only other athlete under 40 seconds in this field. Jace Goetsch (Barrington HS) and Alex Teague (York HS, Elmhurst) could also be towards the front.

1600 Meter Run – This will be a dynamite race. Zach Dale (Conant HS, Hoffman Estates) was originally invited to run the 3200 in this meet. But after he ran 8:56 at Arcadia, it made better sense that he switched to the shorter of the distance disciplines. Dale showed his fitness by running 1:56 Tuesday at the MSL West Divisional meet. The competition is here to push him in the 4:10 – 4:12 range.

The field is loaded. Alex Bashqawai (York HS, Elmhurst) is running this race fresh and will be also looking for a fast time. The 3:07 1200 that he ran at Wednesday’s DMR at York shows that he could be in the low 4:10’s as well. David Schmieg was close to Bashqawai at the DMR running 3:08. He ran 4:17 indoors. He will also be coming back from the 4x8. Andrew Philipose (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights) ran 4:22 at the beginning of April. He will be fresh. How fast will he run Friday night? Chris Korabik (St. Ignatius College Prep, Chicago) was invited to this meet and could be under 4:20 as well. He ran 1:56 a couple of weeks ago. He has run 4:23 already this season.

Ed McCarter and Jacob Amiri will be coming back from doubles. They will be in the mix. David Sias and Patrick Fitzgibbon (Springfield HS) should also challenge for the front. Grant Von der Lippe (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights) and Mike Anderson (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect could also surprise in this race.

200 Meter Dash – This race will be wide open. Shandall Thomas, Josh Farrar, John Roberts (Zion Benton HS), and Eric McMiller (Lane Tech HS, Chicago) are athletes that could challenge for the win in this meet.

4 x 400 Meter Relay – Last year, this race was run basically in the dark because of the malfunction of the stadium lights. This year, this could be one of the spotlight races.

Lyons Township has a strong quartet led by Jimmy Rhone and Trevor Edgerton. They have the seventh fastest time in the state (3:22.9). You can consider them one of the favorites capable of getting close to 3:20. Naperville Central, Springfield, York, and Whitney Young could be under 3:25 in this race. Lane Tech and Zion-Benton will be factors in this race as well.