Track and Field: Yorkville boys, girls sweep Matt Wulf Invite titles

YORKVILLE – Jack Stillmunkes clasped his hands together in a “V” sign for victory as he crossed the finish line.

The Yorkville senior had ample reason to feel victorious.

Stillmunkes’ come-from-behind win over Oswego East’s Parker Nold in a stirring 800-meter run was one highlight of the Foxes’ sweep to boys and girls team titles at their Matt Wulf Invitational Thursday. It also continued Stillmunkes’ return from nearly a year away from running.

With a fierce wind altering his strategy, Stillmunkes made his move on Nold in the last 100 to clip him at the finish line in 2:01.64. Nold was second in 2:02.08.

“My coach just told me see who goes out, find that guy, stick on him and wait to make that move,” Stillmunkes said. “Usually I try to make the move at the 200 mark, but you’re going right into the wind. I had to wait a little longer and got him in the last 100.”

[ Photos: Yorkville's Matt Wulf Invitational ]

Yorkville took the boys team title with 130 points, just edging out T.F. South (125) with Oswego East third (114). Yorkville’s girls scored 145 points to beat out runner-up Rockford Guilford (136).

Stillmunkes’ patient approach to Thursday’s run reflected that of an athlete who has overcome plenty to get back on his feet.

He had a Ganglion cyst in his knee that had to be drained out in surgery last August, an injury that cost him almost his entire cross country season. He trained his whole winter, waiting for track season to come.

“I was on crutches for about two weeks. It was really hard running, I could barely make a mile when I was trying to run through it but eventually my coach shut me down, got a bunch of MRIs and they told me what it was,” Stillmunkes said. “Still working a little bit on the cardio. Runs like the 800 are more about strength. I’ve always liked track a little more than cross, so I’m glad I got to do this.”

Oswego East junior Alexander Das, like Stillmunkes, is working his way back from a painful fall season to what he hopes is a big finish this spring.

Das missed most of the cross country postseason with a stress fracture that kept him sidelined for four months. But he looked in good form Thursday, running away with the 1,600 title ahead of Stillmunkes in 4:32.99.

“I knew he [Stillmunkes] ran the 800 before so he was a little gassed; I thought he would be my main competition but he ran a great race,” Das said.

Das is now six weeks into his return.

“I think I learned a lot,” Das said. “Last cross country season I didn’t eat right, didn’t recover right. I think that will help me a lot for track season. I want to get to state and run a really crazy time. I think I’m capable of it.”

Yorkville sibling throwers Kyle Clabough and Courtney Clabough, indoor shot put state champions last month at Top Times, certainly have their sights set on outdoor state. To no surprise, they dominated the throwing events Thursday in less than ideal conditions.

Courtney won the shot put with an effort of 35 feet, 3 inches and discus with a 106-6, while Kyle did the same on the boys side, taking the shot put in 58 feet, 2.5 inches and discus in 155-5.

“It was not fun throwing in this wind, but I kind of knew it was going to be like that,” Kyle Clabough said. “I just came in with the attitude of just get the win and try to enjoy it.”

Clabough, a Wisconsin commit, hasn’t been happy with his performance the first few meets but is looking forward to potentially popping big throws at three meets next week.

“I’m having trouble staying in the ring a lot but I know I have a lot more power than I’ve ever had,” he said. “I’m getting good practice throws. Once it starts to get warm I think I can aim for a big PR.”

Yorkville senior Anna Hunter started the night on the track by anchoring the Foxes’ winning 4x800 relay in 10:14.0, then came back later to win the open 1,600 in 5:18.08 with her twin sister Maggie second.

“Honestly, going into it, it’s been windy all day, just going out there to run and get the points,” Anna Hunter said, “but the wind died down and I thought you know what, I’m going to race how I normally race.”

How Hunter has raced this season has been quite well up to this point.

“I’ve been PR’ing a lot, got my mile down to a 5:10, with nicer weather I think I can get to 5 minutes,” she said. “I was running like 5:30 last year but I feel a lot stronger as a runner. I’ve been able to put my training more into races.”

Yorkville junior Josh Pugh, second in the triple jump, came back to easily win the 400 in 51.47 seconds.

“That wind on the back stretch, you could definitely feel it. I had to push past that into my final sprint,” Pugh said. “I was able to cut through that and finish strong.”

Oswego East also had wins from Austin Johnson in the high jump (5 feet, 9.85 inches) and the 4x800 relay in 3:38.83. Yorkville’s Katie Melzer won the 800 in 2:24.88 and Ava Galloway the 3,200 in 11:36.76, and the Yorkville girls won the 4x400 relay in 4:13.29.