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CHARLESTON – Crystal Lake Central senior Jonathan Tegel is accustomed to running the 300-meter intermediate hurdles in front of the field where there is no one to catch.
In his last race of his high school career, he proved that he could run from behind just as well.
Running in Lane 9, Tegel pushed extra hard the last 100 meters to take third place in 38.67, to go with his earlier runner-up finish in the Class 3A 110 high hurdles Saturday at the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Meet at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium.
Tegel narrowly lost to Evanston’ Miles Granjean (14.36-14.53) in the high hurdles, where he almost became Central’s first boys track and field state champion in school history.
“Usually I just coast at the end (of the 300s), but it was my last race and I had a lot of energy, so I sprinted that last 100,” Tegel said. " Somehow it worked.
“I had an OK race (in the 110s), I’m not really happy with my result, but whatever.”
Also in Class 3A, Cary-Grove’s Reece Ihenacho took second in discus and McHenry’s Zeke Galvicius was third in pole vault. Other Class 3A medalists were Huntley’s McKale Hood (sixth in high jump), Hampshire’s Vince Scott (seventh in triple jump) and Crystal Lake South’s Ryne Salas (eighth in discus). Salas made the finals, but was not in medal position until his 47.60 (156-2) throw in his second finals attempt bumped him up four places.
In Class 2A, Burlington Central’s Nolan Milas took third in the 200 and fourth in the 100. Richmond-Burton’s 4x400 relay of Joe Miller, Dan Kalinowski, Jack Martens and Sean Rockwell took third and R-B’s Max Loveall, Martens, Kalinowski and Rockwell were fifth in the 4x400.
Also in 2A, R-B’s Miller was sixth in the 400, and Woodstock’s 4x800 relay team of Ishan Patel, Ellery Shutt, Aryan Patel and Cohen Shutt took seventh.
In the 3A 300 hurdles, Glenbrook South’s Ryan Schaefer won in 38.34, Moline’s Saiheed Jah was second in 38.66 and Tegel was third in 38.67.
After missing two finals spots last year by a few spots, Tegel was thrilled at two top-three medals.
“I’m pretty excited about how it unfolded,” Tegel said. “I’ll miss the team. Great boys, really good coaches. I would not be here if it wasn’t for Mr. (Brian) Seaver. If I went to another high school, I would not be standing here right now. He’s a great hurdles coach.”
Tegel broke his two school records over the weekend.
“He had an amazing day,” Seaver said. “He’s a great competitor, the best hurdler we have ever had.”
Ihenacho went into the discus finals in first place at 53.59 meters (175-10). He fouled three times in the finals and Naperville Central’s Maverick Ohle cranked out throws of 54.77 (179-8) and 55.82 (183-1) in the finals to win.
“Some days you perform, some days you don’t,” Ihenacho said. “I’m coming back next year and chasing that state record. It’s good. It’s definitely an experience and now that I have a state meet under my belt, I’m going to use all my experience to my advantage next year.”
Galvicius cleared 4.65 (15-3), but missed at 4.75 (15-7) for third place in pole vault. Bloomington’s Tyler Petersen made 4.75 and Minooka’s Andrew Undesser made 4.65 for second, with fewer misses than Galvicius.
“I could have done a lot better, I had some miss attempts I shouldn’t have had, but I’m happy with what I got today,” said Galvicius, whose second attempt at 4.75 was very close. “They’re all great vaulters, but being able to hold a plant longer really helped me out. I’m a little unhappy about how my last height went, but it’s OK. There’s always next year.”
Milas was happy with his two top-four finishes.
“I felt like I could have done more in the 100. All the times were a little slow,” Milas said. “I was worried more about the place, I can’t really complain about the place (fourth).
“The goal was top three in the 200. Coach (Mike Schmidt) told me to push out of the blocks strong, so I did my best to do that. That back stretch I tried to hang on to that guy in front of me, I knew those guys were going to run really fast.”
R-B placed second in the 4x400 and ninth in the 4x200 last year and came back strong again. Kalinowski thought R-B coach John Osmanski had the Rockets on top of their game.
“We came out here with a plan, Osmanski knew what he was doing the whole way through and prepared us, warmed us up, perfect timing throughout the whole day,” Kalinowski said. " We did our best and had fun. Os had it set up perfectly to get in and out quick, no time wasted. We had a great time down here.”
BOYS TRACK AND FIELD
Class 2A State Meet
Local Results
(Top nine places receive medals)
4x800 relay: 7. Woodstock (Ishan Patel, Ellery Shutt, Aryan Patel, Cohen Shutt) 8:04.78.
3,200 meters: 29. Dylan Hanson (Woodstock) 10:12.73.
100 meters: 4. Nolan Milas (Burlington Central) 11.14.
4x200 relay: 5. Richmond-Burton (Max Loveall, Jack Martens, Dan Kalinowski, Sean Rockwell) 1:28.80.
400 meters: 6. Joe Miller (R-B) 50.12.
200 meters: 3. Milas (BC) 21.78.
4x400 relay: 3. R-B (Miller, Kalinowski, Martens, Rockwell) 3:20.55.
Shot put: 10. Nick Nuno (Burlington Central) 15.05 (49-4.5)
Pole vault: 13 (tie). Landan Creighton (Woodstock North), Grayson Burton (Burlington Central) 3.80 (12-5.5).
Class 3A State Meet
Local Results
(Top nine places receive medals)
3,200 meters: 14. Tommy Nitz (Huntley) 9:21.95; 28. Aidan DeMuth (Jacobs) 9:40.47.
110 high hurdles: 2. Jonathan Tegel (CL Central) 14.53.
300 int. hurdles: 3. Tegel (CLC) 38.67.
Shot put: 12. Reece Ihenacho (Cary-Grove) 15.99 (52-5.5).
Discus: 2. Ihenacho (C-G) 53.59 (175-10), 8. Ryne Salas (CL South) 47.60 (156-2).
High jump: 6. McKale Hood (Huntley) 1.95 (6-4.75).
Triple jump: 7. Vince Scott (Hampshire) 13.68 (44-10.75).
Pole vault: 3. Zeke Galvicius (McHenry) 4.65 (15-3).