Riverside Brookfield High School senior Jack O’Brien wanted a better ending to this past cross country season. For distance runners, there’s always track and field in the spring. And for O’Brien that meant another chance at the Class 3A state meet at Eastern Illinois University.
“When you end something off like that [in cross country], it leaves sort of a sour taste in your mouth that you want to get back at it,” said O’Brien, 197th at the state meet Nov. 4. “Luckily I had track to do it and I worked really hard these last three months to put myself in the position here [at state].”
After his final race in the 800-meter run, O’Brien couldn’t have looked happier Saturday. He was an all-state seventh in the 800-meter run and in a lifetime-fastest 1:53.57, which also happened to tie the school record held by Mike Vicchiollo from 1984.
He also became the program’s first top-nine, all-state finisher in any event since 2012.
“Both are amazing [to me] for different reasons. This one is just a great way to an amazing four years for me,” said O’Brien, also part of the school-record holding 4 x 400 after winning sectionals in 3:24.39.
“I couldn’t be happier with [all-state] but the school record is a good legacy, something I want to leave behind. The fact that it’s a team relay [record] makes it all the more special.”
Other seniors ended on strong and memorable notes. Luke Smithing (33rd in 300 intermediate hurdles, 41.16) posted his second-fastest time ever. Will Kallas reached state for the first time in pole vault (18th, 4.15 meters/13 feet-7 1/4 inches).
The all-senior 4 x 400 of Hayden Marrs, Kallas, Evan McMullen and O’Brien finished 26th in a decent 3:26.72 considering after weather and lightning delays forced them to wait roughly three hours to race around 10:15 p.m.
This also was the last meet for RBHS head coach David Weishaar, who is headed to Hinsdale South.
“[Our 4 x 400] put down a really good time. It was an amazing time for standing around for three hours,” Weishaar said. “And [O’Brien] came back and literally put down the first medal since I’ve been coaching at RB the last 10 years.”
With the five seniors missing graduation Friday, they instead received their diplomas in a special ceremony at the high school before leaving for Charleston Thursday.
“I’d say we checked all of the boxes of a graduation ceremony,” Marrs said. “We had friends there, [RBHS principal Dr. Hector Freytas] spoke. It was a nice, short version of what everyone else had.”
Junior Brady Norman was 33rd in the 3,200 (9:40.84), shy of his lifetime-best 9:29.94 at sectionals, but especially in Saturday’s heat much better than 2023 state (43rd, 10:04.01).
The Bulldogs also won their final Metro Suburban Conference Meet (184 points) with 20 all-conference performances May 10.
MSC champions were Kallas (800 and pole vault), Smithing (110 high and 300 hurdles), O’Brien (1,600), Norman (3,200), the 4 x 400 (junior Asa Kahle, senior Eamon Ryan, sophomore Quinn Hendricks, Kallas in 3:36.4) and the 4 x 800 (McMullen, seniors Brennan Lester and William Sessler, O’Brien in 8:52.53). Also all-conference with top-three individual finishes were second-place Marrs (200 and 400), McMullen (1,600) and juniors Matt Torrens (100 and pole vault), Diego Lopez-Molina (3,200) and Connor Fouts (300 hurdles) and third-place seniors Khrysler Jimenez (110 hurdles) and Luke Berndt (400) and juniors Calvin Martin (high jump), Wayne Torrens (100) and Kahle (800).
LTHS boys track
Lyons Township senior Nick Strayer achieved his first individual all-state track medal by taking ninth in the 1,600 (4:16.84), .04 from seventh, after an all-time best 4:12.39 in prelims.
“I feel like I’ve done a lot during my time with LT track but this was one of the few things left on the bucket list,” said Strayer, part of last year’s all-state, fifth-place 4×800 and a two-time all-stater in cross country.
Other LTHS state entries were junior Ben Wuggazer (39th in 3,200, 9:57.97), the 4×800 of juniors Charles Ciesla and Tate Pavelka, senior John Barrette and junior Isaac Constas (32nd in 8:10.43) and the 4 x 400 of sophomore Gustavo Mojarro, junior Aaron Obert, sophomore Mykola Washchuk and Wuggazer (44th in 3:34.20).
Strayer helped both relays qualify at sectionals but focused solely on the 1,600 for state.
He also missed Friday night’s school prom, which further affected the 4×400 lineup.
“I think it all worked out for the best, though,” Strayer said. “I knew it was going to be a sacrifice I’d have to make but I worked hard for this moment. And I’m happy it paid off, no matter what I had to pay to get here.”
Nazareth track
Nazareth Academy sophomore Lesroy Tittle improved his long jump school record to 6.77m/22-2 1/2 Saturday to capture third in 2A – the highest state finish in program history in any event.
“It feels great and I want to keep setting records at Naz,” Tittle said. “My goal was to get 6.80. I came up a little short but I still got a [personal record].”
Junior Nolan Daly (38.93m/127-8 in discus), sophomore Trenton Walker (12.62m/41-5 in triple jump) and the 4 x 400 of juniors Michael Kanzer and Matthew Petersen, sophomore Daniel Lewis of Brookfield and freshman Henry Sakalas (3:36.12) were 30th. Junior Garrett Reese (12.19m/40-0 in triple jump) was 34th.
At the 2A girls state track prelims May 24, Nazareth’s 4 x 800 of senior Neeve Olson, juniors Erin Briars of Riverside and Alayna Plahm and freshman Julia Parkes was 34th (10:53.17).