RBHS pole vaulter Torrens goes out with record at state

Riverside Brookfield High School senior Matthew Torrens certainly took the thoughts of a good vault friend to heart at his first Class 3A boys track and field state meet Friday.

“He was like, ‘The third attempt is the best attempt,’” said Torrens, who will always remember the last height he cleared for the Bulldogs during prelims at Eastern Illinois University. Not only was clearing 4.30 meters/14 feet-1¼ inches his second lifetime best of the day to tie for 13th. He also broke the school record of 14-0 set last year by 2024 graduate Will Kallas.

“After I got over the bar, I heard my parents, my coaches, my friends. Super-happy. I heard someone shout, ‘That’s the school record,’ and it was just a great feeling,” Torrens said. “I was a little worried I wasn’t going to get it. When I finally got over the bar, I was really excited and just shot my hands up in the air. I knew I cemented my name in school history by making the school record.” 

Torrens, who entered state with a personal-best 13-5¾, used that all-or-nothing third attempt to clear 13-7¼ after earlier clearing 12-1½, 12-7½ and 13-1½ on a combined four attempts. 

Torrens actually cleared 14-1 on his second try. Had he then cleared 14-5¼, he would have joined the 12-athlete event finals Saturday.

“It was a great meet. I couldn’t have asked to have done better,” Torrens said. “I was able to get a [personal record] and another PR and school record. It was a great time. Everything fell into place.” 

In his third state meet, RBHS senior Brady Norman was 27th in the 3,200-meter run [9:34.99]. Norman improved upon his state meets from 2024 [33rd, 9:40.84] and 2023 [43rd, 10:04.01] but was not able to challenge his school-record 9:17.65 from March 29 indoors or outdoor-best 9:21.64 at sectionals. At the Lockport Invitational, May 9, Norman’s 4:20.29 broke the 1,600 school record shared by Paul Proteau from 2021 [4:20.76] and Mike Vicchiollo in 1984 [4:20.70 manual time].

“It definitely wasn’t the greatest race at state but I’m proud of the effort,” Norman said. “If you would have told me freshman year that I ran 4:20 and 9:17 [senior year], I think freshman Brady would be smiling ear to ear.”  

Norman also is the last remaining RBHS runner from the 2022 2A state championship cross country team. Jack Brady, who came out of retirement to coach that team and track’s distance group, is stepping down. 

“I’m really grateful for the four years I’ve had from Coach Brady. He didn’t have to stay as long as he did,” Norman said. “I’m really grateful for my friends and teammates along the way. I also want to thank my parents and family for all of the support.”

Lyons Township senior Trevor Devries made the long jump finals and finished seventh [6.84m/22-5¼] with his fifth-best competitive jump ever. Devries was seventh after three preliminary jumps Friday.

“I’m super-proud to get to this point,” said Devries, who missed junior year competition with an injured left fibia. “Missing out on track put me in a really bad spot mentally more than anything. Making it down to state, putting all the time in, I look back at that [tough] moment and just laugh.”  

The 4 x 800 relay of seniors Charlie Ciesla, Tate Pavelka and Ethan Wuggazer and junior Tyler Gantt was 14th in a season-best 7:59.73, missing the 12-team finals cut by just .48 despite sub-1:59 splits from Pavelka and Gantt.

“We had a season best, of which we were excited. One place [higher] in our heat would have done it [to finals],” Wuggazer said. “Oswego East was the last team to make it. It was very bittersweet for sure.”

Other state entries were sophomore Joey Bockwell in shot put [26th, personal-best 15.35m/50-4½], Burda in the 400 [31st, 51.83], senior Brady Ryan in discus [37th, personal-best 42.61m/139-9] and the 4 x 400 of Burda, senior Ryan Waliewski, Wuggazer and junior Gustavo Mojarro [29th, 3:27.32].

Soccer standout Burda joined track for the first time this season. Waliewski joined as a junior.

“If I have one regret, it would be not running track all four years of high school,” said Burda, who will try to walk on for soccer and track at the University of Tampa.

In Class 2A Nazareth junior Daniel Lewis of Brookfield was 21st in the 3,200 [9:57.96] after a school-record 9:50.96 at sectionals. Lewis also set the 1,600 school record of 4:31.98, April 23.

Tennis

Lyons Townwship junior Shay Sweigard achieved his first goal at his third Class 2A boys tennis state meet when he received a seed in singles. Sweigard just missed achieving his other in finishing among the top 16 with a 3-2 record.

In the championship round of 16, the No. 9-16 seeded Sweigard [20-9] lost 6-1, 7-6 [4] to Conant sophomore and No. 5-8 seed Kabir Motwani, who finished second in state in a three-set final after back-to-back three-set victories. Sweigard then went 1-1 in the consolation bracket. At the prestigious Hersey Pitchford Invite May 2-3 Sweigard had beaten Motwani en route to taking sixth. 

“I thought I played well [at state] but thought I could have gone further,” Sweigard said. “I was hoping to make the [championship] quarters. I played pretty poorly in the first set [against Motwani] but pretty good in the second set. I just lost the tiebreaker.” 

In doubles, LTHS senior Fred Chen and freshman Mateja Nokic [9-10] were 1-2 and juniors Rohan Nagale and Jackson Albee [9-11] were 0-2.

For 1A state, Nazareth Academy senior Jack Nisivaco and sophomore Ethan Danko were 0-2 in doubles after taking third at the Hinsdale South Sectional.