Huntley wins title, takes victory lap

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ROCKTON – This year, Huntley’s boys track team got to take a victory lap.

The Red Raiders won a sectional track title last year as well, but found out only after a scoring error was corrected when the team already was on the bus.

This year’s team was able to savor the feeling of accepting the team plaque together Friday night at the IHSA Class 3A Hononegah Sectional.

“Two years in a row,” coach Jim Rolando said. “Coming from nowhere.”

Along with the expected dominating performance from thrower Marcus Poppenfoose, who easily won the shot put and discus, Huntley benefited from a strong showing by its relays.

The Raiders won the 4x200 and placed second in both the 4x100 and the 4x400, qualifying in all three events for next weekend’s IHSA Boys Track and Field State Meet in Charleston.

The 4x200 group of Jeremy Hansen, Matt Hammer, Josh Sivila and Tor Larkin came together quickly. Sivila was added to the team only in the last two weeks.

“We’ve just been working really hard with Josh,” Hammer said. “We came out [Friday night] and did perfect hand-offs and all that. We all ran really, really smooth. Everything went perfect.”

Crystal Lake South enjoyed a fine night, as well.

The Gators held off Huntley to win the 4x400 relay with a group that included senior Emmanuel Gamez.

Along with anchoring the winning relay, Gamez also won the 100 dash in 11.22 seconds and the 400 in 49.52 seconds.

“I just came in thinking in my head [about] doing the best I can, pushing myself, finishing strong,” Gamez said.

Another member of the Gators’ 4x400 relay team was senior Steven Rogers, who won the 800 run Friday night.

The race was a fast one, with the top four finishers all surpassing the time standard for the state meet. Rogers was happy about his time of 1:55.42.

“It was a good race,” Rogers said. “I was proud of myself.”

Dundee-Crown tied the Gators for second place in the team standings.

Chargers senior Aaron Reams starred on the track and in the field, winning the 110 hurdles in 15.03 seconds and the triple jump with a personal-best leap of 46 feet.

D-C also won one of the night’s best races, the 1,600 run. Anthony Manfrin rallied down the stretch to nip Woodstock’s Marshall Happ at the finish line.

Manfrin won in 4:15.77, a personal best by more than two seconds, while Happ also qualified for state in 4:16.20.

“The last lap, Marshall took off and my coaches said to go with him,” Manfrin said. “Marshall’s obviously a really strong competitor, and it’s fun running with guys like that. He pulled me through the race.”