CLC edges defending champ McHenry

The first exchange of the boys 4x800-meter relay takes place during the McHenry County Track and Field Meet on Thursday at Cary-Grove. ((Hollyn Johnson – hjohnson@nwherald.com))

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CARY – Crystal Lake Central knew it would take a little bit from everyone and almost everything going right to catch two-time champion McHenry in the McHenry County Boys Track and Field Meet.

That was just what the Tigers did Thursday night at Cary-Grove’s Al Bohrer Field.

Central, led by seniors Mike Bondi and Dyllon Mc-Kinney, scored 114 points to win the county title, which belonged to McHenry the past two years. The Tigers, who lost by one point to McHenry last year, clinched at least a tie before the final event, the 4x400-meter relay.

For good measure, Central took second in that race for eight more points. McHenry (96) was second and C-G (82) took third.

“We knew we could push a lot more points than we were seeded for,” Central coach Brian Seaver said. “Everybody was performing. We did what we needed to do. It’s cliché, but it really was a total team effort. We knew we could do some great things, and I’m really proud of these guys.”

Central had 43 points, one behind McHenry, after Wednesday’s field events were completed. McKinney won the long jump, then won the 300 intermediate hurdles and ran on two second-place relays. Bondi won the 800, took second in the 1,600 and was on two second-place relays.

“At the beginning of the year, we set goals to win county, win [Fox Valley] conference and do well at state,” McKinney said. “It’s a good feeling. We know we’re good, but we can always do better.”

Bondi edged Crystal Lake South’s Matt Biederwolf to win the 800 in 1:59.08 in one of the meet’s best races. Biederwolf finished in 1:59.56.

“I like to let people go out and then try to outkick them at the end,” Bondi said. “I just wanted to put myself in a position (to win). We picked up points where we needed and held our seeds in other places.”

C-G’s Anthony Golowach ran 49.29 to break the meet record in the 400, which was the only record to fall in the boys meet.

“It was pretty good with how cold it was,” Golowach said. “I could have gone out a little faster and pushed myself in the end. Coach [Layne] Holter said the record was 49.5 before the race, and I thought I could get that.”

Chris Alvarez provided Central’s other individual championship in the 3,200.

McHenry’s Carey Nolan won the triple jump Wednesday and the 200 Thursday. He also placed second in the 100 and 400 for 36 points individually. Nolan scored 38 for the Warriors last year.