GIANTS WIN CSL NORTH INDOOR INVITE ON BOTH LEVELS!

At the CSL North Indoor Conference Invite, Highland Park looked to repeat as champions on the varsity level. They also had a strong frosh-soph lineup that hoped to have similar success. The meet was hosted by Maine East High School on a 160 meter track in which the athletes were not allowed to wear metal spikes. 

 

Field Event Highlights:

 

On the varsity level, the shot put was extremely competitive. Dmitry Derbedyenyev (Sr.) threw 40’11” in only his second meet of the season. He just missed scoring as he finished in 7th place. He is the 2nd HP thrower this season to go over 40 feet. Devin Symonette (Jr.) had an off day and threw 37’3.25” for 10th place. During the outdoor season, the Giants will work hard to get a few more throwers over the 40 foot mark. The HP frosh-soph throwers were both able to place in scoring position (top 6). Jacob Both (Fr.) had another meet with a personal best. He threw 38’1.25” to take 2nd place in the competition. Max Sukenik (So.) got a mark of 34’11.25”. This was good enough to place 6th and earn a point for the team. 

The pole vaulters collectively struggled at the meet. Will Redmond (So.) was the only one to clear a height. He got a personal best 7’11.5”. His performance got him 4th place and important points for the frosh-soph. The vaulters will bounce back with significant improvement this outdoor season. 

 

The HP triple jumpers had a solid day. Russell Czerwinski (Sr.) continued to have success in the triple jump this season even though this was the first year trying the event. Czerwinski jumped a personal best 42’2.75” to take 2nd place just barely behind a jumper from Niles West HS. Tyler Rosenthal (Sr.) did not PR, but he jumped well enough to earn a medal for his 6th place finish. He jumped 36’5”. HP’s frosh-soph jumpers were both near their best marks. William Sheahen finished in 6th place with a jump of 31’7.25”. His hard work has him continuing to have a breakthrough season. Luca Ritchie (Fr.) continues to get key big meet experience and finished in 8th place. He jumped 27’4.75” for the event. 

 

In the long jump, varsity had two jumpers score points. Eli Perkins (Jr.) jumped a personal best 18’6.5”. This earned him 5th place. Quentin Kelley (Jr.) was near his best mark with a jump of 18’0.5”. He got 6th place with his jump. In the frosh-soph competition, Gabriel Jackson (Fr.) jumped 15’2.75” and Preston Reed (Fr.) got a mark of 15’1.5”.

The high jump was the final field event because it took place after shot put. Czerwinski won the varsity high jump by tying his personal best of 6’2.75”. Derbedyenyev jumped 5’3” to take 8th place. Jayden Corchado (Fr.) got 2nd place on frosh-soph by clearing his personal best height of 5’3”. Jude White (Fr.) jumped 4’7” to take 7th place. 

 

The Giants got some decent points in the field events, but knew that it would be on the track that they would need to really start racking up the points if they wanted to win the meet. 

Track Event Highlights:

 

The frosh-soph 4X800 meter relay team was led off by Logan Liu (So.) in a 2:21.7. He handed off to Lowell Redmond (So.) who ran a 2:20.9 personal best split. David Miller (So.) was next as he equaled his best time in 2:28.8. Spencer Pedraza also equalled his best with a 2:22.5 as he nearly caught the Maine East team that was in the lead. HP got 2nd place in 9:36.40. The varsity relay quartet was led off by Henry Gamson (So.) with an impressive 2:09.2. Usiel Rodriguez (Jr.) had a breakthrough race for the indoor season. He ran a tough 2:07.0 indoor personal best. Yonatan Garfinkel (Sr.) also ran very well as he ran a 2:12.9. Connor Edelstein (Sr.) stepped in to fill the anchor leg and ran a 2:19.8. The team ended up in 2nd place with an 8:49.09.

 

In the frosh-soph 3200 meter run, Lucas Hoobler (So.) controlled the race from the start. He had a runner from Maine West with him through the 1600 before pulling away to easily win in 10:39.59. This was the first 3200 he has raced. Abel Reese (Fr.) had a solid race to finish in 11:21.32. This earned him 4th place. In the varsity race, HP dominated with a 1-2 finish. Nate Wehner (Sr.) raced in his first 3200 race since being injured. He took the lead from the start and lapped the entire field. He ran a solid 9:44.88. Dylan Dominguez (Jr.) also ran very well with a personal best 10:12.70. He crossed the line in 2nd place, 30 seconds ahead of 3rd place. 

To help the team, Elliot Schraub (Fr.) asked to compete in the 50 yard high hurdles race. He had not done a high hurdles race this season yet. He ended up having a great race and placed 4th overall. He did so out of the slower heat and ran the same time as 3rd place, who was in the faster heat. In the varsity race, Lachlan Knapp (Jr.) and Czerwinski both earned points for the team. Knapp took 3rd in 7.56 while Czerwinski crossed the line in 5th at 7.63. 

 

Corchado ran a 6.09 in the frosh-soph 50 yard dash. This placed 4th in the race and he was only .09 out of 1st. Mishkin Filstrup (Fr.) placed 8th. He ran a 6.41. Shamar Wilson (So.) got the finish 1st in a fast 5.78 for the varsity race. Eddy Picazo (Sr.) ran 6.25 to earn 10th place. 

 

In the frosh-soph 800 meter run, Truman Evans (So.) and Daniel Doyle (So.) raced well. Doyle made a big move late in the race in which Evans responded and passed him back. Evans finished in 2nd with a 2:15.83. Doyle had a big indoor personal best of 2:16.34 to take 4th place. The varsity race also had a thrilling battle. The top 3 stayed close all race. Zach Coren (Sr.) and Robert Oboza (Sr.) each made efforts to get in the lead, but the runner from Maine East kept preventing them from passing. Off the final turn, Coren made one final attempt and was able to get by despite being blocked and even grabbed by his competitor. Coren finished in 1st running 2:04.04. Oboza was close behind in 3rd place with a 2:05.62. 

The indoor 4X160 meter relay is always an intense race with fighting for early position and difficulty passing opponents on the tight turns of indoor tracks. The HP frosh-soph relay team has had some success this season, but were unable to get the position needed to score points. They ran right at their personal best of the 2024 season with a 1:23.11. The team consisted of Filstrup, Hayden Tortora (So.), Jonathan Blidee (Fr.), and Corchado. Look for this quartet to have more success during the outdoor season. The varsity squad of Wilson, Damian Zuno (Sr.), Rosenthal, and Knapp ran extremely well. They got into the lead with Wilson’s fast start. Zuno ran extremely well to hold the lead. Rosenthal also ran well and even increased the lead slightly. Knapp had a great anchor to bring it home for the victory in a season best 1:18.52. Not only did the group run great for each of their legs of the relay, but they had terrific handoffs as well. This is a testament to the hard work they have been putting in this season. 

In the indoor frosh-soph 400 meter dash, Gal Raviv (So.) ran a :57.50 indoor personal best to take 3rd place. Gabriel Jackson (Fr.) ran 1:00.12 to take 5th place. Both these athletes were unsure if they were going to compete due to some injury issues, but they both rose to the occasion and did well to help the team. The varsity 400 was not as competitive as years past. Lukaas Nales (Sr.) was able to cruise to the easy victory in :53.51. Quentin Kelley (Jr.) got a 6th place finish with his :57.58. 

The HP frosh-soph hurdlers continued to show improvement in the 50 yard low hurdles. Schraub had another great hurdle race as he took 2nd place in the event with an 8.07! He was the top freshman in the race. Reed was also able to score as he took 6th place and ran 9.43. On varsity, Knapp and Czerwinski once again took 3rd and 5th places. Knapp ran 7.19 for 3rd and Czerwinski crossed the line in 7.33 for 5th. 

 

The HP frosh-soph team was in a close team battle and knew the 1600 meter run would be an important event. The Giants needed big points and were told by the coaches to go for a 1-2 finish. Hoobler and Josh Brown (So.) were focused on doing just that. They went to the front from the start and pushed the pace. They were able to pull away for the dominating 1-2 finish. Hoobler won his second race of the day with a personal best 4:50.52 as Brown also ran a personal best in 2nd place running 4:52.62. In the varsity race, Luke Rhoads (Sr.) ran an aggressive race and even tried to take the lead during the second half of the race. Two Vernon Hills runners pulled away as Dominguez came back after the 3200 meter run to finish with a big kick and personal best 4:49.68 for 3rd place. Rhoads battled tough to hang on and earn a 4th place finish in 4:51.58. This earned HP two top four finishes in all three distance races on both levels (3200, 800, and 1600).

In Corchado’s 4th event of the day, he placed 4th in the frosh-soph 200 meter dash. This was his first 200 race of the season and he ran :25.91. Filstrup just missed scoring as he finished in 7th place with a time of :26.56. Wilson ended up in 2nd place in the varsity 200 as he ran :24.00. Knapp had an impressive race to come in 5th place with a :25.09. 

 

Highland Park had the largest crowd of supporters at the meet and it showed during the 4X400 meter relay. Everyone on the team not competing at that time gathers to support the 4X400 teams with loud cheers of encouragement each time they passed by. They were also able to cheer on Czerwinski as he was finishing up winning the varsity high jump competition at the same time. The frosh-soph 4X400 knew they were in a close overall team battle. The four competitors raced with focus and determination. Evans led off in an impressive :56.9 for the lead. Tortora went sub 60 for the first time with a :59.1 to hold off his competitors and keep the lead. Doyle finished off a great meet for himself as he subbed in and ran a :59.7 split. Raviv closed out the relay with a strong :58.3 anchor leg to win the relay in 3:56.38. This secured the overall team victory for the Giants on the frosh-soph level! Varsity had the meet won already, but still put a competitive 4X400 on the track. Oboza had a fantastic lead-off of :55.1. Edelstein stepped up again to fill in on another relay. He ran a strong :57.8. Rodriguez had another great race on the day as he refused to give up the lead and split a superb :56.4. Coren ran a tough anchor leg against a very good Vernon Hills runner. Coren spilt a :56.4 and the HP relay took 2nd place in 3:45.93. 

Highland Park ended up winning on both levels! Frosh-soph won a close battle with 113 points. Vernon Hills was 2nd with 101 and Niles West was 3rd with 99 points. The varsity were more dominant as they won with 139 points. Maine East was 2nd with 93 and Niles West finished 3rd with 89 points. This makes it back to back indoor CSL North Invite victories for the varsity. This meet was another display of the resilience and determination of this team. The Giants will look to get everyone healthy for the outdoor season and build on the success of the 2024 indoor season.      

 

Giant of the Meet Nominations:

Frosh-Soph:

 

Elliott Schraub - 4th 50y HH (first time running the HH) and 2nd 50y LH.

 

Jayden Corchado - 4 Events: 4th 50y 6.09, 4X160, 200m 4th (first time running 200), and HJ 2nd PR 5’3”. 

 

Daniel Doyle - Big time race in the 800m with PR 2:16.34 in 4th and subbed in for the 4X400 to run :59.7 and help them get 1st. 

 

Lucas Hoobler - 1st 3200m PR 10:39.59 (first time running 3200) and 1st 1600m PR 4:50.52.

 

Gal Raviv - Despite having knee issue recently ran :57.50 3rd in 400m and anchor split :58.3 1st in 4X400m. 

 

Varsity:

 

Russell Czerwinski - 4 events: 1st HJ tied PR 6’2.75”, 2nd TJ PR 42’2.75”, 5th HH, and 5th LH.

 

Lachlan Knapp - 4 events: 1st 4X160m w/great anchor, 3rd LH, 3rd HH, 5th 200m.

 

Dylan Dominguez - 2nd 3200m PR 10:12.70 and 3rd 1600m PR 4:49.68.

 

Usiel Rodriguez - Breakthrough meet… indoor PR 4X800 2:07.0 split and battled to hold off opponent in 4X400 with a :56.4 split. 

 

4X160 Meter Relay of Shamar Wilson, Damian Zuno, Tyler Rosenthal, and Lachlan Knapp - 1st place season best 1:18.52. Great handoffs and impressive racing for each guy on the relay. 

 

Connor Edelstein - Subbed in just days before for the 4X800 2nd place split 2:19.8 and subbed in last minute for the 4X400 to splits a strong :57.8.

 

Shamar Wilson - Sophomore running on varsity. 3 events: 1st 50y 5.78, 1st 4X160m lead-off, and 2nd 200m :24.00.

 

Zach Coren - Gutsy 800m with opponent pushing and even grabbing to not let him by. Wins in 2:04.04. Anchor on 4X400m 2nd place :56.4. 

 

Giants of the Meet:

Frosh-Soph:

Lucas Hoobler and Jayden Corchado

Varsity:

Usiel Rodriguez and 4X160 Meter Relay Team (Wilson, Zuno, Rosnethal, and Knapp).