Plainfield South eyeing return

Updated: May 4, 2011 7:16PM

Plainfield South graduated half of the points it scored to take sixth place in the Class 3A state meet last year, but the Cougars aren’t lamenting their losses this spring.

Coach Jason Crowe believes the Cougars have the talent to reload rather than rebuild even with the graduation of 14 of 27 state meet points. Brandon Winters (Purdue) was second in the 110-meter hurdles and Jake Ferris (University of St. Francis) was fourth in the 1,600-meter run.

“We’ve got a big group of kids back that scored points last year,’’ Crowe said. “The relays, we’re starting to spread those guys out to some of the other events.

“We’re still figuring out the puzzle where we want to attack in the sectional and state. The potential is there. We’ve got a great group of kids who are working their tails off.’’

Plainfield South returns the 1,600-meter relay of twins John and Sheldon Magee, Steven Harris and Mitch Wolff that ran 3:17.6 to take second in the state last year. The new competition for that lineup adds to the Cougars’ depth.

“There’s actually six guys that are right there pushing each other,’’ Crowe said. Richie Ruske anchored the relay to first place (3:20.8) Friday in the Hunt Invitational.

Dondre Adams, Dantrell Wright and Alex Flores will be vital to the sprint relays. Wolff will have scoring potential in the 110 hurdles.

Then there’s Ruske and Juliano Lodi, who were 1-2 in the 800-meter run at the Hunt Invitational. Ruske ran 1:57.6 earlier.

Adams says the Cougars have the talent to replace the loss of Winters and Ferris.

“We can make up those points,’’ Adams said. “They were good athletes, but we’ve still got the depth on the team that we can make up for them.’’

The boys Southwest Prairie Conference meet is May 12 at Plainfield East and the sectional is May 19 at Plainfield North.

An eventful night

With a tweak in her approach this year, Jaclyn Aremka of Plainfield North set a personal best and school record of 5-7 in the high jump at the Hunt Invitational.

“I think I have good technique over the bar,’’ Aremka said. “I just changed my approach this year. I think that also helps. I slowed down, I kind of opened up my strides a little bit. I bounded more toward the bar instead of sprinting toward it.’’

Aremka took fourth in the long jump (15-3¼) at the Hunt Invitational and also ran on the 400 and 1,600 relays.

“I love track,’’ Aremka said. “I love being able to participate in a bunch of different events.’’

Learn from the best

Lockport pole vaulter Kevin Fisch was runner-up at the Glenbard West Invitational to Lake Park’s Zach Ziemek, the defending Class 3A state champ who cleared 16-1 Saturday. Fisch reached 13-6 and his cousin, Alex, tied for seventh (12-0).

Keeping track

Bolingbrook graduate Stanley Azie, a junior at Illinois, anchored the Illini’s 400 relay to first place at the Drake Relays Saturday in Des Moines. Azie, Andrew Riley, Azeez Shogbuyi and Josh Zinzer combined to set a school record of 39.17.

Lockport graduate Kyle Engnell, also a junior at Illinois, won the 3,000-meter steeplechase (8:52.93) at the Drake Relays. Illinois has won 137 titles in the 102 years of the meet, the most by any school.

Coming up

The Southwest Prairie Conference girls meet is today at Oswego East with Minooka, Oswego, Oswego East, Plainfield Central, Plainfield East, Plainfield North, Plainfield South and Romeoville.

The Southwest Suburban Blue Division girls meet is today at Homewood-Flossmoor with Bolingbrook, H-F, Joliet Central, Joliet West, Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way East, Lockport and Sandburg.

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