Stevenson’s Stryganek stars again

When the lights shine brightest, Brandon Stryganek is not one to back away.

Instead, the Stevenson sprinter feeds off the pressure. Stryganek displayed his speed throughout the Lake County Invitational at Lake Zurich on Friday night, picking up four championships.

“I like when everyone is watching me,” Stryganek said. “It pushes me to go a lot harder.”

He dominated in both of his individual races, claiming the 100 meters (10.82) and 200 meters (21.85). Stryganek also anchored a pair of championship relays (400, 43.12; and 800, 1:29.40).

Stryganek enjoys bringing the favorite’s tag to nearly every race.

“I like it,” he said. “It tells me that I’m the guy to beat.”

Another favorite who took care of business was high jumper Jeremy Birck. The Libertyville senior cruised through jumps of 6-1, 6-3 and 6-5 with no misses. He then cleared 6-7 on his second attempt to hold off Lake Zurich’s Eric Porter (6-5) and Warren’s Isaac Jean-Paul (6-5).

“It’s the first meet where I haven’t been in long jump,” Birck said. “I was able to focus strictly on high jump.

“It (clearing 6-7) was definitely a confidence booster for me,” he added.

Barrington’s Erik Petersen also posted a couple of fast times. The Bronco 3,200 relay of Eric Schneider, Karl Eiring, Ryan Skelly and Erik Petersen set a Lake County Invite record with a blazing 7:51.48.

A little later, Petersen claimed the 1600 in 4:18.84. In a frantic sprint to the finish, Petersen edged Lake Zurich’s Alex Brend by .06.

“That (final stretch) was hard,” Petersen said. “I just had to breathe and keep my arms going.”

Deerfield’s Igor Liokumovich picked up two championships. He ruled the discus (174-1 1/2) and shot put (61-1 1/2).

The team race was incredibly close. Lake Zurich claimed the 1,600 relay to finish with 93 points. Deerfield, which was fourth in the final race, took second with 91.5 points.

The Bears on the clinching relay were Chris Rantis, Mike Rantis, Brend and Jacob Brinlee (3:23.04).

The other Lake County champions included Vernon Hills Adnan Meskic (400, 50.49), Brend (800, 1:52.58), Stevenson’s Kevin Wood (3,200, 9:26.60), Wauconda’s Brandon Dorsey (300 hurdles, 39.44), Grant’s Sean Wells (110 hurdles, 14.94), Highland Park’s David Berk (pole vault, 14-9), Jean-Paul (long jump, 22-1 1/2) and Round Lake’s Nick Lange (triple jump, 44-2 1/4).

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