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Driggs, York race to WSC Silver titles
Updated: May 14, 2011 8:40PM
Jack Driggs is back and York is still where it always been.
Driggs returned after resting an injured left hamstring to beat a star-studded field in the 1,600 meters Saturday, helping the Dukes slip past Lyons 130-128.5 to win the West Suburban Silver boys track title at Glenbard West.
It was the ninth straight WSC Silver title for the Dukes and it was sweet redemption for Driggs, who was idle last week while other runners stole the show at Hinsdale Central’s McCarthy Memorial invitational. The 1,600 there produced the five fastest times in the state this spring, and all of those runners were back for Round 2 on Saturday.
Hinsdale Central’s Billy Fayette, who won last week with a time of 4 minutes, 14.20 seconds, set the pace this again this time. “It was faster than I would have liked,” said Fayette, who had a 58-second first lap. “I went out a little too hard. Sixty-two (seconds) would have been perfect.”
It was a little quicker than Driggs was expecting as well.
“I knew we were going out fast, but I couldn’t tell how fast,” he said. “Fifty-eight, fifty-nine at the quarter? I was like, that’s going to hurt.”
Fayette was still in front through three laps, but then Driggs made his move. He wound up winning in 4:14.47, the second fastest time in the state this spring. Fayette was next in 4:16.31, followed by Glenbard West’s Mike Lederhouse (4:16.78), Oak Park-River Forest’s Malachy Schrobilgen (4:18.84), Lyons’ Sam Telfer (4:21.59), Downers Grove North’s Brian Llamas (4:22.66) and Hinsdale’s Zach Withall (4:22.96).
Mission accomplished for Driggs. “I knew that we weren’t going to run sub-4:10 with this wind,” he said. “Me and Mr. Hedman (Jim, a York assistant) were talking about just demoralizing people.
“I’m still here. Everybody ran fast last weekend and I felt left out a little bit.”
York also got firsts from Mo Williams in the 200 (22.58) and its 400 and 800 relay teams. Williams also was runner-up in the 100.
Lyons was paced by sophomore Matt Harris, who won the 110 hurdles (15.99) and long jump (22-6.5). Not bad for someone who missed the entire indoor season because of an irregular heartbeat.
“I wanted to get back out and help my teammates on the track,” said Harris, who was finally cleared to compete for the outdoor season.
Also winning a pair of individual events was Oak Park’s Carl Heinz, who cleared 6-8 in the high jump and had a PR of 45-6.
“I wasn’t really mentally in it,” said Heinz, who also took third in the long jump. “I’m thinking about state 24/7. In the high jump, I had a lot of family here (from out of town) so I wanted to put on a show.”
Hinsdale Central’s Ben Cherry won the 400 in 49.74 and used a ferocious kick to anchor the Red Devils to victory in the 1,600 relay at 3:27.20, .23 faster than Lyons.
“It was a great day,” said Cherry, who passed five runners on the final lap. “I’ve run the 800 recently, but I just love the 400. It’s definitely my race.”
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