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Plainfield South takes secional meet
Updated: May 19, 2011 10:11PM
Several of the state’s top sprinters and distance runners competed Thursday at the Class 3A Plainfield North Sectional, where the enthusiastic announcer had almost as much energy as the participants who chased qualifying spots for next week’s state meet.
Minooka senior Joe McAsey, fourth in the state 800-meter run in 2010, former volleyball player turned sprinter Calvin Edwards of Joliet West and Plainfield South’s Sheldon Magee, Dondre Adams and Dantrell Wright were among the best in the 16-team field.
Plainfield South won the team title with 102 points ahead of runner-up West Aurora (87) and third-place Minooka (74).
“I’m at a loss for words,’’ Plainfield South coach Jason Crowe said. “I’m just so proud of everybody.’’
McAsey anchored Minooka’s 3,200-meter relay to first place (7 minutes, 52.66 seconds) and then came back to win the 800 (1:54.99).
“I try to take off at the 300-meter spot and that’s what I did again,’’ McAsey said of his 800 victory. “I tried to hold on till the end of the race. I try to pick up the pace and push myself all the way to the end of the race.’’
McAsey certainly did that in the 3,200 relay, anchoring the first running event of the finals behind Danny Barrett, Joey Santillo and Dan Popek.
“That was awesome,’’ McAsey said. “We set a new school record, sectional champion. That was huge. It was a school record by 13 seconds.’’
Edwards, a junior, won a thrilling 100-meter dash race in 10.88 seconds, just ahead of Romeoville’s Perez Ford (10.90) and Adams (10.95).
“It was a dog race,” Edwards said. “I saw guys on both sides of me. I had to turn it up. I’m very excited to be going downstate. I really don’t believe it yet.’’
Plainfield South’s Wright won the 200 meters (21.80), edging Edwards (21.85) and Ford (21.89).
Plainfield South, fifth in the state 400 relay last year in 42.21, won the event Thursday in 41.70. The team of John Magee, Wright, Adams and Sheldon Magee ran faster than the state championship time last year of 41.82 by Niles West.
“It was a great finish,’’ Magee said. “We’ve got to come back next week and try to win it again. All of us are feeling pretty fresh.’’
Magee came back in Thursday’s meet and added an individual sectional title to his credit by winning the 400 (48.08)
In addition to his 400 relay leg, Adams claimed the sectional championship in the long jump (22 feet, 8¼ inches) ahead of runner-up Jon Smith of Joliet West (22-3¾).
“The rhythm in my running didn’t start coming until late in the season, which is the right time,’’ Adams said. “Half of it is mental. I’m happy with my times.’’
Other local sectional champs included Joliet West’s undefeated 800 relay (1:27.10) of Anthony McCullough, Steven Austin, Edwards and Smith, Minooka’s Kevin Dorenkamper in the 300 hurdles (38.61) and teammate Kurtis Zumbahlen in the high jump (6-3).
The meet ended with Plainfield South winning an exciting 1,600 relay (3:16.45) ahead of Minooka (3:17.79).
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