Metea Valley boys track and field with a strong night, securing fourth place in the 3A Batavia track and field sectional. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Metea Valley is our final local school competing in sectionals as the Mustangs travel to Batavia with many top teams in class 3A.
Metea Valley earns multiple State qualifiers in field events
Metea junior Jalien Shegog competing in the triple jump and he gets a distance of 13.67. That’s good for second place and a spot at State.
The triple jump champ comes from Batavia as senior Alec Crum leads the way at 13.74 meters.
Shegog back on the runway looking to become a dual qualifier for Metea Valley. His final long jump hits the mark and gives him another runner up finish and State qualification.
To the throws where Metea senior Omotayo Taiwo competes in the shot put. He sets a new PR on the night at 15.43 meters, which is good for a fourth place finish. However it’s just shy of the distance needed to make it to State.
The sectional champion comes from St. Charles North in the form of Henry Warsaw who launches this heave 17.82 meters. That’s over 58 feet for the senior.
Moving over to the discus where Metea senior Evan Sweeney, who finished in fifth in the shot put, gets some great distance on this throw. 51.01 meters is enough to qualify and earns Sweeney a runner up finish in the event.
The sectional champ is Reece Ihenacho from Cary Grove. He throws an impressive distance of 55.85 meters. You know it’s a good throw when people have to dodge your disc. Teammate Logan Abrams qualifies as well, along with Trevor Mathison from West Aurora.
Batavia takes advantage of the home track
Onto the track portion of the evening with the 800 meter race featuring a pair of Mustang juniors, Rameez Abrar and Austin Brown. Quentin Lowe from Batavia takes the lead after the first lap ahead of Brown, Jack Allen from Elgin, Jack Kuehl from Geneva and Luke Regalado from Bartlett. Down the stretch they come as Lowe holds on for the win with Allen in second and Austin Brown in third. Abrar crosses the line in sixth, not initially realizing just how close this race ended up being. The State qualifying time is 1:59.36, Abrar finishes at 1:59.35, making the cut by one tenth of a second! The top six are all heading to State as Brown and Abrar celebrate with head coach Aaron Lewis.
The 4X200 meter relay is next. Shanmukh Chebrolu starts things off for Metea Valley followed by Daniel Pere, who makes the handoff to Darrell Space. Dundee-Crown, Batavia and St. Charles North are all out in front and heading to the final 100 meters. Arthur Cox III makes great strides down the stretch as he pulls the Mustangs into second place and a State spot, just behind Batavia. Dundee-Crown and St. Charles North make the State cut as well.
Stretching out to the 1600 meters with four laps around the track. Austin Brown back out there for the Mustangs, boxed in a bit by Jack Allen and Mark McGinn from Barrington and Greyson Ellensohn from St. Charles East to name a few. The pace is not as fast as the 800 earlier in the night, so the coaches tell their runners to make a push for the top two in order to make it downstate. Austin Brown obliges and then some, turning on the jets over the final lap to pull into second place. Jack Allen hangs on for the win, but Brown is heading to State in his second event.
Wrapping things up with the 4X400 as Batavia has secured the team sectional championship already in impressive fashion. Shanmukh Chebrolu is once again leading off for the Metea relay, giving the baton to Arthur Cox III for the second lap. The Mustangs are in second place just behind St. Charles North and just ahead of Barrington as Lucas Van Vlerah takes the baton third. Van Vlerah finished in third place in the 400 earlier in the night. After another lap, Darrell Space takes the anchor leg for the black and gold. Luke Hall from Barrington is able to make up some ground and pull into second place behind Bryce Thomas from St. Charles North. Space has enough in the tank to cross the line in third at 3:24.84, which is good for another State qualifying time. Metea Valley with a strong night as a team in a competitive field, finishing in fourth place with St. Charles North in third, Barrington in second and Batavia winning the sectional title.
Full results of the sectional meet can be found on athletic.net.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
