Boys Track and Field: Joliet West wins title at Eisenhower Invitational
By Logan Malloy For Sun-Times Media April 19, 2012 11:24PM
Calvin Edwards, of Joliet West, takes first place in the 100 meters. | Gary Middendorf~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: May 21, 2012 9:03AM
When Joliet West coach Jason Aubry couldn’t make the 16-team Eisenhower Invitational, he asked his team for a favor: to bring home a first-place finish. Joliet West speedster Calvin Edwards did his best to oblige.
“We all wanted to compete hard for our coach,” Edwards said. “We won this meet last year and wanted to bring coach another plaque. He always tells us to stay humble and hungry.”
Tied after 22 events, Joliet West edged Providence in the final race for the meet title. Joliet West finished with 129 points, Providence was second with 125 and Shepard finished third with 115.
Edwards was first in the 100 meters (10.55 seconds) to beat Romeoville’s Perez Ford (10.74) and Providence’s Troy Sheppard (10.78). In prelims, Edwards came in with a blistering 10.24.
“There’s a lot of anxiety nearing the finish line because everyone wants what you want,” Edwards said. “When I cross that line, the burden is lifted.”
Edwards, a senior, also anchored the winning 400 relay (42.59) and 800 medley relay (129.40).
Andrew Helmin had a strong showing for Providence, winning the 110 hurdles (14.62) to beat Thornridge runners Jalaan Pulley (15.00) and Yemi Ogunarmeru (15.34).
Helmin also took part in the first-place high jump relay. Providence smashed the meet record, jumping a combined 24 feet, 1 inch by its four-man team to beat the 22-8 mark set by Thornridge in 2010. Jake Hopkins, Sean Fitzgerald and Mike Monroe also helped produce the victory, with Monroe jumping 6-7 to seal the record.
“I’d been struggling to get past 6-4 to start the year, but about two meets ago I started hitting 6-7 and 6-8 in practice,” Monroe said. “I’ve been working with my dad and coach Ken Raymond on my technique and it’s really starting to come together.”
Other winners included Bolingbrook’s 3,200 relay (8:26.18) and Joliet West’s Mike Huffar in the 1,600 (4:35.99).
