Boys’ Track Team Makes Third Place Finish

While hosting the division’s best track athletes at Tuesday’s Mid-Suburban League meet, Barrington’s runners started the multi-team event with strong individual and relay efforts. Unfortunately the team came up short and finished third in the six team event.

The Broncos, battling their way through the 18 different events, were in third place after eleven events with 74 points (Palatine led with 81 then Fremd with 78) on early wins from runners.    

“Our relay team did a nice job,” Barrington’s coach Todd Kuklinski said of the four by 800 meter relay team.  “That kind of set the tone for us.”

The relay team consists of Pat Manigan, Eric Schneider, Karl Eiring and Ryan Skelly and ran the event in 8:04.20, two seconds faster than Palatine.  They also ran in the four by 400 relay (3:28.50) but came up short losing to Fremd (3:26.30).

Schneider also ran in the 800 meter run and finished second with 2:00.20.

But it wasn’t just the relay teams helping to keep the Broncos close during the windy and drizzled filled meet.

“Some of our sprint guys have had such a hard time training because the spring has just been so miserable,” Kuklinski said.  “But they did a real nice job today.”

Barrington’s Taylor Calacci was not distracted by the in climate weather as he took first in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.00

“(Calacci) may have run the best 100 meter dash of the year,” Kuklinski said.

Calacci, who also competed in the 200 meter dash, finished second to Fremd’s Erik Wolski by a mere tenth of a second.  Fremd would eventually finish first at the meet with 144 team points, with crosstown Palatine second (134) and Barrington finishing third (100).  Hoffman Estates, Conant and Schaumburg rounded out the multi team meet.

Barrington’s Erik Peterson, time of (9:44.20), also had a first place finish as he completed the 3200 meter race ahead of two Palatine runners, and teammate Kyle Dockery (9:58.20).  Peterson also took third in the 1600 meter race with a time of 4:34.10 behind Fremd’s Andy Mack (4:31.30).

The meet for the Broncos was a good barometer as they enter the tail end of their season, and Kuklinski sees the team moving in the right direction as they head into Friday’s (April 29) Prospect invitational, Palatine Relays (Saturday) and the Lake County Meet next Friday May 6th.

“Overall our kids are competing really well right now and I’m very happy with the progress we have made this season.”